Let's Go Native

Paramount, 1930

Starring Jeanette MacDonald, Jack Oakie, Richard "Skeets" Gallagher, and James Hall

Directed by Leo McCarey

Music by Richard A. Whiting; Lyrics by George Marion Jr.

Let's take a summer vacation to a remote tropical island in this hilarious early romp. Director McCarey had been directing short comedies featuring Laurel and Hardy and Charley Chase since the early 20's. This was only his third sound film and his fourth feature, but he already knew his way around a slapstick gag. It wound up being a surprise hit in 1930 and garnered so many positive comparisons to the Marx Brothers vehicle Animal Crackers, McCarey would go on to direct the Brothers' Duck Soup in 1934. How does this nutty Depression-era tale look nowadays? Let's begin with two dapper Argentinians as they look on at the home of costume designer and singer Joan Wood (MacDonald) and find out...

The Story: Joan got hit hard by the start of the Depression and is heavily in debt. She's done the costumes for a Broadway show that's on its way to Argentina, but she won't get paid until they're in Buenos Aires. Her boyfriend Wally Wendall (Hall) wants to marry her, but she won't marry him until he gets a job. His wealthy grandfather (Charles Sellon) doesn't approve of Joan and has disinherited him. He wants him to marry Constance Cook (Kay Francis), the daughter of the owner of a cruise ship line. Also onboard is Voltaire McGinnis (Oakie), a cab driver who wants to get his money from Wally and his friend Basil Pistol (William Austin) after a freak accident.

While onboard, Voltaire falls for Constance, while Wally continues to pursue Joan. They all end up stranded on a remote island when the ship goes down. The natives are all beautiful women, to the  delight of most of the men. They sound and behave like Brooklyn chorus girls because the "king" of the island is Jerry (Gallagher), a New York native who was shipwrecked on the island and was dubbed its king. Voltaire woos Constance and plots with Basil to sell Jerry's pearl-crusted crown once they get back. Wally's grandfather finally turns up to rescue them, but Joan knows how to deal with him - and Voltaire's scheming - now. She leverages the island and its riches in exchange for marrying his son, but the island is volcanic, and it may not be around for much longer...

The Song and Dance: This may be one of the funniest original musicals from the early talkie era. Everyone is having a ball with the unique and wild shipwreck story. Even MacDonald, who apparently wasn't happy about ending up in this, seems to enjoy swaying in her grass skirt. Oakie, Austin, and Gallagher have a lot more fun as the two guys who get caught up in Joan's money woes and the one who managed to "civilize" paradise. There's some great gags here, from the opening with the furniture being carried out of Joan's house even as she awakens for breakfast to the men on board watching as they all knock off each other's hats (and how that ties into the fate of Jerry's pearl crown in the finale). There's no attempt to tie the songs in. They blatantly come up with the silliest, spoofiest cues for songs that, more often than not, are there just to be catchy. 

The Numbers: We open with Wally and Joan singing one last song on Joan's piano, the ballad "My Mad Moment," before it's repossessed. Joan does a whirling Apache dance before we go into a montage of musical numbers from the big show, ending with Joan and one of the dancers performing an Argentinian-style tango. "It Seems to Be Spring" is a rehearsal on the boat, as Joan and Wally sing on a stage where snow is falling, even as they strip down to warm-weather clothes. The snow stops briefly, enough for bears to do their own wooing...and them to get covered in snow. Voltaire gets the ladies on-board going with his lively chorus number "Joe Jazz." This turns into a full-on tap routine, with the dancers in top hats and hot-pants dance costumes. 

The title song chorus number on the island starts with Voltaire and the native girls doing their idea of a hula. Basil joins in for the stuffy British version before the girls go into Busby Berkeley-style overhead formations. Voltaire's idea of a romantic song is "I've Got a Yen for You." Constance even joins in at one point. 

What I Don't Like: First of all, Universal needs to do some serious restoration on this one. The copies currently on YouTube are horrible, blurry, jumpy, and with fuzzy sound. Second, this is obviously not for those looking for a darker story or one that makes sense. This is pure goofiness all the way. McCarey's skill makes this a little livelier than most early musicals, but it's still an early talkie and can occasionally get a bit static (mostly in the first half). And I kind of wish they'd gotten to the island earlier. They spend more than half of a 75-minute movie setting up the finale. 

