Hollywood Canteen (1944)

Director:

Delmer Daves

Writer:

Delmer Daves (writer)

Release Date:

15 December 1944 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

Tagline:

62 Stars in Warners' Biggest Ever!

Plot:

Two soldiers on sick leave spend three nights at the Hollywood Canteen before going back to active duty...

Plot Keywords:

Hollywood | Soldier | Kiss | Hollywoodland | Sound Stage

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars.

Cast

The Andrews Sisters	...	Themselves (as Andrews Sisters)
Jack Benny	...	Himself
Joe E. Brown	...	Himself
Eddie Cantor	...	Himself
Kitty Carlisle	...	Herself
Jack Carson	...	Himself
Dane Clark	...	Sergeant Nowland
Joan Crawford	...	Herself
Helmut Dantine	...	Himself
Bette Davis	...	Herself
Faye Emerson	...	Herself
Victor Francen	...	Himself
John Garfield	...	Himself
Sydney Greenstreet	...	Himself
Alan Hale	...	Himself

Runtime:

124 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Originally conceived by Warner Bros. as a multi-studio (like the actual Hollywood Canteen) WWII effort with rival studios (Fox, Paramount, MGM, etc.) contributing cameo appearances by its stars. But when other studios balked at having performers appear (even though profits were reportedly earmarked for war effort), Warner turned it into a single-studio affair.

Goofs:

Continuity: When "Slim" is sightseeing in Hollywood at the beginning of the film his infantry division patch (40th Div) is shown on his left shoulder. However, in one scene (right after the swimming pool), the patch is displayed on his right shoulder.

Quotes:

Jane Wyman: I've been Reagan-ized!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Honeymooners: The $99,000 Answer (#1.18)" (1956)

Soundtrack:

Souvenir

Another One For The Boys In Uniform

I've got a weak spot when it comes to these all star extravaganzas which can never be again. With the old Hollywood studio system gone there's no place where all this talent can gather under one roof for the same picture. Put a film like this today it would have the budget of a second world country.

The plots of these things are invariably silly, in this one it's GI Robert Hutton becoming the one millionth serviceman to enter the Hollywood Canteen and he gets an all expense weekend there with the girl of his dreams, Warner Brothers star Joan Leslie. That was part of the mythology of the day, if the film were done at Columbia Rita Hayworth might have been the object of Hutton's desires. That one I can believe a little more.

The Hollywood Canteen in real life was the inspiration and personal project of Bette Davis and John Garfield and they preside over the film and it's many guest stars, mostly from the Warner Brothers lot.

One exception to the rule was Roy Rogers who came over from Republic Pictures and brought the Sons of the Pioneers with him. I wonder what Herbert J. Yates got out of Jack Warner for Rogers's services? Anyway Roy gets to introduce the Cole Porter classic Don't Fence Me In in this film.

Later on the Andrews Sisters sing it and they had a big hit record with Don't Fence Me In with Decca though they sang it with a well known crooner from that other studio Paramount for Decca Records.

Joan Crawford made her first appearance at Warner Brothers in this film after leaving MGM. She dances with GI Dane Clark who after seeing combat in the Pacific faints at the realization he's dancing with JOAN CRAWFORD. Those were the days.

Still I love these films so.