For Me and My Gal (1942)

Two vaudeville performers fall in love, but find their relationship tested by the arrival of WWI.

Director:

Busby Berkeley

Writers:

Howard Emmett Rogers (story), Richard Sherman (screenplay),

Stars:

Judy Garland, George Murphy, Gene Kelly

Nominated for 1 Oscar.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Judy Garland	...	Jo Hayden
George Murphy	...	Jimmy K. Metcalf
Gene Kelly	...	Harry Palmer
Mártha Eggerth	...	Eve Minard (as Marta Eggerth)
Ben Blue	...	Sid Simms
Stephen McNally	...	Mr. Waring (New York Palace manager) (as Horace McNally)

Storyline

Set during WW I, Palmer and Hayden team up as vaudeville artists. Harry Palmer deliberately injures his hand to avoid being drafted to the army. Later, he makes up for this. WW I patriotism for a WW II audience, very sentimental, great musical episodes and songs.

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Plot Keywords:

hand | song | vaudeville | opportunist | heroism | 

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Taglines:

The Greatest Romantic Musical . . . Ever !

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Genres:

Musical | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

19 August 1943 (Australia)

Also Known As:

The Big Time

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$802,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$4,371,000 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

"The Screen Guild Theater" broadcast a 30 minute radio adaptation of the movie on March 22, 1943 with Judy Garland and Gene Kelly reprising their film roles.

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Goofs

Jo's YWCA uniform (like much of her clothing in the latter half of the film) is characteristic of World War II, when the film was released, and not World War I, in which it is set. Her uniform's shoulders are too broad and the skirt too short, and she is wearing sheer stockings and pumps instead of opaque stockings and high boots or oxfords.

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Quotes

Jimmy K. Metcalf: You know what's been the matter with you? You've been walking around with a picture book villain in your pocket and every once in a while you take a look at it like it was a mirror.

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Crazy Credits

A picture of an infantry soldier in New York harbor and the text "America needs your money. Buy war bonds and stamps at this theatre."

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Connections

Featured in That's Entertainment! III (1994)

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Soundtracks

"When You Wore a Tulip and I Wore a Big Red Rose"
(1914) (uncredited)
Music by Percy Wenrich
Lyrics by Jack Mahoney
Sung and Danced by Gene Kelly and Judy Garland in a show

User Reviews

99% Guaranteed to make you cry

20 year old Judy Garland takes her first stab at adult acting in this great musical that naturally makes you cry. Before this 1942 debut, Judy had played those child/juvenile roles. (like Dorothy Gale in The Wizard of Oz) Even a few years later, in 1944, she still played a 17 year old Esther Smith in Meet Me in St. Louis. Also, Gene Kelly, who will always credit Judy to abolish his "camera fright" has his movie debut in this movie. He, of course, was fresh off Broadway.

This movie is about a song and dance team in those "good old days of vaudeville", back in 1917, where Jo Hayden (Judy) teams up with Harry Palmer (Gene) as a song and dance team. However, when Jo senses unfaithfulness in Harry, she moves to performing soldiers out in France during World War I. It only worsens when Harry is drafted............

This was released when men were fighting out in the pacific and European theatres, and it was not pretty. Japanese and Nazi advances were at their extent, and MGM decided to make a movie to spark "patriotic" interest, with the abstract idea that you should enlist or buy war bonds. The first time I saw this, even I wanted to buy war bonds.

I recommend this movie to anyone because it will tug at your heart and make you really proud of the US.