If I Had My Way

Plot

Buzz Blackwell, Fred Johnson and Axel Swenson are construction workers in San Francisco who are helping to build the Golden Gate Bridge. They are good friends and Buzz and Axel even help Fred in raising his daughter Patricia. When Fred tragically dies in an accident, Patricia is forced to go live with her relatives in New York City whom she has never met. Buzz and Axel decide to travel with her.

They soon arrive at the home of her uncle Jarvis Johnson, a snobby rich man with supercilious wife. Jarvis has received a letter from Buzz but wants no part in raising Patricia. When they show up, Jarvis pretends to be someone else and sends them to the other "J. Johnson", Joe, another uncle. Joe and Marian are poor ex-vaudevillans but welcome the girl with open arms. Buzz wants to give Joe the money Fred left for Patricia, but finds out a drunken Axel used that money to buy a Swedish restaurant.

Buzz is determined to help and turns the restaurant into a nightclub, using a loan from Jarvis, which he obtained through false pretenses. Jarvis returns to claim his money back, but the club is a success and he is repaid.

Reception

Reviewers in 1940 had kind words for Bing and Gloria, but complained about the timeworn storyline. "Although it can hardly be termed an original model," said Boxoffice, [the Crosby film] is nicely tailored to his distinctive brand of comedy and crooning. Bing is ably aided and abetted by Gloria Jean, captivating miss of the silvery voice. In fact the teaming of these two song birds is a ten-strike in smart casting and the resultant feature has much to offer customers of all ages and tastes, with a bonus for the oldsters who will enjoy a nostalgic thrill through the appearances of Blanche Ring, Eddie Leonard, and several other oldtimers whose stars shone brightly during the golden era of the theatah."

Bosley Crowther writing in The New York Times was not impressed saying: The sum total is but a moderately amusing musical, more often flat than sharp—and this we say in spite of the fellow sitting next to us who kept telling his girl-friend solemnly, “This is very entertaining, indeed.”

Variety did not think much of it either. "Bing Crosby will likely want to forget this cinematic adventure just as quickly as possible. Way below par as compared with his releases for both Universal and Paramount during the past two years, If I Had My Way will need all of his draw strength to get it through the key runs for nominal grosses."

Upon the film's DVD release in 2006, DVD Talk praised Crosby and thought Jean was cute, but criticized the plot and called the film "strictly second-run material".

Soundtrack

Bing Crosby recorded a number of the songs for Decca Records. “April Played the Fiddle” enjoyed seven weeks in the charts, peaking at No. 10. “Meet the Sun Half Way” reached the No. 15 mark during 4 weeks in the charts. Crosby's songs were also included in the Bing's Hollywood series.

Home media

On November 14, 2006, Universal Studios released If I Had My Way as part of the Bing Crosby:Screen Legend Collection on Region 1 DVD. The 3-disc set also includes Double or Nothing (1937), Waikiki Wedding (1937), East Side of Heaven (1939), and Here Come the Waves (1944).