Screen Chronology: 1940 to 1944
Compiled by John Kenrick
- **** - Sensational
- *** - Good entertainment
- ** - Beats a finger in the eye
- * - You'd rather mow a lawn
- (NO stars) - Run for your life
Please note: I only include reviews for films I have seen.
1940
- Argentine Nights * - Another Ritz Brothers bomb, only worth seeing for screen debut of the Andrews Sisters
- Barnyard Follies
- Bitter Sweet ** - Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy have some good moments, but MGM drowns Noel Coward's elegant operetta in schmaltz.
- Boys from Syracuse, The ** - Cheap, pedestrian version of the Rodgers & Hart stage hit. What a waste!
- Broadway Melody of 1940 *** - Backstage love story offers great fun throughout. Eleanor Powell & Fred Astaire's "Begin the Beguine" tap duet is unforgettable.
- Buck Benny Rides Again
- Dance Girl, Dance
- Dancing on a Dime ** - Throws together some rehashed material to little effect.
- Double or Nothing *** - Bing Crosby must double a $5000 prize or return it. No classic, but enjoyable.
- Down Argentine Way *** - Betty Grable is romanced by Don Ameche, while Carmen Miranda steals it all. The mind-blowing tap number by the Nicholas Brothers is a must-see.
- Fantasia **** - Initially a commercial failure, Disney's attempt to animate classical music is now recognized as a masterpiece.
- Her First Romance ** - Ugly duckling becomes a man magnet. Good singing, with Broadway baritone Wilbur Evans in a rare film appearance.
- Hit Parade of 1941
- How You Can Love!
- Hullabaloo
- I Can't Give You Anything But Love
- If I Had My Way
- I'm Nobody's Sweetheart Now
- Irene * - Most of the score is missing in this unrecognizable adaptation of the 1919 stage hit.
- It's a Date *** - Deanna Durbin competes with her mother for Broadway stardom and a boyfriend. Not Durbin's best, but her fans will enjoy this one.
- La Conga Nights
- Let's Make Music ** - One of Bing Crosby's weakest vehicles has him as a bandleader wooing a high school teacher.
- Lillian Russell *** - Alice Faye portrays the curvaceous stage star of the early 1900s, with Edward Arnold memorable as Diamond Jim Brady. Inaccurate but entertaining.
- Little Bit of Heaven, A ** - A little girl sings her way out of poverty.
- Little Nellie Kelly *** - Judy Garland patches up a family squabble in this adaptation of a George M. Cohan stage hit. Highlight: Judy's rendition of "It's a Great Day for the Irish."
- Love Thy Neighbor
- Ma, He's Making Eyes At Me
- Margie
- Melody and Moonlight
- Melody Ranch
- Music in My Heart ** - Singer Tony Martin pursues Rita Hayworth.
- New Moon *** - French aristocrat Jeanette MacDonald loves revolutionary Nelson Eddy in this handsome remake of Romberg's operetta.
- Night at Earl Carroll's, A ** - Another lame attempt to cash in on the famous producer's name, with a party at his Hollywood night club.
- No, No, Nanette * - The Broadway plot and most of the songs are gone. You'll have a better time taking out the garbage.
- One Night in the Tropics
- Pinocchio **** - Sumptuous Disney animated version of the classic fairy tale, features "When You Wish Upon a Star" and "Hi Diddle Dee Dee."
- Rhythm on the River *** - Bing Crosby and Mary Martin have fun as songwriters who've been ghostwriting for someone else and now want to break out on their own..
- Road to Singapore ** - Bing Crosby and Bob Hope's first "Road" picture is only okay. The formula became more enjoyable in future installments.
- Scatterbrain
- Second Chorus ** - Fred Astaire romances Paulette Goddard. Okay moments, but one of Fred's weaker vehicles.
- Sing Dance Plenty Hot
- Spring Parade
- Strike Up the Band **** - Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland enter their high school band in a contest, with rousing results. Includes the hit song "Our Love Affair."
- Tin Pan Alley *** - Pure formula but solid fun as songwriter John Payne pursues singer Alice Faye through Tin Pan Alley, Broadway and World War I. Nicholas Brothers steal the film with one of their peerless tap duets.
