Hollywood Canteen (film)

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Movie
German title Hollywood canteen
Original title Hollywood Canteen
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1944
length 126 minutes
Rod
Director Delmer Daves
script Delmer Daves
production Alex Gottlieb
for Warner Bros.
music Leo F. Forbstein
Ray Heindorf
camera Bert Glennon
cut Christian Nyby
occupation

Hollywood Canteen is an American musical - comedy film from 1944 by Delmer Daves . The leading roles are cast with Joan Leslie , Robert Hutton and Dane Clark . The film is known for the fact that many stars of the time made short appearances in the Hollywood Canteen . Hollywood Canteen received three Academy Award nominations .

action

Corporal Slim Green, who serves in the South Pacific, is in love with actress Joan Leslie. After he was injured in a battle, he and his comrade, Sergeant Nolan, were sent to his home in Los Angeles to find rest and relaxation before both ships left again. Since Green has a great desire to see film stars in person, he is able to do so by being allowed to visit the "Hollywood Canteen". The restaurant, in which highly paid film stars work for both service and animation, is a meeting place for soldiers. Slim is impressed that everything is free in the restaurant for uniformed people, food, drink, entertainment. When it became known there that Jim had a secret love for Joan Leslie, the founder of the "Hollywood Canteen" Bette Davis tried to arrange a meeting with Jane Wyman. When Slim tells his friend Nolan about it, he finds it difficult to believe what his friend is telling him. So he accompanies Slim the next day to form his own picture. He is surprised and impressed by the friendliness of the stars.

When the friends are out to see a sight in the morning, they run into Joan Leslie by chance at the farmers' market. That night Slim is the millionth military man who visits the “Hollywood Canteen”, but he is allowed to move into a suite in a luxury hotel, get a car, visit a film studio and meet his favorite actress. Slim invites his friend Nolan to share the suite with him and asks Leslie if she is ready to meet with him. After Leslie agrees, Slim takes her home with him, where they both sit together in the back garden and talk to each other about their lives. The next day, Slim and Nolan visit Warner Bros. Studios together and Slim has dinner with Joan and her parents.

Before Slim has to leave town to go back to the war and do his job, he says a few words to the soldiers in the "Hollywood Canteen" and thanks everyone in the restaurant for their service, which makes them allies in the fight against the enemy. Joan, who promised Slim that she would drive him to the train, runs out of gas along the way. When she is not there on time, Slim writes her a note and thanks for the wonderful weekend. At the last minute, Joan manages to meet Jim at the train station. She kisses him goodbye.

production

Production notes

Production of the film began in November 1943, but a dispute between Warner Bros. and the Screen Actors Guild caused filming to come to a temporary standstill. The rules of the SAG stipulate that each of the actors is to be paid the full salary for their appearance in a film, even if the appearance is only brief. Warner Bros. then stopped filming on December 22, 1943 and demanded a public apology from the actors' union. The studio contended that SAG's objection violated the original contract. The SAG announced that it waived the application of the aforementioned rule, which served the protection of actors, to actors who voluntarily agreed to appear in the Warner Bros. production under its conditions on a patriotic basis, but that none Pressure may be exerted. Some studios then refused to loan their actors to Warner Bros. under the above conditions. For example, Hedy Lamarr's performance was not approved. The April 30, 1944 New York Times reported that nine similar all-star films planned by other studios had been dropped. Filming for Hollywood Canteen resumed on June 5, 1944, with Warner Bros. contract actors and continued through August 31, 1944.

According to the Hollywood Reporter , Warner Bros. used newly developed recording and playback devices for this film for the first time, which among other things resulted in less feedback and distortion. Some scenes were filmed at the Veterans Administration Hospital on Sawtelle Boulevard, some in the Bel-Air-Estates neighborhood, as well as at the farmers' market and on the Sunset Strip .

Warner Bros. paid $ 250,000 for the rights to name the film Hollywood Canteen . Delmer Davis, who had already written the script for the 1943 musical film Stage Door Canteen , did the same for this film and also directed it.

background

The Hollywood Canteen restaurant was founded on October 3, 1942 by film stars Bette Davis (chairman) and John Garfield (vice president) in Los Angeles. The hotel is located on Cahuenga Boulevard near Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood , California. It began with the establishment of such a restaurant on Broadway, where the American Theater Wing opened the Stage Door Canteen to provide free meals to military personnel crossing New York and also to give them the chance to become a stage or movie star to meet and dance and have fun with a beautiful woman. John Garfield and Bette Davis decided over lunch that something must be done for the thousands of soldiers who would stop by Hollywood without ever meeting a movie star. This gave birth to the idea for the “Hollywood Canteen” on the west coast, which was to represent a counterpart to the “Stage Door Canteen” on the east coast of the USA. Davis, with the help of 42 film industry unions, oversaw the conversion of a former stable into a nightclub. Your agent at the time took care of the financial side, which also included the procurement of appropriate funds. Bette Davis later said that there were few accomplishments in her life that she was sincerely proud of, including founding the Hollywood Canteen.