The Big Finale: If you're a fan of any of the stars, are looking for something light and funny to watch on a summer's day, and can deal with the shape the copies online are in, you'll have a "vine" time going native with some of the wackiest goofballs of the pre-Code era.

Home Media: As mentioned, this is currently on YouTube in blurry copies with fuzzy sound. 

YouTube

Cult Flops - Bitter Sweet (1933)

United Artists, 1933

Starring Anna Neagle, Fernand Gravey, Miles Mander, and Ivy St. Helier

Directed by Herbert Wilcox

Music and Lyrics by Noel Coward

Let's begin this month with another rediscovered operetta treasure, this time from England. Noel Coward's melancholy operetta made it's debut on the West End in 1929. It was such a massive hit, its producer C.B Cochran brought it to Broadway a few months later. It didn't do as well there, in the original cast with Evelyn Laye or a 1934 revival with Evelyn Herbert. Back in England, its success was enough for Wilcox to adapt this for up-and-coming English stars Anna Neagle and Fernand Gravey. Did they do better than the glossy but dull MGM remake with Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy in 1940? Let's begin in 1929 London with a party in full swing and find out...

The Story: The party is for Dolly Chamberlain (Pat Paterson) on the eve of her marriage to a wealthy nobleman, but she really loves poor musician Vincent (Hugh Williams). They're caught in an embrace by elderly Sarah Millick (Neagle). Sarah doesn't mind at all. It turns out that in 1875, she ran out on her own pompous and dull suitor (Esme Percy) to marry the handsome and dashing Viennese songwriter Carl Linden (Gravey). 

They lived in Vienna, happy but poor, working at a cafe frequented by soldiers and ladies of the evening. He's the bandleader. She dances with the soldiers, including Captain Auguste Lutte (Mander). They're hoping to earn enough money to start their own cafe, with her singing Carl's music. She does manage to befriend Carl's former lover Manon Le Crevette (Helier), a singer at the club, and he impresses the club's owner Herr Schlick (Clifford Heatherly). Lutte, however, is interested in more than Sarah's singing. Carl's attempt to defend his wife's honor after Lutte makes improper advances ends in tragedy. Sarah, however, has never forgotten Carl and his music...and encourages Dolly to follow her heart her heart and marry the man she truly loves.

The Song and Dance: At the very least, I do give them credit for including some songs that didn't make it into the 1940 version, including the other hit from this, Manon's rueful "If Love Were All." Neagle is simply radiant as Sarah, especially during the first half when she's a young woman truly in love for the first time. She just glows, to the point where I can see why director Wilcox married her a decade later. Gravey is equally charming as the Austrian musician who adores her. (And at least they're both closer to the appropriate ages for their roles.) Heilier repeats her West End role as the worldly Frenchwoman. This is slower than the Hollywood version, but Wilcox's British sensibilities have a theatricality to them that's appealing and works with the melodramatic material. 

The Numbers: We open with an instrumental chorus number as we see dancing legs in ruffly gowns. When Sarah overhears Dolly and Vincent talking, she sings "The Call of Life" to explain her own story...and that dissolves nicely into the young Sarah in 1875, all ruffles and bustles and golden ringlets, finishing the number. Carl wistfully performs "If You Could Only Come With Me" at his last music lesson for Sarah. Sarah's shocked, but she cheers up when they perform the longing ballad "I'll See You Again." The chorus performs the instrumental "The Last Dance" waltz as Sarah realizes she can't go through with marrying stuffy Hugh. 

Our first number at the cafe is Manon's "Bonne Nuit, Merci" as she entertains the soldiers and their female companions. They perform "Ladies of the Town" to explain their own positions in Viennese society. Manon gives her own rueful observations on life in "If Love Were All." At home, Sarah and Carl sing about how they want their "Dear Little Cafe" to show off Sarah's singing and Carl's songs. "Tokay" is the big drinking number for the Captain, the soldiers, and the patrons of the cafe. Manon performs "Kiss Me" while the Captain glares and Sarah flees. The Captain and Sarah are dancing to "Kiss Me" when the Captain gropes Sarah and Carl steps in, prompting their duel. Back in 1929, Vincent reprises "I'll See You Again" as a jazzier instrumental number after Sarah fades in, singing it to the dying Carl. Sarah ends the movie singing it one more time for the camera.