- Too Many Girls *** - Rodgers & Hart's enjoyable college football musical features a troop of future stars, including Desi Arnaz & future wife Lucille Ball.
- Two Girls On Broadway
- You'll Find Out * - Kay Kyser's big band lands in a haunted house. A waste of talent, time and celluloid.
- Young People
1941
Note the sudden rush of war-themed musicals as the US entered World War II. This wave crested right past the war's end in 1945.
- All American Co-Ed
- Angels With Broken Wings
- Babes on Broadway *** - Fun Mickey Rooney-Judy Garland vehicle has them (what else?) putting on a show.
- Big Store, The
- Birth of the Blues *** - Bing Crosby organizes a jazz band. Great numbers!
- Blondie Goes Latin ** - The Blondie series included this painless musical entry. Not good, but not nearly as bad as it sounds.
- Blues in the Night ** - Ambitious but eventually unfulfilling tale of a musician who is his own worst enemy.
- Buck Privates
- Cadet Girl
- Chocolate Soldier, The ** - The plot is from The Guardsman, with Nelson Eddy as an actor anxious to prove if wife Rise Stevens is unfaithful. Long stretches of dialogue, but good musical numbers.
- Dumbo *** - Disney's beloved animated tale of a flying baby elephant. Underrated score includes "Baby Mine" and "When I See an Elephant Fly."
- Fiesta
- Go West ** The Marx Brothers in a lesser effort -- not recommended.
- Go West Young Lady
- Great American Broadcast, The
- Hellzapoppin'
- Hold That Ghost
- In the Navy
- Keep 'Em Flying
- Kiss the Boys Goodbye *** - Mary Martin and Oscar Levant spark this backstage story.
- Lady Be Good *** - Predictable story of divorced songwriting couple becomes a pleasant vehicle for Eleanor Powell.
- Las Vegas Nights
- Let's Make Music
- Melody Lane
- Moon Over Miami *** - Betty Grable & friends hunt for men with enjoyable results.
- Moonlight in Hawaii
- Navy Blues *** - Maritime shenanigans energized by a scene stealing Martha Raye.
- Nice Girl?
- Night at Earl Carroll's, A
- Playmates (NO stars) - John Barrymore made his final screen appearance as a worn-out actor teaching Kay Kyser's big band about Shakespeare. Sad.
- Pot O' Gold
- Puddin' Head
- Rise and Shine
- Road Show
- Road to Zanzibar
- Rookies On Parade
- San Antonio Rose
- Second Chorus ** - Fred Astaire & Burgess Meredith are musicians competing for Paulette Goddard's attentions. Not enough Fred to justify watching this one.
- Sing Another Chorus
- Sis' Hopkins
- Six Lessons From Madame La Zonga
- Smilin' Through *** - Multi-generational romance stars Jeanette MacDonald and future real-life hubby Gene Raymond
- Sun Valley Serenade *** - One of skater Sonja Henie's most enjoyable vehicles, with Glen Miller & his orchestra performing several of their classic swing hits.
- Sunny ** - Anna Neagle stars as a performer breaking into high society in this weak remake of Marilyn Miller's 1920s hit. Ray Bolger's dances are sensational.
- Sweetheart of the Campus ** - Ruby Keeler made her final screen appearance in this barely passable college musical.
- Swing It Soldier
- That Night in Rio ** - The Fox formula musical stumbles here, with Betty Grable and Don Ameche providing the love interest as Carmen Miranda serves up desperately needed comic relief.
- There's Magic in Music
- They Met In Argentina (NO stars) - Maureen O'Hara is stuck in this trash. Blame the studio. Better yet, watch something else.
- Time Out for Rhythm ** - Tired big band musical, but Three Stooges fans may enjoy seeing the trio in some of their vintage routines.
- Too Many Blondes
- Weekend in Havana *** - The Fox formula ticks along nicely as Alice Faye is romanced by John Payne, with Carmen Miranda stealing scenes.
- Where Did You Get That Girl?