Joan Crawford danced with soldiers in the film, the Andrews Sisters symbolically collected grain for their country with their song Gettin 'Corns for My Country and also sang with the Sons of the Pioneers Don't Fence Me In , an eulogy for the composer Cole Porter . It was a surprise that this song wasn't nominated for an Oscar in the “Best Song” category, but rather Sweet Dreams, Sweetheart by Ted Koehler and Maurice K. Jerome . The Golden Gate Quartet performed The General Jumped at Dawn and The Sons of Pioneer Tumblin 'Tumbleweeds . Roy Rodgers introduced a song by Cole Porter, while Bette Davis presented herself in one of her best roles. The film contained a mixture of music, comedy, romance and was peppered with star appearances. It was part of a contribution from Warner Bros. to thank the soldiers for their dedication and to give them a little distraction away from home. The stars got the chance to present their musical talents. Bette Davis performed the song They're Either Too Young or Too Old and donated her $ 50,000 fee to the "Hollywood Canteen".

Hollywood Canteen marked the film debut of the theater actress Joan McCracken.

music

In addition to Ray Heindorf and music director Leo F. Forbstein, works by the following composers were included in the film: Leah Worth, Larry Neill, Julio Blanco, Harold Adamson , Ted Koehler , Marion Sunshine, Dick Charles, Jim Mundy, Bob Nolan , Burton Lane , Maurice K. Jerome , Franz Schubert , Cole Porter , Vernon Duke , Jean Barry, Obdulio Morales, EY Harburg .

  1. Hollywood Canteen by Ray Heindorf and Maurice K. Jerome and Ted Koehler , sung by The Andrews Sisters
  2. What Are You Doin 'the Rest of Your Life by Burton Lane and Ted Koehler, sung and danced by Jack Carson and Jane Wyman , played by Jimmy Dorsey and his orchestra.
  3. The General Jumped at Dawn by Larry Neal and Jimmy Mundy , performed by the Golden Gate Quartet
  4. We're Having a Baby by Vernon Duke and Harold Adamson , sung by Eddie Cantor and Nora Martin, played by Jimmy Dorsey and his orchestra
  5. Tumblin 'Tumbleweeds by Bob Nolan sung by The Sons of the Pioneers
  6. Don't Fence Me In by Cole Porter and Robert H. Fletcher, sung by Roy Rogers , performed by the dancing horse Trigger , together with the Sons of the Pioneers, sung by the Andrews Sisters, accompanied by Jimmy Dorsey and on another appearance his orchestra
  7. Gettin 'Corns For My Country by Jean Barry, Leah Worth and Dick Charles, sung by the Andrews Sisters, accompanied by Jimmy Dorsey and his orchestra
  8. You Can Always Tell a Yank by Burton Lane and EY Harburg , sung by Dennis Morgan and choir, accompanied by Jimmy Dorsey and his orchestra, and sung by Joe E. Brown and choir
  9. Sweet Dreams, Sweetheart by Maurice K. Jerome and Ted Koehler, sung by Joan Leslie with the voice of Sally Sweetland , accompanied by a choir, sung by Kitty Carlisle on another appearance
  10. Ballet in Jive by Ray Heindorf, danced by Joan McCracken, accompanied by a choir
  11. The Bee (The Bee) , Op. 13 No. 9 by Franz Schubert , played by Joseph Szigeti (violin), Harry Kaufman on piano
  12. The Souvenir by Frantisek Drdla, played by Joseph Szigeti and Jack Benny and Harry Kaufman
  13. Voodoo Moon by Obdulio Morales and Julio Blanco, English text by Marion Sunshine, played by Carmen Cavallaro and orchestra, danced by Antonio and Rosario
  14. Dance , danced by Antonio and Rosario
  15. Trade Winds by Daniel E. Kelley, playing the accordion on the hospital ship
  16. Home on the Range by Daniel E. Kelley, as before
  17. Hooray for Hollywood by Richard A. Whiting
  18. King Porter Stomp by Ferdinand 'Jelly Roll' Morton , played by Jimmy Dorsey and his orchestra
  19. They're Either Too Young or Too Old by Frank Loesser and Arthur Schwartz , played by Jimmy Dorsey and his orchestra
  20. The Very Thought of You by Ray Noble , played by Jimmy Dorsey and his orchestra
  21. Night and Day by Cole Porter
  22. Rock-a-Bye Baby by Effie I. Canning
  23. Spring Song Op. 62 No. 6 by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy
  24. Yankee Doodle , traditional way of English origin