What I Don't Like: Despite being the version Coward approved of, it still doesn't use all of the original show. The 1940 version did get in most of the third act, where Sarah becomes a star in Viennese operetta and marries a nobleman who also loved her. Several songs are missing, including Sarah's "What Is Love," the duet "Forevermore and a Day," and Sarah's big operetta number "Zigeuner." On the other hand, this does use the opening and closing with Sarah as an elderly woman that the 1940 version dropped. Not to mention United Artists/MGM could give this some restoration. The copy on Tubi is intact but a bit fuzzy.

The Big Finale: Charming and well worth checking out for fans of Coward, Neagle, or vintage operetta. 

Home Media: It can currently be found for free with commercials on Tubi. (And don't let the posters used to advertise this discourage you - for some reason, they use the poster for the MacDonald-Eddy version as the thumbnail.)

Tubi

Descendants: Wicked Wonderland

Disney, 2026

Starring Kylie Cantrall, Malia Baker, Liamani Segura, and Leonardo Nam

Directed by Kimmy Gatewood

Music and Lyrics by various

We're going to stay with Disney, but head to the Disney Channel for another fantasy revolving around teen protagonists. Descendants: Rise of Red was a massive hit on the Disney Channel and Disney Plus in 2024, one of the biggest hit made-for-TV films they'd had in years. Them putting out a sequel was probably inevitable, though it apparently wasn't announced until February 2025. After changing their lives via time travel in the previous film, how do Red (Cantrall) and Chloe (Baker) react to their new worlds? Let's begin, not with the girls, but with our narrator, Chessy, the daughter of the Cheshire Cat (Awkwafina), as she explains that all is not what it seems to be in Wonderland, and find out...

The Story: After everything that happened in the previous movie, Chloe and Red come to the conclusion that time travel is too dangerous and hide the magical pocket watch in the Wonderland Vault. Red has the most changes to deal with. Not only is her mother Bridget, the Queen of Hearts (Rita Ora), a lot kinder than she used to be, but Red now has a little sister, the ever-positive Pink (Segura). Chloe is frustrated that her mother Cinderella (Brandy) is now even stricter and seems to have forgotten her scrappy adolescence. 

Red's less happy that her former tutor Maddox Hatter (Nam) has really gone mad searching for the pocket watch after he witnessed them use it in the past. He and his son Max (Brendon Tremblay) were forced to leave Wonderland, but returned after the ban on villains ended. He gets his revenge on Bridget by stealing her magic cards and taking over Wonderland. Red and Chloe are joined by Max, Pink, Red's awkward and sweet crush Luis Madrigal (Alexandro Byrd), and their friends from Aurodon Prep as they make their way to Hearts Castle to rescue Bridget and Cinderella. Chloe, however, is getting fed up with Red doing things her way and ignoring her, and Red wishes Chloe were a little bolder, leading to a rift in their relationship...one Chessy and Maddox manage to manipulate as they move closer to the castle.

The Song and Dance: I definitely think this one improves on the previous film. For one thing, no confusing time travel cliches here. Wonderland is seen in all of its glowing, neon and fluff glory, and it's a delight. The costumes and sets remain incredible, especially for a TV movie. As good as Cantrall and Baker are, Ora and Brandy steal the movie as their mothers, who manage to reconcile and bond when their daughters are unable to. They even get one of the movie's best songs. The music and choreography are also excellent, with "Dancing With the Enemy" and the "True to My Heart" finale as the stand-outs.

The Numbers: We open with the chorus number "Perfect Princess," as both girls are shocked to see all of the rules that are now expected of them and how different their lives are. "Mad" is Maddox's villain number as he accuses Bridget of not giving him a chance and steals her cards. "Did You Hear About Them?" ask Luis, Hazel Hook (Kiara Romero), and the kids of Auradon Prep, many of whom are not impressed with "perfect" Chloe and Red. Chloe, Red, Luis, and the kids find themselves "Dancing With the Enemy" as they mirror the moves of chess pieces on a massive chess board. One wrong move, and the kids disappear. Luis and Red wish that "For Once In My Life" they could do what they want and be who they want to be.

