Thank Your Lucky Stars (1943)

Thank Your Lucky Stars
Directed by David Butler
Written by Norman Panama, Melvin Frank and James V. Kern from an original story by Everett Freeman and Arthur Schwartz
1943/USA
Warner Bros.
First viewing/Warner Bros. Homefront Collection DVD

 

[box] I’m either their first breath of spring/ Or else, I’m their last little fling/ I either get a fossil or an adolescent pup/ I either have to hold him off/ Or have to hold him up/ The battle is on, but the fortress will hold/ They’re either too young or too old – “They’re Either Too Young or Too Old,” lyrics by Frank Leosser [/box]

Yet another all-star variety show from 1943.  It’s a mixed bag, with a bit too much framing story, but some of the numbers are unmissable.

Producer/MC Farnsworth (Edward Everett Horton) and composer/conductor Dr. Schlenna (S.Z. Sakall) are putting on the “Cavalcade of Stars” as a benefit for the war effort.  Dr. Schlenna is desperate to get Dinah Shore in the show.  Unfortunately, she is managed by Eddie Cantor and he won’t let her participate unless he does.  Very reluctantly,  the two allow Cantor to be Honorary Chairman of their Committee.  He immediately makes a complete nuisance of himself.  (Cantor makes himself the butt of every joke throughout.)

In the meantime, Pat Dixon (Joan Leslie) is looking for someone to perform the very bad song she wrote called “Moon Dust”.  She chances upon aspiring singer Tommy Randolph (Dennis Morgan) who is trying, without success, to get a contract to sing on Cantor’s radio show.  He makes such a bad impression on Cantor that the two resort to kidnapping the star and substituting him for a look-alike Hollywood tour bus driver (also Cantor) who saves the day.

George Tobias with Olivia De Havilland and Ida Lupino

Other than the Leslie-Morgan songs in the framing story (which are pretty bad), the bulk of the film is devoted to numbers from famous Warner Bros. movie stars in either the dress rehearsal or the benefit gala.  Among them are John Garfield, Ann Sheridan, Alan Hale, Jack Carson, Bette Davis, Olivia De Havilland, Errol Flynn, Hattie McDaniel, Willie Best, Ida Lupino, Spike Jones and His City Slickers, and Humphrey Bogart.

John Garfield and some of the others demonstrate why they didn’t make it as musical comedy stars but some of the acts are surprisingly good.  Bette Davis has trouble carrying a tune as well but she has so much screen presence that her song ends up being really enjoyable.  Hattie McDaniel, Willie Best, and many more sing and dance delightfully to “Ice Cold Katy”.  (I always love it whenever Hattie McDaniel is allowed to sing.)  I think my favorite act was Errol Flynn sending up his heroic image in the British music hall style number “That’s What You Jolly Well Get”.  The man seemingly could do anything.  I haven’t had much exposure to Cantor before but I thought he did quite well.

Arthur Schwartz and Frank Loesser were nominated for an Academy Award for Best Music, Original Song for their song “They’re Either Too Old or Too Young”

Errol Flynn sings “That’s What You Jolly Well Get”