Initial release

The film premiered on December 15, 1944 in New York, and then generally ran in the United States on December 31, 1944. In 1945 it started in the United Kingdom, Sweden and Belgium (Brussels). It was released in Portugal and Finland in 1946, in France and Italy in 1947. The film was released in Denmark in 1948, as well as in Japan. It was first seen in Austria on January 14, 1949. It did not go to the cinema in the Federal Republic of Germany; it had its television premiere on October 12, 1980. The TV title was: Hollywood Canteen .

The film was also released in Bulgaria, Brazil, Greece and the Soviet Union.

revenue

Around forty percent of the gross proceeds of the film were donated to the "Hollywood Canteen". Under the management of Bette Davis and her manager, the well-performing Hollywood Canteen had $ 500,000 in the bank at the end of the war. The money was used to finance projects related to the armed forces.

The film is said to have been one of the top films of the year for Warner Bros. financially. With gross revenues of $ 4.1 million, the film was ranked 5th among the top grossing films of the year.

criticism

The film received mixed reviews, but scored points with its extensive star cast and war roll call.

The New York Times’s Bosley Crowther said that if you’re prone to big names, you’ll love the film because Warner Bros. has just about any star signed to the studio. But if quality is important to you, you quickly find the story and the dialogues of the film embarrassing. There is no question that the "Hollywood Canteen" was a welcome oasis for members of the army and that it helped them. However, in the film it seems more like boasting. There is also no avoiding a comparison with the film Stage Door Canteen , since both followed the same pattern, since they were written by the same man. It is noteworthy, however, that Stage Door Canteen comes across as much more modest and the story told is also much more realistic, which benefits the quality. Crowther refers to the opening comment in the film by Joe E. Brown: “This place is just a big, big juke box.” Crowther's conclusion: “That's the movie. It's filled with odds and ends. "

Variety saw it differently and believed Robert Hutton and Joan Leslie were the real stars of the film musical who would carry the story. Hutton looks like the ideal GI Joe, and his sidekick, played by Dane Clark, is the perfect match. Joan Leslie plays her role with charm, grace and ease. Even if the plot is slick, you can accept that because the romance speaks for itself.

Howard Barnes of the New York Herald Tribune found the film a sleek, star-capped wartime salute. In addition to Bette Davis and John Garfield, dozens of other croyphae can be admired on the screen in a fine mix and with enough talent for more than a dozen films.

Three Movie Buffs rated the film on October 24, 2010 and believed the built-in plot was just a pretext to showcase the actual stars in the Hollywood Canteen. The list of stars presented is impressive. The best are Ida Lupino and Joan Crawford, who have amusing scenes with Dane Clark, Sydney Greenstreet and Peter Lorre.

The lexicon of international films could not gain much from the film and judged: “A staging of star appearances, cheesy and without any real joke. Interesting only from the historical aspect of troop support. Film stars like Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Peter Lorre, John Garfield, Barbara Stanwyck, Jane Wyman, Sydney Greenstreet and Ida Lupino, who all play themselves, should cheer up the fight of the Americans. "

Awards

The film received an Oscar nomination in each of the following categories at the 1945 Academy Awards :

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e Hollywood Canteen (1944) Notes at TCM - Turner Classic Movies (English)
  2. ↑ Hollywood Canteen (1944) Original Print Information at TCM (English)
  3. ↑ a b c d Hollywood Canteen (1944) Articles at TCM (English)
  4. ↑ Bosley Crowther : Hollywood Canteen In: The New York Times . December 16, 1944 (English). Retrieved January 9, 2017.
  5. ↑ Review: Hollywood Canteen at Variety (English). Retrieved January 9, 2017.
  6. ↑ Hollywood Canteen (1944) at dvdbeaver.com (English). Retrieved January 9, 2017.
  7. ↑ Hollywood Canteen at threemoviefuffs.com (English). Retrieved January 9, 2017.
  8. ↑ Hollywood Canteen. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed March 24, 2019 .Template: LdiF / Maintenance / Access used