The Gang's All Here (1943)

A soldier falls for a chorus girl and then experiences trouble when he is posted to the Pacific.

Director:

Busby Berkeley

Writers:

Walter Bullock (screenplay), Nancy Wintner (story)

Stars:

Alice Faye, Carmen Miranda, Phil Baker

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 win.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Alice Faye	...	Edie Allen
Carmen Miranda	...	Dorita
Phil Baker	...	Phil Baker
Benny Goodman	...	Benny Goodman
Benny Goodman and His Orchestra	...	Benny Goodman's Orchestra (as Benny Goodman Orchestra)
Eugene Pallette	...	Andrew Mason Sr.
Charlotte Greenwood	...	Mrs. Peyton Potter
Edward Everett Horton	...	Peyton Potter
Tony De Marco	...	Tony
James Ellison	...	Andy Mason
Sheila Ryan	...	Vivian Potter
Dave Willock	...	Sgt. Pat Casey
Bando da Lua	...	Dorita's Orchestra

Storyline

Playboy Andy Mason, on leave from the army, romances showgirl Eadie Allen overnight to such effect that she's starry-eyed when he leaves next morning for active duty in the Pacific. Only trouble is, he gave her the assumed name of Casey. Andy's eventual return with a medal is celebrated by his rich father with a benefit show featuring Eadie's show troupe, at which she's sure to learn his true identity...and meet Vivian, his 'family-arrangement' fiancée. Mostly song and dance.

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Plot Keywords:

national film registry | song and dance | brass band | disembodied head | ballroom dancing | 

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Taglines:

Watch for this great hit from 20th Century-Fox, makers of musical miracles. (Trade paper ad).

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

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Certificate:

Passed

Did You Know?

Trivia

In a deleted scene (included on the DVD), Phillip Baker hosts a segment of his then-popular radio quiz show, "The $64 Question," with a young G.I. as a contestant.

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Goofs

Boom mic shadow on wall as Edie enters Vivian's bedroom.

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Quotes

Dorita: [singing] Some people say I dress too gay, but every day I feel so gay, and when I'm gay I dress that way, is something wrong with that? Noooo!

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Connections

Featured in Hooray for Hollywood (1982)

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Soundtracks

'Valse des rayons' from 'Le Papillon'
(uncredited)
aka "Valse chaloupée"
Music by Jacques Offenbach
The "Apache Dance" referred to and sung by Charlotte Greenwood and Phil Baker

User Reviews

Worth watching for the dance sequences

There are films whose plots are much worse. At least this film has funny moments with Charlotte Greenwood and whenever Carmen Miranda is on the screen.

But this film is a showcase for the two sequences choreographed by Busby Berkeley. Much has been written about them, but watching them never ceases to stimulate and amaze my senses. Berkeley's sense of space is so elastic -- you feel as if he could pan and zoom through miles of space and fill it with people, trees, bananas, anything! I don't think any of his Warner Bros. films used the zoom camera with as much daring (supposedly Carmen Miranda almost got knocked off the painted donkey during rehearsals of "The Lady in the Tutti-Frutti Hat").

What is so special for me in these dance sequences is that the images and music are so well-constructed that you loose interest in following the plot and just revel and enjoy the images. People cease being human forms and become elements of color on a painted canvas, and then resume being human once again. It's all incredibly magical and more abstract than Berkeley had been or was able to achieve in the future. Stunning!

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Portuguese

Release Date:

24 December 1943 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Gang's All Here

Filming Locations:

Stage 16, 20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1