 Bridget and Cinderella reminisce about school and "The Girl I Used To Be" when they're Maddox's captives in Heart Castle. Max gives the hurt and confused Chloe a bracelet that makes her "Heartless"...and willing to betray Red. Trapped in the moving maze without her friends, Red wonders "Who I Am," until Pink finds her and reminds her. Reunited with their mothers, the girls and their friends encourage each other to "Go Live It" and enjoy life to the fullest, no matter what the past or future brings. The movie ends with a big chorus number to "True to Your Heart" from the animated version of Mulan. 

What I Don't Like: This movie did not need 8,000 characters all over the place. It mainly focuses on Red, Chloe, Luis, Max, and the two mothers. Anyone else, including Pink, Hazel, Robbie Hood (Joel Oulette), and Felix Facillier (Zavien Garrett), are window dressing and barely get any development or screen time. They could have used Maddox a bit more to do too and let us see his actual plans. Speaking of underdeveloped, while we don't get time travel cliches, we do get every other teen cliche in the book, including one girl going bad briefly. It's not hard to tell where this one is going once it gets into Wonderland.

The Big Finale: The terrific numbers, costumes, and some decent performances make this worth checking out for major Disney fans like me or girls in the appropriate 8 to 14 age range who love fantasy.

Home Media: This is exclusive to Disney Plus at the moment. 

Disney Plus

Moana (2026)

Disney, 2026

Starring Catherine Laga'aia, Dwayne Johnson, Rena Owen, and John Tui

Directed by Thomas Kail

Music and Lyrics by Opetaia Foa'i, Mark Mancina, and Lin-Manuel Miranda

Unlike Snow White, there was no hostility or controversy when Disney announced they were remaking this in April 2023. It was based on one of Disney's most beloved animated films of the last decade, one that continued to be popular on Disney Plus and in the theme parks and had a sequel that debuted just two years ago. After the relatively recent Lilo & Stitch was a smash hit last summer, Disney must have thought they had another blockbuster on their hands. Considering it currently stands to be one of the biggest flops of the year so far...what happened? To figure that out, we begin in much the same way as the original, as young Moana's (Amasa Masoli) grandmother Tala (Owen) tells the story of how Maui (Johnson) stole the stone heart of the goddess island Te Fiti and how that began to destroy the life on every island...

The Story: Moana (Laga'aia) has heard the call of the sea all her life. Her parents, especially her father Chief Tui (Tui), want her to stay on the island and focus on becoming Chief. No one's ventured past the island for three thousand years. Only her eccentric grandmother Tala (House) encourages her love of the ocean and desire to explore. It's her grandmother who reveals ancient boats hidden in a cave. Her people were once explorers, searching for new islands across the Pacific. 

When the villagers discover that the foliage of the island is dying and fish are disappearing, Moana finally takes off in one of the camacaus from the cave. She's determined to find Maui and restore the goddess island, but it's not easy. Not only does Maui refuse to help at first, but she has to deal with rough seas, wild little coconut-like scavengers, treasure-loving giant crabs, and her own lack of sailing abilities. Nothing, however, will stop Moana from saving her people and proving that being a leader sometimes means going outside the box and what others deem "safe."

The Song and Dance: For all the problems, some things do work. The songs have always been a delight, and the end credits number "Along the Way" is a lovely addition. Johnson is still having a lot of fun as Maui, and his hand-animated tattoos retelling his adventures are still hilarious. Laga'aia makes a lovely, determined, and very funny Moana, especially when dealing with Maui and his ego that dwarfs the entire Pacific Ocean, and Owen is a wonderfully wise and eccentric grandmother. (And I still appreciate that Moana and Maui are more pupil and mentor than romantic.) 

The Numbers: Our first flat-out number is the chorus routine "Where You Are." Chief Tui introduces us to the culture and people of Motunui as Moana grows up...and still hears the call of the sea. Moana's first attempt to leave the island is underscored by her big "I want" song and the hit from the original film, "How Far I'll Go." "We Know the Way" is the second chorus number as we see Moana's ancestors charting the Pacific. Moana reprises "How Far" when she finally makes it out to the ocean on one of the ancestors' boats. "You're Welcome" says Maui when Moana washes up on an island where he too is stranded. After all, he created (or claims her created) everything. 

Moana has to dodge the enormous coconut crab Tamatoa (Jermaine Clement), who loves all things "Shiny," and grab the stone heart and Maui's magical fish hook. Moana performs the brief "I am Moana" with her grandmother when she thinks she'll never be able to restore Te Fiti. The chorus reminds her to "Know Who You Are." We end back at Motunni with a reprise of "We Know the Way" as Moana, Maui, and everyone on the island are now wayfarers searching the seas. Lin-Manuel Miranda is joined by Laga'aia and original Moana Auli'i Cravaho for the end credits song "Along the Way." 