- You'll Never Get Rich * - Broadway director Fred Astaire enlists in the army but keeps working on a show with girlfriend Rita Hayworth. Despite the stars and a Cole Porter score, this one is a yawn.
- You're the One
- Ziegfeld Girl *** - Musical numbers save this lavish MGM soap opera about the offstage lives of Ziegfeld chorines. Best features include "You Stepped Out of a Dream" and Judy Garland at her loveliest.
- Zis Boom Bah
1942
- Almost Married
- Bambi **** - Characters don't sing in this handsome Disney cartoon, but several songs serve as background.
- Behind the Eight Ball (NO stars) - The idiotic Ritz Brothers in a musical murder mystery. Good grief.
- Broadway
- Born to Sing * - Street kids put on a show. Should have stuck to stick ball.
- Cairo ** - Jeanette MacDonald stars in uneven spy thriller spoof.
- Call Out the Marines * - Stupid waterfront spy tale.
- Don't Get Personal
- Fleet's In, The *** - Wartime romance has William Holden wooing Dorothy Lamour, but the film belongs to newcomer Betty Hutton. Good score.
- Flying With Music
- Footlight Serenade *** - Victor Mature pursues Betty Grable in one of their better backstage musicals.
- For Me and My Gal *** - Judy Garland and Gene Kelly are charming as vaudevillians in love.
- Four Jacks and a Jill ** - Ray Bolger's dancing is the only solid attraction in this tale of musicians taking a protective interest in a young female singer.
- Get Hep to Love (NO stars) - A girl runs away from home in search of stardom. She shoulda stayed home.
- Give Out Sisters
- Holiday Inn **** - Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire are former song and dance partners competing for the same girl. The stars and some great Irving Berlin songs make this a winner. Highlights include Crosby introducing "White Christmas."
- I Married an Angel ** - Nelson Eddy and Jeannete MacDonald's last film together is a confusing adaptation of the Rodgers & Hart stage hit about a man who marries a heavenly angel, only to find her perfection unbearable.
- Iceland ** - This weak Sonja Henie vehicle is only fun when she skates.
- Ice Capades Revue
- Joan of Ozark
- Juke Box Jenny
- Louisiana Purchase *** - Corrupt politics in New Orleans, an Irving Berlin score, and some great clowning by Bob Hope and Victor Moore.
- Mayor of 44th Street, The (NO stars) - Teen hoods try to blackmail dance bands. Awful.
- Moonlight In Havana
- Moonlight Masquerade
- My Favorite Spy (NO stars) - Bandleader Kay Kyser as a spy. Someone got paid for thinking up this stinker?
- My Gal Sal *** - Victor Mature stars as songwriter Paul Dresser, wooing singer Rita Hayworth. Great period songs and a sumptuous production make this a winner.
- Orchestra Wives ** - Glen Miller's band members contend with their spouses. Silly plot, but there's some great numbers, including a killer tap duet by the Nicholas Brothers.
- Panama Hattie ** - Cole Porter's Broadway hit about a nightclub owner fizzles on screen; Ann Southern is a sad substitute for Ethel Merman.
- Powers Girl, The ** - Girl tries to become model. Main attraction is a chance to see Benny Goodman's orchestra in action.
- Pardon My Sarong
- Priorities On Parade
- Private Buckaroo ** - The Andrews Sisters and bandleader Harry James entertain in an Army camp. Only okay, but swing era fans will want to catch this one.
- Rhythm Parade
- Ride 'Em Cowboy
- Rio Rita* - Pathetic remake of Ziegfeld's old stage hit, this time with Abbott & Costello outwitting Nazis in the Mexican desert.
- Road to Morocco *** - Best of the Hope-Crosby Road films has them conning their way through deserts & an Arabian harem.
- Seven Days Leave ** - Victor Mature is a soldier who must marry in order to inherit a fortune. Not as bad as it sounds.
- Seven Sweethearts ** - Kathryn Grayson in uninspired story of seven sisters who cannot marry until the oldest gets hitched.
- Sing Your Worries Away * - Show business types square off against racketeers, and the audience loses.
- Ship Ahoy
- Sleepytime Gal
- Song of the Islands *** - Embarrassingly enjoyable silliness, with Victor Mature romancing Betty Grable on a Pacific island.
