Today's Soundie features a pretty catchy song by Tommy Reynolds and His Orchestra called "Smiles". It also contains the worst filming of a dance act, EVER!
Tommy Reynolds never managed to establish a big name for himself as a bandleader, but his orchestra was pretty good overall. He recorded a handful of Soundies and I think you'll find his version of "Smiles" entertaining and fun to listen to.
The Soundie itself is filmed so badly, it makes it a classic. It was released in 1942 and the female lead in this is an actress/dancer named Sunnie O'Dae. For the record, Sunnie O'Dae is remembered as a very good dancer, but you would never know it by watching this film. O'Dae's performance in this Soundie wasn't the problem. It was the simple fact that the film crew recorded her dance routine so poorly. The clip barely shows her from the knees down as she dances and we never see her feet. Have you ever seen a tap dance performance where the dancer's feet aren't shown?
Watch the Soundie: "Smiles" by Tommy Reynolds and His Orchestra
When I watched this Soundie for the first time I just figured they were covering up the limitations of a poor dancer. But over time, as I learned more about Sunnie O'Dae and her dancing talent, it became quite clear that the film crew simply screwed up. I would NOT be surprised if a few of the crew were fired that day. It's important to note that Soundies were made on a VERY tight budget. So a reshoot, most likely, was not a possibility.
All that being said, I'm glad they released it because watching it always gives me a good laugh and I do like the song. I've also included another clip of Sunnie O'Dae dancing. Enjoy!
Watch: A clip of Sunnie O'Dae dancing in the movie "Sing Another Chorus"
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