What I Don't Like: This has the opposite problem from Snow White. They tried to change and update too much there, but this...has no reason to exist. They changed and updated almost nothing. It's pretty much exactly the same as the animated film people can buy on disc or watch on Disney Plus except for a few additional gags and the one new end credits song. Not to mention, this movie was overlong when it was fully animated, and it's not any less in live-action. Some of Moana and Maui's antics in the middle of the film could still be trimmed. There's also the complaints of all the CGI and AI used. There's so much animation used, it practically still is an animated film, and it looks horrendously fake compared to the big action and horror films in theaters right now. 

The Big Finale: If your kids are huge Moana fans who can't get enough of the character, they'll probably want to see it. Everyone else is fine looking up "Along the Way" and taking their money elsewhere.

Home Media: It's home release date hasn't been announced yet, but the vinyl soundtrack is available at Target and elsewhere

Vinyl Soundtrack (Target)

Safety In Numbers

Paramount, 1930

Starring Charles "Buddy" Rogers, Carole Lombard, Katheryn Crawford, and Josephine Dunn

Directed by Victor Schertzinger

Music by Richard A. Whiting; Lyrics by George Marion Jr.

Schertzinger went way further back with musicals than The Fleet's In. He started his directing career doing rural comedies in 1917. His first sound musical was segments of the revue Paramount On Parade; this was his first full-length musical film. It was made to showcase Paramount's then-biggest matinee idol, Buddy Rogers. Rogers was an early form of Pat Boone, "America's Boyfriend," the cute, cuddly guy girls can bring home to their parents with no trouble. This was intended to be a big star vehicle for him, allowing him to show just how sweet he could be and promote some of the up-and-coming ingenues on the Paramount lot...including one who would go on to have a major career a few years later. How does this romantic comedy about a young playboy who gets an education in love from three chorus girls look nowadays? Let's begin with that playboy, William Butler Reynolds (Rogers), as he judges a "high kicking contest" among the secretaries in his uncle F. Carstair Reynolds' (Richard Tucker) business and find out...

The Story: Carstair tells his nephew he stands to inherit $350 million dollars on his twenty-first birthday, but only if he goes to New York and learns "the ways of the world." He hires three Follies girls, Maxine (Dunn), Pauline (Lombard), and Jacqueline (Crawford), to show his nephew around New York and keep an eye on him. They get help from a chatty cab driver, Bertram Shapiro (Roscoe Karns), who befriends William and the girls, and several other chorus cuties who volunteer. After things get out of hand at a party, all three ladies admit they're besotted by their charge...but there's only one of them whom William loves so much, he's willing to give up that money for.

The Song and Dance: Not the most exciting story in the world, but there are a few items worthy of note. The music isn't bad, especially the lovely ballad "My Future Just Passed." Nice costumes, too, with some really gorgeous early 30's gowns for the ladies and tuxes for the guys. Rogers may have the lion's share of moments, but it's the ladies who run off with the film. They're hilarious and heartfelt as they try to show their charge how to really live life, especially sweet Crawford as the one who falls for him. Karns has a few good moments too as the boastful cab driver.

The Numbers: We open with our first chorus number, as those secretaries show off their high kicking stuff and Rogers shows off his prowess on the drums to "Business Girl." William switches on the radio so Jacqueline can hear (and be impressed by) his own song, "Do You Play, Madam?" He gets her up for a short dance. He woos Maxine with "I'd Like to Be a Bee In Your Boudoir." Pauline tries to woo him with "Young Man, You Appeal to Me" without actually singing it. The other two are not amused. The ladies' maid (Louise Beavers" joins in for the dance number "The Pick-Up," while the chorus gets "Pepola," in a very strange number that turns into silhouettes of beautiful women dancing against a city projection background at one point.

What I Don't Like: Did I mention up there that this is not the most exciting story? It's basically Rogers chasing women, the ladies chasing him, and Karns popping up here and there. While it's a little more kinetic than usual for the early talkie era, we do get the occasional shots of people standing and talking. Also, if you're expecting something like Lombard's brittle screwball comedy persona from the later 30's, you're going to be disappointed. Other than her "You Appeal to Me" number (where she doesn't even really sing), she doesn't really have that much to do.

