Follow the boys
Follow the Boys is a 1944 American film directed by Eddie Sutherland . The main roles are occupied by George Raft and Vera Zorina . In the film, numerous famous stars of the time appear in musical numbers.
action
After the last show in the “Palace Theater” in New York ended, Nick West, an artist who had been working there for a long time, tried to give a farewell speech, but could hardly say a word because he was so touched. His son and colleague Tony stands in for him. Coming to the end, he affirms that the vaudeville will never die. As more variety theaters close, the three Wests, Nick, Tony and his sister Kitty find it difficult to get new engagements. Tony decides to try his luck at film, despite his father's concerns. He soon found work as a choir singer at Universal Pictures. Gloria Vance, a musical star, becomes aware of him. After both are partners in the film, they soon become partners in real life as well.
Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor , Tony tries to use his newfound stardom to join the US Army , but is rejected due to a previous knee injury. In the meantime, Army member Chick Doyle, an old friend of the Wests from vaudeville days, has been given the job of entertaining the soldiers in the camp. In addition to Nick, he also asks animal trainer Louie Fairweather for help. At the intervention of his father, Tony soon takes on far-reaching tasks to at least support the army and puts on successful shows. After he comes back from one of these shows, he and his wife Gloria fight because he doesn't take the time to listen to her. Gloria wanted to tell him that she was pregnant. The misunderstanding between young people is so serious that it leads to a breakup.
After Tony headed the organization of the Hollywood Victory Committee (HVC) for many months, he went to Brisbane , Australia with a USO troop . He first learns from his sister Kitty that he is going to be a father. In this respect, Kitty no longer felt bound by the promise made to Gloria. Tony is happy and wants to talk to Gloria as soon as he gets back. However, his cargo ship is attacked by a Japanese submarine and Tony is killed. He is celebrated as a hero in the media. Gloria tries to deal with this stroke of fate in her own way and entertains the troops along with hundreds of other stars.
Production and Background
The film recordings were made between September 28 and December 4, 1943 and also on December 23, 1943 and February 1 to 5, 1944. It was shot in Camp Roberts, California , among other places . The film had the working titles of Three Cheers and Happy Days , Hip Hip Hooray, On with the Show, and Cheers for the Boys . Three Cheers and Happy Days were also discussed . Follow the Boys premiered on April 25, 1944 at Loew's Criterion in New York . On May 5, 1944, it was shown generally in US cinemas.
In addition to the many songs that the film contains, there is also a built-in magical plot carried by Orson Welles and Marlene Dietrich, which was performed several times during the war to entertain the troops. WC Fields entertains with his terrific knowledge of billiards, which he first brought in in 1915 in his debut film Pool Sharks . The Polish pianist Artur Rubinstein made his film debut in Follow the Boys . The "Palace Theater" in New York, which is presented at the beginning of the film, had been the seat of a variety theater since 1735, which reopened in March 1913 and closed in November 1932. Follow the Boys was Universal Pictures' contribution to support the US troops with "All-Star Musical Revues" . Other films in this genre include Hollywood Canteen , MGM's Thousands Cheer and Paramount's Star Spangled Rhythm . According to Universal press records, the Hollywood Victory Committee counted 1,562 actors in 12,619 free appearances within 2,197 events in 1943.
From the papers found by Charles K. Feldman in the AFI of the Louis B. Mayer Library it was found that there was an agreement to pay Sutherland $ 6,000 per week with the further option of directing. Gertrude Purcell was supposed to write a script within six weeks. In July 1943, Feldman brought the writer Stephen Longstreet into the project, who rewrote the script and finished his work on July 20, 1943. The writer Lou Breslow was then asked to revise the script again. In early August 1943, Feldman signed a contract with Universal that included submitting a script called Follow the Boys , under which the film should also appear, which should also contain star appearances. The Flamenco -Tänzerin Carmen Amaya was the only Latin American star on the cast list. The film is said to have cost $ 1,520,000 to produce, with global revenues of $ 2,460,000.
Pieces of music
- I'll Get By , I'll Walk Alone and Mad About Him Blues - Dinah Shore
- Shoo Shoo Baby , Bei Mir Bistu Shein , Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy , Pennsylvania Polka , Hold Tight, Hold Tight ( Want Some Sea Food Mama ) and I'll Be with You in Apple Blossom Time , The Beer Barrel Polka - The Andrew Sisters
- Beyond the Blue Horizon , I'll See You in My Dreams and Victory Polka - Jeanette MacDonald
- A Better Day Is Coming - danced by Vera Zorina, sung by a choir
- Tonight - danced by Vera Zorina and George Raft, sung by a choir
- The House I Live In - Delta Rhythm Boys
- Sweet Georgia Brown - danced by George Raft
- Is You Is or Is You Ain't Ma Baby - performed by Louis Jordan to His Orchestra
- Merriment - performed by Carmen Amaya and Her Company (Flamenco)
- Kittens With Their Mittens Laced - sung and danced by Donald O'Connor and Peggy Ryan, accompanied by Charlie Spivak
- I Fell a Song Coming On - danced by Vera Zorina, accompanied by a male choir including George Raft
- The Bigger the Army and the Navy and Some of These Days - sung by Sophie Tucker
- Swing Low, Sweet Chariot - performed by Charlie Spivak and His Orchestra
- Love dream No. 3 (A Dream of Love) - Music: Franz Liszt , played by Artur Rubinstein
- Good Night - performed by Ted Lewis and His Band
- Auld Lang Syne - traditional Scottish music
- Bésame mucho - performed by Charlie Spivak and His Orchestra
- Anchors Aweigh - Score US Naval Training Center
- Furlough Fling
criticism
Bosley Crowther of the New York Times spoke of a sentimental tribute to those who did their jobs on the Hollywood Victory Committee and tried to spread cheer and inspiration during the war. The two-hour mix offers variety and a credible presentation.
Variety rated Follow the Boys as an entertaining film package. Although the story of George Raft and Vera Zorina is rather thin, the appearances of the numerous stars who put up songs from the hit parades of the last three decades were praised.
Awards / nominations
Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn were in 1945 with her song I'll Walk Alone for the Oscar nominated, but which at Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke for her song Swinging on a Star from the movie Going My Way ( Going My Way was).
Web links
- Follow the Boys in theInternet Movie Database(English)
- Follow the Boys at Turner Classic Movies (English)
- Follow the Boys various shots from the film
- Follow the Boys Movie Poster moviepostershop.com
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Follow the Boys Notes at TCM - Turner Classic Movies (English)
- ↑ Bosley Crowther: Review 1 In: The New York Times, April 26, 1944. Retrieved January 22, 2015.
- ^ Prime trouble with 'Follow the Boys' is its over-generosity. The running time shows that a good thing can be overdone. Variety, December 31, 1943. Retrieved January 22, 2015.