Hollywood Canteen (1944)

I guess that no stars from MGM, Paramount, 20th Century Fox or RKO Radio were invited to appear at the Hollywood Canteen during the filming of this musical answer to "Stage Door Canteen", Broadway's answer to showing how members of the military were treated on leave when they came to shore. Warner Brothers tossed in practically every star on the lot, just like they had done the year before for "Thank Your Lucky Stars", another musical revue with a slight plot about entertaining the troops.Warner Brothers newcomer Joan Crawford made her contract debut in this film, showing concern over a soldier (Dane Clark) who faints when he realizes who his dancing partner is. She doesn't get to appear in any scenes with Warner Brothers "Queen Bee" Bette Davis who as co-founder of the canteen with John Garfield gets to explain how the canteen was founded and what its mission is. Other divas of the lot, such as Jane Wyman, Barbara Stanwyck, Ida Lupino and Eleanor Parker, make amusing cameos as well, but it is the musical performances you will remember which includes everybody from the Andrews Sisters ("I've Got Corns For My Country") to Roy Rogers ("Don't Fence Me In") to Dennis Morgan ("You Can Always Tell a Yank").Long before her dramatic career won her an Oscar, Jane Wyman sang, and after playing the ditzy newleywed opposite Jack Carson in "The Doughgirls" gets to sing the snappy "What Are You Doin' the Rest of Your Life" with him. Stanwyck, a freelancer who appeared regularly at Warner Brothers during the depression and later on throughout the war years, is amusingly sweet as she expresses sadness that she's been replaced by Joan Leslie as the love of a soldier's life. What little plot exists concerns that soldier's (Robert Hutton) winning of a date with Leslie and the "simple existence" this rising movie star lives. Another romance involves Dane Clark with studio tour guide Janis Paige (her own Warner Brothers debut) that adds some sweetness to the plot.One of the biggest box office successes of the war years, this has a theme and cast that just couldn't miss. The music and romance add a bittersweet feeling towards the mood of the war years and pretty much everything scores. It ends up being even more enjoyable than "Stage Door Canteen", its Broadway rival, even though its usage of a mostly Warner Brothers cast makes it seem a little self-serving.

All-star Warner Bros. hokum about a soldier (Robert Hutton) with the biggest crush on Joan Leslie. Who can blame him? So he spends his leave at the Hollywood Canteen meeting various stars and, of course, the lovely Joan Leslie herself. The story is slight but it's just an excuse to promote the Hollywood Canteen, a club that offered free food and entertainment to servicemen during World War II. The Canteen's founders, Bette Davis and John Garfield, are among the many movie stars that appear here. Ann Sheridan is one of the few stars that doesn't appear, despite her name being dropped repeatedly.It is a little bit self-congratulatory, with movie stars patting themselves on the back for what good people they are. Some things never change as that's still the case today. But, cynicism aside, it's all good fun and completely charming. There are lots of musical performances from the likes of the Andrews Sisters, Roy Rogers, Sons of the Pioneers, Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra, and several actors. Highlights among the cameos is Joan Crawford's first appearance under contract to WB and Syndey Greenstreet & Peter Lorre spooking a Marine. It's not high art but it's a good time and it made me smile.

During this era, even variety show films, such as this, were thought to require at least a bit of popup romance and romantic drama. But, in this one, this gets way out of hand! Robert Hutton's fixation on Joan Leslie dominates the screen play throughout. And when this duo isn't on screen, a rather sinister-looking Dane Clark is likely trying to flirt with one of several stars. Ida Lupino looks uncomfortable while he's trying to impress her(They would later star in the unjustly forgotten "Deep Valley", as an unlikely tragic 'looser' couple). I understand that this was supposed to allow lonely soldiers to identify with the nobody soldiers cavorting with Hollywood stars, but makes for a tedious film for post-war audiences. Warner's war relief-supporting multistar vehicles of the previous year :"This is the Army" and "Thank Your Lucky Stars" have withstood the test of time as entertainment much better, on the whole. Looks like Warners ran low on 'gas' for this one, although there are a number of entertaining acts. More so than those other films, this one was too much of a 'spot the stars' film and was partly a PR film to spotlight the existence of the canteen. This was fine during the war, but of little interest to today's viewers. Yes, the Andrew Sisters did a couple of songs, though not their best. Don't know why they followed Roy Roger's "Don't Fence Me In" with their own rendition of the same song?? Eddie Cantor did a short skit, but you see much more of him in "Thank Your Lucky Stars". Alexis Smith was a mere 5 sec. presence vs. her beautiful romantic dance in the above film. Jack Benny is his usual arrogant boring stage self. Even Warner's premier tenor, Dennis Morgan, prominently featured in the above film, comes off rather flat with a not very good song. On the other hand, Jane Wyman and Jack Carson are entertaining with "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?". Jane should have been a singing actress in other roles, besides the later tribute to Cole Porter: "Night and Day". In fact, she once was a radio singer, while waiting for some film studio to sign her. Her comment about being Reaganized(Ronnie was her then husband) suggests she knew something of his future political plans. Jimmy Dorsey's band backs up many of the numbers and is featured in the lively "King Porter Stomp". Unfortunately, he would have to dissolve his band in a few years..The lullaby-like "Sweet Dreams, Sweetheart" is sung by Joan Leslie(dubbed) and, again near the end, by Kitty Carlisle, mainly for the benefit of Robert Hutton's character. But, the standout performance for spectator interest is the very well choreographed dance production starring the very energetic Joan McCracken, who had several Broadway shows, including Oklahoma, to her credit. Her dancing would be featured in only a couple of Hollywood films. One wonders why she didn't have a more prominent film career. Unfortunately, she suffered from diabetes 1 and would die rather young from its complications....Rosario and Antonio follow with an excellent, if stereotypical, Spanish dance. Third place in the dance category goes to Trigger(Roy Roger's horse), who danced to "Don't Fence Me In". The African American Glden Gate Quartette also showed promise with their rather non-descript novelty song.

I suspect that even during the WWII era when this movie was released the romance between Joan Leslie and Robert Hutton must have seemed pretty far-fetched. And that's the only thing that drags it into the syrupy and silly category. The effort led by Bette Davis and John Garfield to entertain, free of charge, allied servicemen was worthwhile and a credit to all the fine entertainers who volunteered their time. And so, apart from the fake love story, the film shines. The musical numbers are captivating, especially Carmen Cavallaro and Benny Goodman, and this movie is worth seeing just for them. One also gets the feeling that the stars were more natural, less glamorous. They seemed to let their hair down so to speak, doing this just for the fun of it. The one standout performer is Janis Paige who unlike most of the other actors doesn't even play herself. She steals every scene and makes the movie memorable. This was her third film and it was in fact in the real Hollywood Canteen she was discovered and signed to a contract by Warners. By contrast the headliners, Leslie and Hutton, are entirely forgettable and so cute they're annoying. See this movie for the music and Janis Paige and skip the romance.