The Big Finale: This is cute and has some decent music, but in the end, it's mainly for early talkie enthusiasts or major fans of Lombard or Rogers. 

Home Media: Thanks to it entering the public domain this year, it can now be found all over streaming, including at Tubi. 

Tubi

Girls! Girls! Girls!

Paramount, 1962

Starring Elvis Presley, Laurel Goodwin, Stella Stevens, and Jeremy Slate

Directed by Norman Taurog

Music and Lyrics by various

Let's celebrate the summer season with one of Elvis' bigger hits. Elvis and his wiggling hips seemed to work well with the laid-back vibes of the Hawaiian Islands. This would be the second of three films he made with a Hawaiian setting. It also produced one of the bigger singles to come from one of his movies and helped promote Tiki culture at a time when interest in Polynesia was at an all-time high. How does the movie that produced "Return to Sender" look nowadays? Let's begin with Ross Carpenter (Presley) taking a tourist couple out on his fishing boat the Westwind and find out...

The Story: Ross wants to buy his boat from the new owner, arrogant and egotistical Wesley Johnson (Slate), but he doesn't have the money. His current girl, singer Robin (Stevens), wants him to give up fishing and join her singing at a local nightclub, but Ross is married to his boat. He and his late father built the Westwind. 

He first meets sweet and funny Laurel Dodge (Goodwin) at the club. Unlike Robin, she enjoys sailing with him and understands how he feels about the Westwind. He even introduces her to his friends at Paradise Island, Kin Yung (Benson Fong), his wife (Beluah Quo), and the two little girls they look after. Laurel, however, is not what she seems. Ross doesn't appreciate her attempt to help him by buying the Westwind himself...until Johnson gets his hands on her, and he realizes that Laurel means more to him than any boat.

The Song and Dance: To my surprise, this may be one of Elvis' more charming vehicles. Hawaii does seem to agree with him. He seems a lot more at ease here than with some of his more by-the-numbers later vehicles. He's abetted by two relatively strong leading ladies. Goodwin is adorably sarcastic, Stevens nicely tough when we see her. Some of the music is really fun too, including "Return to Sender," the hilarious "Earth Boy" with the little girls on the island, and the rousing title song.

The Numbers: We hear the title song twice, in the opening as Ross drives the fishing couple and admires all the beautiful young ladies they pass, and dancing with ladies in Hawaiian, Asian, and Latin costumes in the finale. Ross takes us to the club, where we hear Robin perform "Never Let Me Go." She and her boss Sam talk Ross into his credo, "I Don't Want To Be Tied." The Four Amigos perform "Mama" for the wife of the original owner of the Westwind on their anniversary. Ross adorably sings "We'll Be Together" for a grateful Mama. 

He performs "Earth Boy" with the little girls Mai (Elizabeth Tiu) and Tai (Ginny Tiu) on Paradise Island. Back at the club, Robin gets the standard "The Nearness of You." Speaking of standards, Ross also introduces the big hit from this film. "Return to Sender," at the club. He's singing "Because of Love" when Laurel comes in looking for him. Ross and the fishermen get one of the major chorus numbers, "Thanks to the Rolling Sea," on their boat. They perform "The Song of the Shrimp" to lift their morale after they catch nothing. He and Laurel do their idea of a flamenco as they insist "Walls Have Ears" and listen in on the neighbors.

"We're Coming In Loaded" says Ross proudly as his crew finally nets a good catch. Robin gets another smoky number at the club, "Baby Baby Baby," just before Laurel confronts her about Ross. The finale gives us a delicate Japanese dance to "Dainty Little Moonbeams," which Ross sings with the little girls. 

What I Don't Like: Definitely one of Elvis' fluffier vehicles. If you're looking for something darker or sharper, you'd better go to his 50's films. Frankly, it goes on for about 20 minutes too long, too. The girls arguing over Ross gets a little annoying despite Elvis' charisma. Stevens doesn't really have that much to do besides her numbers and insult Elvis. Though they're generally respectful of Japanese and Hawaiian culture, some of the treatment of the residents of Paradise Island occasionally borders on stereotype.

The Big Finale: The film that introduced "Return to Sender" is surprisingly charming and fun if you're a big fan of Elvis or bright and bold 60's musicals. 

