Intro.
I was attracted to Thousands Cheer because of all the stars it bragged about in its write-up: Gene Kelly, Kathryn Grayson, Jose Iturbi, Mary Astor, John Boles, Mickey Rooney, Lucille Ball, Judy Garland, Red Skelton and more. Although I was disappointed in the overall film, I have to say that seeing so many Hollywood faces was still very entertaining.Overview
Basically, Thousands Cheer is a lot like Anchors Aweigh on the surface except it's in the Army and without Frank Sinatra (big mistake!). Gene Kelly plays a GI who gets involved with the Colonel's daughter (Kathryn Grayson), who is staying at her father's house on post and organizing the entertainment for the troops. While at first they don't hit it off, Gene is pretty persistent and gets Kathryn to go with him to meet his family, a group of daredevil trapeze artists in the circus. As their relationship develops, Kathryn is also trying to get her long separated parents back together as well as plan a huge star-studded show for the men at the post before they deploy for World War II. Despite a few bumps and set backs, everything comes together and both troops and we the viewers are treated to a USO-style show with singing, dancing, and comedy skits. And of course our leading couple end with a tearful goodbye at a train station in traditional feel-good Hollywood fashion.Highlights
There are some true musical gems in this film. Kathryn Grayson has some breath-taking songs in this film, including "Daybreak" and "Three Letters in the Mail Box." Gene Kelly also performs his famous (not to mention adorable) dance with a mop to "Let Me Call You Sweetheart." Jose Iturbi is also wonderful as both actor and pianist. When they begin the big show emceed by Mickey Rooney, there are some great numbers there as well, including a doctor skit with Frank Morgan and Lucille Ball, a soda fountain skit with Red Skelton, and my favorite, a number by Judy Garland called "The Joint Is Really Jumpin' in Carnegie Hall." Sadly, I did lose interest in the film as the pacing and storyline kind of lose momentum after a promising beginning. I think afterward it was more of a showcase of talent like the later productions of "That's Entertainment". However, placing it in a historical context, I can see now that this was part of Hollywood's war effort - a USO show for the silver screen. Watching it, I could imagine audiences of the time thinking of Gene Kelly as a swell guy going off to war and Kathryn Grayson as the woman so many soldiers would like to have waiting for them back home. It's a bit dated, but nevertheless an interesting look at wartime Hollywood.
Review
As I said, Thousands Cheer is an example of World War II Hollywood's war effort. It entertains audiences with some great performances by a wide array of talents, including some very big names in the industry. What it lacks in story it makes up for in heart, so if you want something fun and not too serious, it may be worth a try.
