What does the title mean?
"Babes in arms", I don't get it. Is it something like "we're not babes on our parents' arms?"
shareHi Felipenor...
Wow...no one ever replied. OK... Il'll try...
You're kinda right. "Babes in Arms" is an idiom for someone who's naive and innocent -- or, yes, like a "babe in (the) arms" of a parent. The whole gist of this is how kids see the possibilities of down-and-out situations. There's optimism and a belief they can make dreams happen because they weren't bogged down by "that can't be done!" attitudes. And this movie also gave us the trope, "Hey! I know! Let's go to the barn and PUT ON A SHOW!!!" So innocent! And it worked!
Another hidden message could be the Busby Berkley ending that's got some military mojo going on. Things were getting hot over in Europe around this time with Hitler. Some lyrics on that finale number:
"We send our greetings to friendly nations,
We may be Yanks but we're no relations.
Drop your sabers
We all are good neighbors.."
The Babes in Arms were Babes NOT in Arms... Asking everyone to get along...and reassure peacefulness. (D'oh! Didn't happen!)
Cheers!