This Is the Army (1943)

A soldier wounded in the War (WWI) becomes a producer and stages a show for the forces.

Director:

Michael Curtiz

Writers:

Casey Robinson (screenplay), Claude Binyon (screenplay) (as Capt. Claude Binyon)

Stars:

George Murphy, Joan Leslie, George Tobias

Won 1 Oscar. Another 1 win & 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 WWI dancer Jerry Jones stages an all-soldier show on Broadway, called Yip Yip Yaphank. Wounded in the war, he becomes a producer. In WWII his son Johnny Jones, who was before his father's assistant, gets the order to stage a new all-soldier show, called This is the Army. But in his personal life he has problems, because he refuses to marry his fiancée until the war is over.

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Plot Keywords:

minstrel show | blackface | blockbuster | show | fictional variety show | 

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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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Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

Bette Davis insisted Warner's studio boss Jack L. Warner contribute the profits from this film to the war effort.

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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

Eileen Dibble: Corporal Jones, I've decided that you don't know what the war is all about. We're free people, fighting for the right to remain free. To work and to be married and to raise a family in a fine, decent country.
Johnny Jones: Well, Eileen, honey, I know that.
Eileen Dibble: Then why do you act like we've lost the war? Open your heart, Johnny. We're all in this fight together - women as well as men. Let's share our responsibilities! I want to be a part of you, Johnny. A part that goes with you on the battlefield, someone to come...

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Crazy Credits

In the Credits, the cast members are listed in the following order: first the members, who never served in World War II, than the members of the US Armed Forces, starting with Lt. Ronald Reagan.

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Alternate Versions

Originally shown with a pre-credits overture and exit music after the film ends, both of which have been restored on the official DVD release.

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Connections

Featured in Before Stonewall (1984)

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Soundtracks

The Old Folks at Home
(uncredited)
Music by Stephen Foster
[Part of the tap dancing number.]

User Reviews

This movie is a classic

This movie is a classic of World War II movies. It was made as a moral booster during the war, and includes the music of Irving Berlin. One thing to note especially is the song "Someday I'm going to murder the bugler" which is sung by Irving Berlin himself (wearing his own WWI uniform).

In order to really appreciate this movie you need to understand the world in which it was made, which was a whole lot different than 2004. There was a world war and everyone was concerned about stopping evil. (as opposed to today, where everyone is concerned about how terrorism, or the fight against it, is going to disrupt their daily life)

This movie was made as a way to give people something to feel good about, and show patriotism.

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

Box Office

Gross USA:

$20,831,178

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