Thanks to its incredible roster of musical talent, M-G-M should lead the pack of WWII all-star musicals with its offering “Thousands Cheer” (1943). But for me it’s probably my least favorite title of this select group.
Oh, it’s not a bad film by any means, and it’s often quite enjoyable. A couple of the numbers are quite good. For instance, Lena Horne singing “Honeysuckle Rose” with the Benny Carter Band is terrific (and was featured in the first “That’s Entertainment” (1974) movie.) But too many of the numbers are only average, there are some painfully unfunny comedy sketches and there’s a final number, composed by Dmitri Shostakovich, no less, that is cringe-inducing in the worst way.
There isn’t much story in “Thousands Cheer”, but that’s OK, since most of these all-star musicals aren’t known for their scripts.
In only his fourth film, Gene Kelly plays Private Eddie Marsh, who falls in love with Kathryn Jones (Kathryn Grayson), a singer who is responsible for providing entertainment for the soldiers. She’s also the daughter of Marsh’s commanding officer (John Boles). Kathryn tries to re-connect her divorced parents (mom is Mary Astor) while trying to knock Eddie’s chip off his soldier. She’s also responsible for putting on a big show at the local army camp, which just happens to be all talent under contract to M-G-M at the time.
The best number in the film is not one of the show numbers, but a dance number Kelly does with a mop. The aforementioned Lena Horne number is great, and there’s an infectious song called “I Dug a Ditch” which is performed several times throughout the movie, most notably by the Kay Kyser Band.
There isn’t much story in “Thousands Cheer”, but that’s OK, since most of these all-star musicals aren’t known for their scripts.
In only his fourth film, Gene Kelly plays Private Eddie Marsh, who falls in love with Kathryn Jones (Kathryn Grayson), a singer who is responsible for providing entertainment for the soldiers. She’s also the daughter of Marsh’s commanding officer (John Boles). Kathryn tries to re-connect her divorced parents (mom is Mary Astor) while trying to knock Eddie’s chip off his soldier. She’s also responsible for putting on a big show at the local army camp, which just happens to be all talent under contract to M-G-M at the time.
The best number in the film is not one of the show numbers, but a dance number Kelly does with a mop. The aforementioned Lena Horne number is great, and there’s an infectious song called “I Dug a Ditch” which is performed several times throughout the movie, most notably by the Kay Kyser Band.
For me, though, the numbers are pretty banal, a surprise coming from M-G-M. Judy Garland does “The Joint is Really Jumping Down at Carnegie Hall”, and it will never make any Garland highlight reels.
The final number is a prescient tribute about a United Nations, with Grayson singing about “making a new way for tomorrow” accompanied by male choruses representing different Allied countries. (Since the real United Nations was not formed until after WWII, the song can be seen as a preview of what everyone wanted the world to look like once the war was over).
Shostakovich is credited for the song in the opening credits, but surely he wasn’t commissioned by M-G-M for the song. Did Stalin even let his prized composer leave the country, during time of war no less?
A quick check on the Internet shows the song was originally called “Song of the Counterplan” for a 1932 Soviet film called “Counterplan.” Even with new lyrics, it sounds exactly like one of those pieces Shostakovich wrote to placate and keep Stalin happy, and since it kept Shostakovich alive, I guess I can’t complain too much about the song. Uncle Joe was no doubt pleased, the rest of us less so.
The final number is a prescient tribute about a United Nations, with Grayson singing about “making a new way for tomorrow” accompanied by male choruses representing different Allied countries. (Since the real United Nations was not formed until after WWII, the song can be seen as a preview of what everyone wanted the world to look like once the war was over).
Shostakovich is credited for the song in the opening credits, but surely he wasn’t commissioned by M-G-M for the song. Did Stalin even let his prized composer leave the country, during time of war no less?
A quick check on the Internet shows the song was originally called “Song of the Counterplan” for a 1932 Soviet film called “Counterplan.” Even with new lyrics, it sounds exactly like one of those pieces Shostakovich wrote to placate and keep Stalin happy, and since it kept Shostakovich alive, I guess I can’t complain too much about the song. Uncle Joe was no doubt pleased, the rest of us less so.
For me, I’ll take the finale to “Star Spangled Rhythm” (1942), with Bing Crosby singing “Old Glory.” “Star Spangled Rhythm” boasts everything lacking in “Thousands Cheer”- breeziness, no attempts at faux-culture, a great song score (“That Old Black Magic and “Time to Hit the Road to Dreamland”) and good comedy.
I also prefer the two Warner Bros. entries, “Thank Your Lucky Stars” (1943) and “Hollywood Canteen” (1944). They’re much livelier and engaging. Universal had a good one in “Follow the Boys” (1944) and United Artists produced “Stage Door Canteen” (1943), which was an East Coast version of the Hollywood Canteen. Frank Borzage directed the latter, and it’s quite an affecting movie. Unfortunately it has fallen into the public domain and is now available in copies of varying quality. I hope a pristine version shows up somewhere.
Fox and Columbia did not produce any all-star musicals, though Fox came close with “Four Jills in a Jeep” (1944), a highly fictionalized look at a traveling USO show.
The one all-star musical title that remains maddingly elusive is Paramount’s “Duffy’s Tavern” (1945). I can’t remember this ever showing up on TV, and has not been made available on VHS or DVD. I’m hoping it turns up on TCM one day. I would love to see it.
I also prefer the two Warner Bros. entries, “Thank Your Lucky Stars” (1943) and “Hollywood Canteen” (1944). They’re much livelier and engaging. Universal had a good one in “Follow the Boys” (1944) and United Artists produced “Stage Door Canteen” (1943), which was an East Coast version of the Hollywood Canteen. Frank Borzage directed the latter, and it’s quite an affecting movie. Unfortunately it has fallen into the public domain and is now available in copies of varying quality. I hope a pristine version shows up somewhere.
Fox and Columbia did not produce any all-star musicals, though Fox came close with “Four Jills in a Jeep” (1944), a highly fictionalized look at a traveling USO show.
The one all-star musical title that remains maddingly elusive is Paramount’s “Duffy’s Tavern” (1945). I can’t remember this ever showing up on TV, and has not been made available on VHS or DVD. I’m hoping it turns up on TCM one day. I would love to see it.
4 comments:
Kevin, I am in agreement with your assessment. Lena Horne and Gene Kelly with the mop were the only memorable things in the movie for me. I really love Hollywood Canteen -- I hope I'm thinking of the right movie, with Jack Benny performing with the great violinist, the gypsy dancers, Bette Davis, Joan Leslie? Love it! And of course, I am a sucker for Thank Your Lucky Stars, if only because of the ending. When Errol Flynn was shown as her supposed hick-town husband, it was really funny.
Becky: Yep, "Hollywood Canteen" was the movie with Jack Benny and Joan Leslie. But you're a little confused with the Errol Flynn titles.
The one you are thinking of is "It's a Great Feeling" and that was from 1949.
"Thank Your Lucky Stars" was also Warner Bros. from 1943 and has Flynn doing a musical number called "That's What You Jolly Well Get" spoofing his war movie heroics and he does very well.
I am woefully behind on these films and need to see them. I'm kind of a sucker for these all-star revue-type movies, like the ones made during the silents-to-talkes era. As you know, I just reviewed Hollywood Canteen but need to see these others.
This is a terrific piece. Please e-mail when you get a chance, I'd love to discuss reposting it on www.moviefanfare.com. My e-mail address is chrisc@moviesunlimited.com
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