Seven Days Ashore (1944)

Circumstances force a womanizing playboy on leave from the Merchant Marine to ask two shipmates to help him by dating two surplus girlfriends.

Director:

John H. Auer

Writers:

Jacques Deval (story), Edward Verdier (screenplay),

Stars:

Wally Brown, Alan Carney, Marcy McGuire

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Wally Brown	...	Monty Stephens
Alan Carney	...	Orval 'Handsome' Martin
Marcy McGuire	...	Dot Diamond
Dooley Wilson	...	Jason
Gordon Oliver	...	Dan Arland Jr.
Virginia Mayo	...	Carol Dean
Amelita Ward	...	Lucy Banning
Elaine Shepard	...	Annabelle Rogers
Marjorie Gateson	...	Mrs. Elizabeth Arland
Alan Dinehart	...	Daniel Arland
Miriam LaVelle	...	Hazel - Acrobatic Dancer
Margaret Dumont	...	Mrs. Croxton-Lynch
Freddie Slack and His Orchestra	...	Themselves (as Freddie Slack and Orchestra)
Freddie Fisher	...	Himself - Colonel Corn (as Colonel Corn and His Band)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Freddie Slack	...	Himself - Orchestra Leader

Storyline

Dan Arland, a womanizing playboy, is looking forward to a seven day leave in his home town of San Francisco with one of two beautiful violinists playing for an all-girl swing band but can't decide which of the two gorgeous gold-diggers he wants to squire around the City by the Bay. Through a series of unusual circumstances both girls, as well as his former fiancée, show up to meet him when he arrives. As both musicians believe they are engaged to him, Dan fears he may become part of one or more "breach of promise" lawsuits. Faking an old war injury, he enlists the help of bumbling shipmates Monty and 'Handsome,' who pose as millionaires in order to distract the girls with unforeseen results.

---

Plot Keywords:

playboy | shipmate | violinist | merchant marine | gold digger | 

---

Genres:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

---

Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 January 1946 (Finland)

Also Known As:

7 Dias para Amar

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

74 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

Despite being an experienced merchant marine, Dan refers to a canoe paddle as an oar.

---

Quotes

Orval 'Handsome' Martin: [Playing solitaire] Seven more months on this paddle boat and I'll be talking to myself!
Monty Stephens: Well, don't listen, or you'll be bored.

---

Soundtracks

"Home on the Range"
(1904) (uncredited)
Music by Daniel E. Kelley (1904)
Lyrics by Brewster M. Higley (1873)
Played on a harmonica by an unidentified merchant marine

User Reviews

Mediocre Musical Comedy

I assume this B picture used some of the sets from the previous RKO opus "Seven Days Leave", which starred Victor Mature and Lucille Ball. Both films feature the talents of Marcy McGuire. The music from "Seven Days Leave" is used as background music for "Seven Days Ashore".

The comedy team of Wally Brown and Alan Carney is topped billed, but they are really supporting players. The film's story is centered on the amorous adventures of Gordon Oliver and Elaine Shepard. Brown and Carney play Oliver's buddies. This is one of the few times in their cinema careers when Brown and Carney did not play Jerry and Mike. Obviously, the script was not written with them in mind. There just isn't much comedy here; Brown and Carney don't even get to do a patter routine! Marcy McGuire has a few good musical numbers, but not one number is given to Brown and Carney. Marcy has almost no interaction with the comics. Carney and Marcy would have made a very funny pair. Freddie Slack is on hand and plays the piano. The biggest surprise of the film and the best laughs are supplied by Margaret Dumont (of Marx Brothers' fame), who plays a terrible opera singer. However, she does not have any interplay with Brown and Carney.

If you enjoy wartime musicals, "Seven Days Leave" is not bad, but for those looking for some good slapstick, you are better off with "Girl Rush" or "Zombies on Broadway".