Star Spangled Rhythm (1942)

The main reason for seeing this morale-boosting film, released in the midst of WWII, is to see the antics of Betty Hutton. She was more fun than all the rest of the Paramount stars put together. The best female film clown until Lucie Ricardo(Ball)replaced her in the '50s. She was the ultimate bubbly cute blonde bombshell, in only her second feature-length film. As in her first film: "The Fleet's In", she was largely paired with comedian-straight man Eddie Bracken, a trend that would continue in several additional films. She's way down on the billing list at this site, but she dominated the first half of the film, along with Eddie, and Victor Moore, who played Eddie's father. Most of the other stars were crammed into the second half of the film.There is a dramatic side to the show. Eddie Bracken played a serviceman who is on leave in Hollywood to see his father, who claimed to have been promoted to head of production, and to see his pen pal girlfriend(Betty). The problem is that Eddie's father actually is just a security guard at the studio. Thus, the challenge is to keep this knowledge from Eddie's buddies, and to keep the real production chief(played by Walter Able) away from his office until Eddie and his buddies go back to their ship. Of course, this leads to many comedic situations.All the music was composed by Harold Arlen, with lyricist Johnny Mercer. The only "keeper" was "That Old Black Magic", which was released as a single by several singers around the same time, as well as in later years. Vera Zorina danced to it, while Johnny Johnston sang it. "Hit the Road to Dreamland " was sung by Mary Martin and Dick Powell. Betty Hutton sings "I'm Doing it for Defense. 'Rochester' Anderson led a group of African Americans in singing and dancing to "Sharp as a Tack". Marjorie Reynolds and others sang "On the Swing Shift". Paulette Goddard, Dorothy Lamour and Veronica Lake(dubbed) sang and danced to "A Sweater, a Sarong, and a Peek-a-Boo Bang", followed by 3 men made up as caricatures of the women, who also sang and danced to it. Bing Crosby finished with the patriotic "Old Glory". There were a number of non-musical skits, as well, including the shower scene, with William Bendix and Bob Hope: the latter also serving as master of ceremonies, for about the last half of the film. "If Men Played Cards as Women Do", with 4 stars, fell flat for me.Although this was shot in B&W, occasionally, a rainbow of colors is seen, due to differential refraction of the light from microstructures. This is especially evident in Betty's dress in the 'climbing the wall' skit, and in Vera Zorenas's dress in the "That Old Black Magic" dance. I haven't noticed such in any other B&W film.

Pretty much this is Paramount's contribution to the war effort in 1942. Plot basically sees Victor Moore as Pop, who by way of some deceit has to keep up the pretence to his sailor son Johnny Webster (Eddie Bracken) that he is head of the studio, when in fact he is just a gatekeeper there. As Johnny and his sailor pals make their way to the studio, Pop, aided by switchboard operator Polly Judson (Betty Hutton), sets about putting on a all star show for the boys. Cue sketches and variety turns by a ream of Paramount performers. Some of the situ comedy works, such as Bob Hope in the shower with William Bendix and Hutton trying to scale a wall aided by two bendy blokes, other moments, however, fall a little flat. But when the froth is war-oriented or the stars are poking fun at themselves, it scores well and the musical numbers are never less than pleasant.Good old time cinema while it's also fun to play spot the star. 7/10

Paramount produced a cavalcade of stars in this traditional World War 11 patriotic film dealing with the situations that ensue when an attendant at Paramount Studios tries to impress his navy son by claiming that he is a studio mogul.Naturally, this evolves into situations too numerous to speak of here.Victor Moore is the father and Eddie Bracken stars as the son. Bette Hutton is marvelous as Bracken's girlfriend and the ensemble cast at Paramount are terrific when putting on a show for the navy.You have to feel for Walter Abel, a mogul who is victimized in the scheme of Hutton and Moore.Add 1/2* for Bing Crosby's patriotic song ending.

A potpourri of star turns lift the charming but silly plot above itself. Worth seeing for the Dick Powell/Mary Martin number alone. I kept backing the tape up and watching this part again and again. Why Martin wasn't a greater Hollywood star is a mystery to me, but H'wood's loss was B'way's gain. Many other nice things to see, but I have a feeling some numbers were cut from the final print. Wonder what they were?