- Springtime in the Rockies **** - My favorite of the 1940s Fox formula musicals, with John Payne pursuing Betty Grable at a mountain resort while Carmen Miranda and Harry James's Band add to the fun. Pure pleasure.
- Star Spangled Rhythm *** - Paramount put every star on its roster into this wartime morale-booster. Score includes "That Old Black MAgic."
- Strictly In the Groove
- Sweater Girl
- Syncopation ** - A trumpeter experiences the development of jazz. Blah film ends with a fascinating jam session featuring swing era super stars.
- This Time for Keeps ** - Esther Williams swims with Jimmy Durante.
- True to the Army ** - Ann Miller is the best thing in this low budget military musical.
- What's Cookin'
- Yankee Doodle Dandy **** James Cagney stars in this sensational bio of George M. Cohan. Great songs and a perfect cast make this the best musical bio pic of all time.
- Yokel Boy
- You Were Never Lovelier **** - Fred Astaire romances Rita Hayworth, all set to a Jerome Kern score. Any questions?
- Youth On Parade
1943
- Always a Bridesmaid
- Around the World
- Best Foot Forward *** - June Allyson, Nancy Walker and Gloria DeHaven make their film debuts in this fun adaptation of the Broadway hit about what happens when movie star Lucille Ball (playing herself) visits a military academy.
- Cabin in the Sky **** - Ethel Waters, Eddie Anderson and Lena Horne are sensational in director Vincent Minnelli 's stylish adaptation of the stage hit about an angel and a demon battling for a black man's soul.
- Campus Rhythm
- Coney Island *** - Betty Grable travels from saloons to Broadway stardom in the 1890s. Entertaining & colorful.
- Cowboy in Manhattan
- Crazy House
- Desert Song, The *** - Rarely seen remake of Romberg's desert romance now has Riffs battling the Nazis. Dennis Morgan is good as the Red Shadow.
- Dixie *** - Fictionalized account of how the song "Dixie" came to be. Bing's singing, period atmosphere and great ensemble make for fun viewing.
- Doughboys in Ireland ** - US soldier stationed in Ireland, a cheap excuse for Kenny Baker to sing a bushel of old Irish tenor favorites.
- DuBarry Was a Lady ** - Red Skelton wants nightclub star Lucille Ball who really loves Gene Kelly. Then Skelton is slipped a micke, and dreams he is King Louis XIV and Ball is Madame DuBarry. The plot drags, and very little of Cole Porter's stage score remains.
- Follow the Band
- Gals Incorporated
- Gang's All Here, The ** - Dumb story of a soldier with two fianc es behind. Camp highlight – Carmen Miranda in Busby Berkeley's outrageous staging of "The Lady With the Tutti-Frutti Hat."
- Girl Crazy *** - Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland find love in the not so Wild West. Great Gershwin score and some snazzy staging by Busby Berkeley.
- Happy Go Lucky ** - Millionaire Rudy Vallee is pursued by Mary Martin on an ocean liner. Forgettable.
- Harvest Melody
- Hat Check Honey
- Heat's On, The ** - Mae West battles shady producers, with comic relief from Broadway duo William Gaxton and Victor Moore. So meager that West didn't make another film for almost three decades.
- Hello, Frisco, Hello ** - Alice Faye tries to keep John Payne's love in the madcap show biz world of the 1890s. So-so film, but Faye introduces "You'll Never Know."
- Here Comes Elmer * - Radio stars stumble badly on the big screen.
- Hers to Hold ** - Deanna Durbin in a wartime romance with soldier Joseph Cotten. Unimaginative, with recycled songs.
- Hi Buddy
- Hi'ya, Chum (NO stars) - Ritz Brothers run a restaurant – don't bother.
- Hi'ya Sailor
- His Butler's Sister
- Hit Parade of 1943
- Hit the Ice
- Honeymoon Lodge
- I Dood It ** - Tailor Red Skelton loves movie star Eleanor Powell. The musical numbers outclass the plot by a mile.
- Is Everybody Happy?
