Paul Whiteman's rhythm monologue

NOLAJUDY

Junior Member
Anyone know where I can get a transcript of the monologue Paul Whiteman speaks to Mickey Rooney (the young drummer) in the movie version of "Strike Up the Band"? It's a great speech about the importance of rhythm. Been searching online but can't locate it yet.
Thanks!
 
Here it is without the name "Jimmy", which was Mickey Rooney's character in the movie:

"Let me tell you something. When I started out to be a musician, we were a bunch of boys with instruments who got together and kind of beat out a rhythm for the rest of the folks to dance to. But now it’s a profession, and a mighty important one. Take the big band leader of today. He’s almost a household word. He’s as well known as your biggest picture actor or your most popular baseball player. Fred Waring, Kay Kayser, Glen Miller. All very popular. But once they were a little guy like you, who 'just sorta cooked things up'. But with this popularity comes great responsibility. Rhythm can either excite the worst in us or bring out the best. Take that little fellow on the street. Teach him to blow a horn and he’ll never blow a safe. You know, rhythm is really a wonderful thing. Sometimes I think rhythm almost runs the world. In a little baby, the first thing that starts is his rhythm. His little heart starts to beat. And every city has a different kind of rhythm. And in your own car, if you feel the engine missing or jerking, or you feel the flat tire, it’s the rhythm that tells you something’s wrong. And if you call a doctor, the first thing he does is check your rhythm. He feels your pulse to see if your rhythm’s solid and your beat’s strong. So, son, when we get to the last eight bars of the big tune, and the old ticker kind of slows down, no matter what’s wrong with us, the last thing to stop is our rhythm."

(You can also rent the film online for $4.99, which is how I finally found this. No one had posted the text that I could find."
 
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