You Can't Have Everything is a 1937 American musical comedy directed by Norman Taurog and produced for 20th Century Fox. The picture blends romantic plotting with backstage show-business spectacle typical of the late 1930s studio system. Its cast includes leading musical star Alice Faye and leading man Don Ameche, supported by the comic trio the Ritz Brothers and entertainer Gypsy Rose Lee.

Overview

The film functions as a lighthearted backstage musical: characters are involved in theatrical production, romantic misunderstandings, and a succession of musical and dance numbers that showcase Fox's production values. Rather than an epic storyline, the emphasis is on performance, timing, and star personality — a format intended to entertain Depression-era audiences seeking upbeat cinema.

Cast and on-screen roles

  • Alice Faye — featured as the film's musical heroine and central singer.
  • Don Ameche — cast as the romantic lead, paired opposite Faye.
  • The Ritz Brothers — providing comic relief with slapstick and vaudeville-style routines.
  • Gypsy Rose Lee — appearing as a glamorous specialty performer, reflecting her burlesque-to-Hollywood career arc.

Production and context

Directed by Norman Taurog, an established filmmaker who had won an Academy Award earlier in the decade, the movie exemplifies how major studios assembled reliable creative teams and stars to produce brisk, crowd-pleasing musicals. Alice Faye was rising as one of Fox's principal musical talents, while Don Ameche was building a reputation as a romantic and comic leading man. The inclusion of variety acts and specialty performers reflects Hollywood's habit of borrowing from vaudeville and burlesque traditions.

Reception and legacy

Contemporary responses tended to praise the film's musical numbers and the performers' charisma while treating the plot as secondary. Over time the picture has been regarded as a representative example of 1930s studio musicals: important for its cast, for preserving the screen personas of its stars, and for showcasing the entertainment conventions of its era. The presence of well-known performers from different entertainment backgrounds also makes it notable for students of American popular culture.

Notable facts

  • Part of Fox's string of musicals that helped define the studio's on-screen identity in the 1930s.
  • Features the Ritz Brothers' distinctive brand of synchronized slapstick, a carryover from vaudeville comedy troupes.
  • Gypsy Rose Lee's participation illustrates the flow of talent from live variety stages to Hollywood pictures.