- Jitterbugs
- Johnny Doughboy
- Larceny With Music
- Let's Face It ** - Bob Hope stars in this de-fanged adaptation of the wartime Broadway hit about soldiers hired as male escorts.
- Melody Parade
- Moonlight in Vermont
- Mr. Big
- My Best Gal
- Never a Dull Moment
- Nobody's Darling
- Powers Girl, The
- Presenting Lily Mars ** - Judy Garland's fine musical numbers are the only reason to sit through this otherwise tired story of an actress finding fame on Broadway.
- Redhead From Manhattan
- Reveille with Beverly *** - Ann Miller is a radio disc jockey out to entertain the troops in this popular, low budget wartime charmer
- Rhythm Of the Islands
- Riding High
- Salute Fro Three
- She Has What It Takes
- She's For Me
- Silver Skates
- Sky's the Limit, The *** - Air Force pilot Fred Astaire woos Joan Leslie. Great songs and dance sequences make this underrated film a pleasure to watch.
- Sleepy Lagoon
- Something to Shout About ** - Cole Porter score buried in a worn out backstage musical.
- Spotlight Scandals
- Stage Door Canteen *** - Ignore the annoying plot scenes and stick around for a parade of Broadway stars doing their wartime bit. Merman, Bolger, Hepburn, Bankhead, Lunt, Fontanne, Kit Cornell and dozens more.
- Stormy Weather *** - Ignore the story, relish the music as an all-star cast of black show biz greats make this a must see, including Lena Horne, Bill Robinson, Fats Waller and many more.
- Sultan's Daughter, The (NO stars) - Burlesque stripper Ann Corio stars in this mind-numbing, tacky wartime mistake. Truly worthless.
- Sweet Rosie O'Grady *** - Betty Grable is a former burlesque star in love with a reporter. Minor story but lots of good entertainment.
- Swingtime Johnny
- Tahiti Honey
- Thank Your Lucky Stars *** - Fun all-star Warner Brothers wartime revue offers rare musical bits by Errol Flynn, Bette Davis, John Garfield and others.
- This Is the Army *** - All-star cast in Irving Berlin's hit wartime stage revue, with great score and lots of laughs. Highlights include "I Left My Heart at the Stagedoor Canteen," Kate Smith singing "God Bless America," and Berlin's rendition of "Oh, How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning."
- Thousands Cheer ** - An officer's daughter organizes a camp show featuring dozens of MGM stars. Good specialties.
- Thumbs Up
- Top Man ** - With dad off to war, young Donald O'Connor is head of the house.
- What's Buzzin, Cousin?
- When Johnny Comes Marching Home
- Wintertime * - Sonja Henie hits the ice to save her uncle from bankruptcy. The skating legend's weakest film.
- You're a Lucky Fellow Mr. Smith
1944
- And the Angels Sing ** - Dorothy Lamour and Betty Hutton are a sister act looking for their big break. Harmless but dull.
- Atlantic City *** - Fascinating cameos by show biz legends enliven this tale of entertainment on the New Jersey shore.
- Babes On Swing Street
- Bathing Beauty
- Beautiful But Broke
- Belle of the Yukon * - Gypsy Rose Lee wants her saloon-owning boyfriend to go legit. Lousy.
- Bowery to Broadway
- Brazil
- Broadway Rhythm
- Career Girl
- Casanova in Burlesque
- Can't Help Singing ** - Deanna Durbin stars in this weak Wild West musical with a Jerome Kern-Yip Harburgh score.
- Chip Off the Old Block ** - Donald O'Connor finds teenage romance.
- Climax, The
- Cowboy Canteen
- Cover Girl *** - Rita Hayworth must choose between modeling career and her love for nightclub owner Gene Kelly. Great musical numbers overcome the pedestrian plot. Highlight: Kelly dances with his own reflection.
- Follow the Boys
- Four Jills in a Jeep ** - Stars re-enact their "real life" experiences entertaining the troops during World War II. An interesting taste of the wartime mindset.
- Going My Way **** - Bing Crosby as priest saving Father Barry Fitzgerald's ailing inner city parish. Warm, funny and still delightful. Songs include "Swingin' On a Star" and the great title song.
