This Is the Army (1943)

In WW I dancer Jerry Jones stages an all-soldier show on Broadway, called Yip Yip Yaphank. Wounded in the War, he becomes a producer. In WW II his son Johnny Jones, who was before his ... See full summary »

Director:

Michael Curtiz

Writers:

Casey Robinson (screenplay), Claude Binyon (screenplay),

Stars:

George Murphy, Joan Leslie, George Tobias

Won 1 Oscar. Another 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
George Murphy	...	Jerry Jones
Joan Leslie	...	Eileen Dibble
George Tobias	...	Maxie Twardofsky
Alan Hale	...	Sgt. McGee
Charles Butterworth	...	Eddie Dibble
Dolores Costello	...	Mrs. Davidson
Una Merkel	...	Rose Dibble
Stanley Ridges	...	Maj. John B. Davidson
Rosemary DeCamp	...	Ethel Jones
Ruth Donnelly	...	Mrs. O'Brien
Dorothy Peterson	...	Mrs. Nelson
Frances Langford	...	Frances Langford
Gertrude Niesen	...	World War One Vocalist
Kate Smith	...	Kate Smith
Ronald Reagan	...	Johnny Jones (as Lt. Ronald Reagan)

Storyline

In WW I dancer Jerry Jones stages an all-soldier show on Broadway, called Yip Yip Yaphank. Wounded in the War, he becomes a producer. In WW II his son Johnny Jones, who was before his fathers assistant, gets the order to stage a knew all-soldier show, called THIS IS THE ARMY. But in his pesonal life he has problems, because he refuses to marry his fiancée until the war is over.

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Plot Keywords:

show | military | blackface | man dressed as woman | world war two | 

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Taglines:

It's your own army - in the army's own show!

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical | War

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 August 1943 (USA)

Also Known As:

Irving Berlin's This Is the Army

Filming Locations:

Stage 1, Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros

Technical Specs

Runtime:

121 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When Irving Berlin was filming his rendition of "Oh, How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning", one of the stagehands, unaware of who the singer was, supposedly said that if the guy who wrote the song could hear Berlin's singing, he'd roll over in his grave.

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Goofs

The map showing the German attack on Poland on September 1, 1939 shows the Austrian-Czech border from 1937.

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Quotes

Jerry Jones: Will you marry me tonight?
Ethel: Well, of course.
Jerry Jones: Wonderful. Congratulations, darling, you're a war bride. I've just been drafted.

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Crazy Credits

"We wish to thank Mr. Irving Berlin for making this motion picture possible through his two soldier shows 'Yip, Yip, Yaphank'-1918 'This Is The Army' -1943"

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Connections

Featured in Broadway: The American Musical (2004)

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Soundtracks

"Poor Little Me, I'm on KP"
Written by Irving Berlin
Sung by George Tobias

User Reviews

I love this film!

I first saw this film on cable in the late 1970's, and was mesmerized by the story and the music. Certainly, as many people comment, it is propagandistic, but it is also a masterpiece, showcasing an almost-forgotten time. Irving Berlin is one of this country's most prolific and best-loved songwriters, and this musical extravaganza is an homage to his talent and genius.

The cast is unique and wonderful. The main characters are played solidly by "name" stars, but the musical ensemble cast (real U.S. soldiers at the time) are what set this film apart.

A reviewer complaining that it isn't "realistic" overstates the point. So what if you think an "average" army base couldn't produce a cast for a show like this. Film is a medium that attempts to suspend reality and let you enter a place, situation, relationship, time period, etc. that you might not otherwise get to experience. It's sometimes the view of one person's "reality," a manifestation of their own "vision."

My copy of this film is on a very old (early 80's) VHS copy, a low-end bargain release which is of marginal quality, but I love every minute of it. I certainly hope someone reviews some of the specific DVD choices out there, I'd like to get the DVD before I wear out the VHS!

If you enjoy a good flag-waving, patriotic musical, this is a film you will enjoy. If you enjoy Irving Berlin's music, it's a soundtrack you will enjoy. Personally I'd put this on a par with the 1942 film, "Yankee Doodle Dandy," and both films share a few cast members!