Anchors Aweigh (1945)

Two sailors, one naive, the other experienced in the ways of the world, on liberty in Los Angeles, is the setting for this movie musical.

Director:

George Sidney

Writers:

Isobel Lennart (screen play), Natalie Marcin (suggested by a story by)

Stars:

Frank Sinatra, Kathryn Grayson, Gene Kelly

Won 1 Oscar. Another 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Frank Sinatra	...	Clarence Doolittle
Kathryn Grayson	...	Susan Abbott
Gene Kelly	...	Joseph Brady
José Iturbi	...	José Iturbi
Dean Stockwell	...	Donald Martin
Pamela Britton	...	Girl from Brooklyn
Rags Ragland	...	Police Sergeant (as 'Rags' Ragland)
Billy Gilbert	...	Cafe Manager
Henry O'Neill	...	Admiral Hammond
Carlos Ramírez	...	Carlos (as Carlos Ramirez)
Edgar Kennedy	...	Police Captain
Grady Sutton	...	Bertram Kraler
Leon Ames	...	Admiral's Aide
Sharon McManus	...	Little Girl Beggar
James Flavin	...	Radio Cop

Storyline

Two sailors, one naive, the other experienced in the ways of the world, on liberty in Los Angeles, is the setting for this movie musical.

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Plot Keywords:

sailor | cartoon mouse | buddy movie | piano playing | talking animal | 

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Taglines:

There's never been a musical to equal it!

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Genres:

Comedy | Fantasy | Music | Musical | Romance | War

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Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

August 1945 (USA)

Also Known As:

Leven anclas

Filming Locations:

Hollywood Bowl - 2301 N. Highland Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Loew's

Technical Specs

Runtime:

140 min 140 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The cartoon segment was originally planned to feature Mickey Mouse but agreement with the Disney Studios couldn't be reached. Walt Disney himself wasn't averse to the idea but his brother and business partner, Roy O. Disney, nixed the prospect, saying the studio had no business making cartoons for other studios.

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Goofs

When Clarence is singing to the waitress in the restaurant there is a picture of Susita on the wall. When seen at a distance her head is tilted to the left but in a closeup her head is vertical.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Admiral Hammond: On behalf of your commanding officer I'm sure I can tell Mr. Jose Iturbi that the officers and crew of ship are grateful to him for coming here, to lead our naval bands in this ceremony.
José Iturbi: Along with every other civilian, it is I who am grateful to you, and to all the men in the United States navy.

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Connections

Referenced in Jeopardy!: Episode #22.96 (2006)

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Soundtracks

Largo al factotum della città
(1816) (uncredited)
from "Il barbiere di Siviglia"
Composed by Gioachino Rossini

User Reviews

One of the most popular musicals of the period…

Released some months before the end of the war, "Anchors Aweigh" is one of Gene Kelly's major musical triumphs of the forties…

Under the direction of George Sidney, it had the benefits of a pleasant score, and—best of all—the services of Gene Kelly in his first true starring role at MGM… The year before, in Columbia's "Cover Girl," he had revealed an innovative approach to dance on the screen, a light but agreeable singing voice, and considerable charm In "Anchors Aweigh," although he was billed under Frank Sinatra and Kathryn Grayson, he was laying the solid groundwork for his most revealing years at MGM…

The film's story, a kind of dry run for "On the Town" four years later, follows sailors Kelly and Sinatra on shore leave, spend their holiday in Hollywood, where they become involved in the affairs of an aspiring singer (Grayson) and her little nephew (Dean Stockwell).

Grayson, it appears, has her heart set on an audition with conductor-pianist Jose Iturbi… She gets the audition, of course; Kelly gets Grayson after some misunderstandings; and Sinatra, has forgotten to be shy, and has lost his heart to a girl from Brooklyn (Pamela Britton).

The plot is conventional for the period but, regrettably, it now seems barely tolerable… But there is Gene Kelly, who dominates the movie with his agreeable personality… Perhaps he grins too much, but when is permitted to dance, the film finally lifts off the ground…

"I Begged Her," his early song and dance with Sinatra, is amusing and slightly absurd, in which he imagines himself as a bandit chieftain in a Spanish courtyard, courting maiden Grayson with a flamboyant flamenco dance and some athletic leaps… He also does a charming Mexican dance with little Sharon McManus in the square of a Mexican settlement in Los Angeles…

The highlight of the movie, however, is Kelly's famous dance with the cartoon character Jerry the Mouse (of "Tom and Jerry" fame). Delightful and innovative, it skillfully combines live action and animation in its tale of a sad mouse king who refuses to allow music in his kingdom until Kelly, a sailor in the "Pomeranian Navy," wearing a striped shirt and a beret, shows him how to dance… "Look at me, I'm dancin'!" says the gleeful mouse king...