- Greenwich Village ** - Classical composer decides to compose for Broadway in 1920s. Stellar cast, snoozy plot.
- Here Come the Waves *** - Bing Crosby is a navy crooner romancing twin sisters played by Betty Hutton. Fresh premise, great score.
- Hey, Rookie ** - Ann Miller puts on yet another show for the troops. Made on the cheap.
- Hi, Good Lookin' * - A girl seeks radio stardom. Look elsewhere.
- Higher and Higher ** - Jack Haley as a butler helping his impoverished boss. This weak Rodgers & Hart musical is stolen by a trained seal.
- Hollywood Canteen *** - All-star cameos redeem this one with fun musical performances. Roy Rodgers introduces Cole Porter's "Don't Fence Me In."
- Hot Rhythm
- Irish Eyes Are Smiling ** - Pleasant but mindless tale of Irish-American composer Ernest Ball. The songs are the main attraction.
- Jam Session ** - Ann Miller tries to break into show biz. Main attraction is the army of jazz greats who stop in to perform.
- Kansas City Kitty ** - Bing Crosby and Joan Leslie try to save a floundering music publisher.
- Knickerbocker Holiday ** - Nelson Eddy is miscast as peg-legged Peter Stuyvesant in this (why resist?) lame adaptation of Kurt Weill's satirical Broadway hit.
- Lady In the Dark ** - Ginger Rogers in lavish but weak version of yet another Weill stage hit.
- Lady Let's Dance
- Lake Placid Serenade * - Vera Ralston stars in this weak ice skating musical set in an upstate New York winter resort.
- Meet Me in St. Louis **** - Judy Garland romances "The Boy Next Door" and keeps her family together in this valentine to the early 1900s. Director Vincent Minnelli turned this okay idea into an enchanting classic.
- Meet Miss Bobby Socks (NO stars) - Don't.
- Meet the People
- Merry Monahans, The ** - Donald O'Connor stars in an unimaginative vaudeville family saga.
- Minstrel Man
- Moon Over Las Vegas
- Moonlight and Cactus - A short Andrews Sisters vehicle.
- Music for Millions ** - June Allyson is a cellist and war bride. Jimmy Durante's one number is a winner.
- Music in Manhattan
- My Gal Loves Music
- Night Club Girl
- Pardon My Rhythm - Mel Torme and bandleader Bob Crosby are on hand.
- Pin-Up Girl * - Fox's worst attempt to cash in on Betty Grable's fame. Stay away.
- Rainbow Island ** - Sailors marooned on a tropical island. Where's Gilligan when you need him?
- Reckless Age
- Sensations of 1945
- Seven Days Ashore
- She's a Sweetheart
- Shine On, Harvest Moon ** - Ann Sheridan stars as vaudeville great Nora Bayes. Could have been worse, but should have been far, far better.
- Show Business
- Sing a Jingle
- Singing Sheriff, The
- Slightly Terrific
- Something for the Boys ** - Vivian Blaine stars in this weak version of Cole Porter's stage hit about cousins inheriting a ranch next door to an army base. Without Merman, what was the point?
- Song of the Open Road ** Jane Powell makes her screen debut picking crops. Some songs and star turns help.
- South of Dixie
- Stars On Parade
- Step Lively *** - George Murphy will do anything to get his stage show produced. Lots of laughs, and Frank Sinatra on hand to croon.
- Sweet and Lowdown ** - Trombonist makes good in Benny Goodman's band.
- Sweethearts of the USA
- Swing Fever
- Swing Hostess
- Swing In the Saddle
- Swing Out the Blues
- Take It Big
- This Is the Life ** - Donald O'Connor stuck in another predictable juvenile love story.
- Trocadero
- Twilight on the Prairie
- Two Girls and a Sailor *** - June Allyson and Gloria DeHaven are sisters competing for the attention of soldier Van Johnson. Fun story with super specialties by Gracie Allen and Lena Horne.
- Up in Arms ** - Danny Kaye made his screen debut as a hypochondriac soldier. Highlight: Kaye's hilarious "Melody in 4F."
- Weekend Pass
- You Can't Ration Love