Home Media: Easily found on DVD and streaming.

DVD

Amazon Prime

Happy 4th of July! - The Fleet's In

Paramount, 1942

Starring William Holden, Dorothy Lamour, Eddie Bracken, and Betty Hutton

Directed by Victor Scherzinger

Music by Victor Scherzinger; Lyrics by Johnny Mercer

Let's celebrate America's 250th anniversary honoring the US Navy with this rare classic from early in the World War II years. Holden was a true golden boy in the early 40's, having become a star in the 1939 film version of Golden Boy and earned an Oscar nomination in 1940 for Our Town. What he wasn't was a musical star - in fact, this would be his only musical - which is likely why he's surrounded by some of Paramount's most popular musical performers of the war years. Lamour had been popular since the mid-30's, but Bracken and Hutton were up-and-coming comedians and would have their biggest hits during and directly after the war years. How do they all come together in this wacky romantic comedy where a sailor tries to kiss a standoffish nightclub singer to win a bet? Let's begin with another singer, movie star Diana Golden (Betty Jane Rhodes), performing the title song in a nightclub populated by sailors, and find out...

The Story: Diana kisses shy sailor Casey Kirby (Holden) as a publicity stunt. His shipmates, including his best friend Barney Waters (Bracken) are now convinced he's a ladies' man. They make a bet that he can't kiss frigid singer the Countess (Lamour) while on leave. Waters has his own problems. He's being pursued by the Countess' noisy roommate Bessie (Hutton), and he made the bet against his friend Spike's (Gil Lamb) watch. If he doesn't win that bet, Spike will thrash him within an inch of his life. Casey does everything he can to woo the Countess...but to his surprise, finds himself falling in love with her for real. She does, too, until Bessie and her friend Cissie (Cass Daley) spill the beans about the bet. Now Casey has three days to convince the Countess his love is on the level, before they get thrown out...or worse, land in jail.

The Song and Dance: Sweetly sincere Holden does tend to come off better than most leading men who appear opposite musical ladies. He's certainly enjoying himself more than most of the non-singing guys at 20th Century Fox did as the gob who finds himself falling for this lovely lady in spite of himself. Lamour has even more fun playing opposite him as the standoffish Countess. Mercer and Schertzinger came up with a terrific score, too. Three of the songs - "I Remember You," "Tangerine," and "Arthur Murray Taught Me Dancing In a Hurry" - are now standards. 

The Song and Dance: We open with the title song over the credits before revealing that Diana Golden is singing it at a nightclub. Eddie Bracken reprises it with the sailors on their way back to their ship. Their first trip to the Swingland dance club provides our next numbers. Bob Eberly and Helen O'Connell introduce "Tangerine" with Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra. The Countess steps up next for "When You Hear the Time Signal." Bessie next tears into several sailors while performing "If You Build a Better Mousetrap." (Eberly and O'Connell reprise this later in a version that's less damaging to the sailors.) Barney joins the Countess and Bob Eberly for "Not Mine" in the nightclub. 

The Countess gets the honor of introducing "I Remember You" accompanied by Eberly, O'Connell, and Jimmy Dorsey at the sailors' weenie roast. Dancers Lorraine and Rognan do a spoof ballroom number to an instrumental version later at the club. Bessie blasts "Arthur Murray Taught Me Dancing In a Hurry" in her idea of a tap costume, while Cissie finishes with "Tomorrow You Belong to Uncle Sammy" and Spike does his own acrobatic instrumental dance. 

Trivia: This is based on the 1933 non-musical play Sailor Beware. Paramount would remake it under that title as a vehicle for Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis in 1952. 

Victor Schertzinger's last film. He died in October 1941, four months before the movie was released. 

What I Don't Like: First of all, the plot is annoying. If the Countess would stop and listen (and if Bessie would close her mouth for five seconds and listen), they'd know that Casey doesn't really want to go through with it, either. They both pretty much say it's distasteful, and it is. A little of Bracken and Hutton can go a long way, especially when Hutton is in bombastic mode. Bracken spends most of the movie whining, and Hutton spends most of it yelling at him and throwing him around. 

The Big Finale: In the end, this is worth checking out as you dodge the heat this 4th of July for the good cast and music alone. 

Home Media: Alas, the only place you can find this online at present is YouTube, but at least the TCM copy there is pretty decent.

YouTube