The American movie titled Barnyard Follies and directed by Frank McDonald was released in 1940 and is categorized as musical.
Key cast members of Barnyard Follies include Mary Lee, Harry Cheshire, Rufe Davis, June Storey, Isabel Randolph.
The plot of Barnyard Follies is: Pappy Cheshire, his assistant Louise Dale, and farmhand Bucksaw Beechwood manage an orphanage near the village of Farmdale. Pappy has loaned $5000 of community provided orphanage funding to the orphans for their new 4-H Club projects so the orphanage will become self-supporting. Of the opinion this is a ridiculous idea, community leaders Hiram Crabtree, Sam Spitz, and Mrs. Uppington pressure Pappy to return the money within 30 days.
Hearing on the radio that Pappy's long lost brother, Henry, died and left Pappy $20,000, Bubbles Martin, one of the teenage orphan girls, tells Pappy about his good fortune, part of which turns out to be a nightclub, The Peep Inn, that Pappy and Bubbles visit in the city. Pappy plans to close the place, sell the building, and use the proceeds for the orphanage. He approaches The Peep Inn's group of musicians, girl dancers, and their director, Jeff Hill, to settle their contract at 50 cents on the dollar for their release. The entertainers refuse the offer and Pappy insists they get on the train and come to Farmdale to work for him for the remainder of their contract.
When Jeff Hill and troupe arrive at the orphanage, Jeff is immediately smitten with Louise but she gives him the cold shoulder. Receiving a check for only $900 from his brother's estate after taxes and expenses, Pappy is unable to pay the community back. Jeff wants to put on a show, "The Barnyard Follies", to earn enough money to solve the financial problem but Dolly and the other girl dancers quit when they learn of the plan. Bubbles gets the orphans to do the show with the help of Jeff.
The Fire Inspector prevents the show from taking place. Under the pressure of Hiram and Sam, Pappy Cheshire leaves the orphanage. When the haystack goes up in flames the Fire Department comes. As the Fire Department begins to leave, one of the fire trucks gets stuck on the bridge in the driveway at the orphanage. With the entire Fire Department now at the orphanage waiting for the fire truck to be freed, the Mayor of Farmdale allows the show to proceed. Pappy returns when he hears on the radio that the orphan's 4-H Club animals are going to be auctioned off. Mrs. Uppington accuses Hiram Crabtree and Sam Spitz of political graft as their motive for driving Pappy Cheshire to leave. Hiram and Sam flee the scene. All ends well and Jeff and Louise are arm in arm by the end of the movie.
Lots of fun, good story, great music and dancing, enjoyable by people of all ages..
