A gangster kidnaps a songwriter to win back his girl — with jazz hands.
In I Can't Give You Anything But Love, Baby, Broderick Crawford plays a sentimental gangster who abducts songwriter Johnny Downs and forces him to write a love ballad. It is Crawford's hope that the song will reach out and touch his long-lost childhood sweetheart. I Can't Give You Anything But Love, Baby was based on James Edward Grant's short story Trouble in B Flat; echoes of the basic premise later resurfaced in the 1957 "A" picture The Girl Can't Help It.
Acting
Broderick Crawford plays tender menace like a confused bear.
Writing
Grant's short story premise: somehow dumber and smarter than it sounds.
Costume
Gangsters in formal wear, songwriters in distress.
Director
Albert S. Rogell
Broderick Crawford
Michael G. 'Sonny' McGann
Johnny Downs
Robert Lee 'Bob' Gunther
Peggy Moran
Linda Carroll
Warren Hymer
Big Foot Louie
Jessie Ralph
Mama McGann
Gertrude Michael
Magda Delys
John Sutton
Boston
Horace McMahon
Bugs
Dewey Robinson
Roundhouse
Murray Alper
Nails
Sunshine Sammy Morrison
Joe
Jeni Le Gon
Annie
Virginia Sale
Landlady (uncredited)
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This B-picture's premise got the A-list treatment in 1957's The Girl Can't Help It, proving Hollywood loves a good kidnapping-for-love plot.
The title song was already a 1928 jazz standard—this film is basically feature-length product placement for a hit your grandparents knew.
No ratings yet
Sign in to join the discussion — comments are spoiler-gated to your watch progress.
Discussion starters
US
