THE SINGING MARINE (Warner Brothers, 1937), directed by Ray Enright, with two staged numbers choreographed by Busby Berkeley, returns Dick Powell in military uniform, this time, the United States Marines. Unlike his predecessors, FLIRTATION WALK (1934) and SHIPMATES FOREVER (1935), in which Powell played a West Point cadet and an Annapolis Navy man respectively, this military musical comes off more comically and musically in its 108 minutes, with a couple of fist fights added in for good measure.
Powell plays Robert "Bob" Brent, a/k/a "Arkansas," a bashful young Marine from Mountain View, Ark., who is stationed at the San Diego Marine Base for two years. He is invited by his sergeant, Mike Kelly (Allen Jenkins) to attend a wienie roast at Mission Beach with his fellow Marines and their gals. Because Bob is shy with girls, Kelly arranges to have Peggy Randall (Doris Weston), a young cashier of 19 working at the Marine Grill, to become Bob's date. While at Mission Beach, Bob is coaxed to sing a song, which he does. His crooning relaxes the fellas and puts the girls into a romantic mood. Later, the boys arrange to collect enough money to have Bob use his furlough leave to go to New York City and appeared in an upcoming amateur contest, hosted by J. Montgomery Madison (Berton Churchill). Bob agrees to go, and while on the bus, he is seated next to Peggy, who in turn, also plans to go on the amateur radio contest to represent San Diego as Bob is going to represent the Marines. They soon become fast friends and agree to root for one another. While Peggy flops due to nervousness, Bob succeeds with his singing, being immediately signed to a radio contract by agents, Felix Fowler (Addison Richards) and Aeneas K. Phinney (Hugh Herbert), and hiring Peggy as Bob's personal secretary. As Bob rises to fame, success goes to his head, causing him to ignore Peggy, who now loves him, to be with other girls, and forgetting his sworn duty with the Marine Corps.
With music and lyrics by Harry Warren and Al Dubin, the songs and production numbers on the musical program include: "You Can't Run Away From Love Tonight" (sung by Dick Powell); "Stolen Holiday" (sung by Doris Weston); "'Cause My Baby Says It's So" (Powell); "The Lady Who Couldn't Be Kissed" (Powell/Weston, tap dance solo by Lee Dixon); "You Can't Run Away From Love Tonight" (Powell/Weston); "Night and Day" (by Cole Porter/with Larry Adler and his harmonica); "Tiger Rag" (Adler playing harmonica); "Comin' 'Round the Mountain" (sung in both English and Chinese by a Chinese quartet); "'Cause My Baby Says It's So" (reprise by Powell); "I Know Now" (Weston); "Night Over Shanghai" (written by Johnny Mercer/sung by Powell and Weston, with Adler and his harmonica); and finale, "The Song of the Marines," "To the Shores of Tripoli" and "The Song of the Marines."
Aside from the handful of songs, the production number of "Night Over Shanghai," directed by Busby Berkeley, echoes a couple of Berkeley's earlier numbers, such as "Shanghai Lil" from FOOTLIGHT PARADE (1933) with Americans in Chinese setting; and the finale from 42nd STREET (1933) where the girl meets her demise by getting shot and dying in the arms of her man. For the finale, "The Song of the Marines," it's not as lavish and long as "Shanghai Lil" but does present a handful of uniformed Marines marching in formation, doing military drill, singing in front of the symbol of the American eagle in the center stage with Powell singing and standing in front of the giant globe and map of the United States. Very patriotic. Then there is Doris Weston (1917-1960), a newcomer to films, who would have a brief movie career in spite of her cute looks, good singing voice and pleasing personality. It's obvious that Warners was trying to develop her into a new Ruby Keeler-type, Powell's frequent on-screen co-star in seven musicals, even down to her almost similar hairstyle for instance, but it wasn't meant to be. Weston's rendition, however, to "I Know Now" is good, but sadly, both song and its vocalist are forgotten. Hugh Herbert adds to his silliness to the story, along with one scene in which he is dressed in drag playing his own sister.
The supporting cast include Lee Dixon as Corporal Slim Baxter; Jane Darwell as "Ma" Marine; Henry O'Neill, Guinn Williams, Eddie Acuff, Marcia Ralston, and a very young Jane Wyman in a small role as Joan, one of the fans of the Singing Marine.
While THE SINGING MARINE has been frequently played on Turner Classic Movies over the last few years, especially during its tribute to Dick Powell on his birthday (November 14), it's surprising that this peacetime military musical didn't get a critique by Leonard Maltin's annual "Movie and Video Guide" until after 2000. In spite of its predictable and somewhat overlong plot, THE SINGING MARINE is entertaining from start to finish. (***)
Powell plays Robert "Bob" Brent, a/k/a "Arkansas," a bashful young Marine from Mountain View, Ark., who is stationed at the San Diego Marine Base for two years. He is invited by his sergeant, Mike Kelly (Allen Jenkins) to attend a wienie roast at Mission Beach with his fellow Marines and their gals. Because Bob is shy with girls, Kelly arranges to have Peggy Randall (Doris Weston), a young cashier of 19 working at the Marine Grill, to become Bob's date. While at Mission Beach, Bob is coaxed to sing a song, which he does. His crooning relaxes the fellas and puts the girls into a romantic mood. Later, the boys arrange to collect enough money to have Bob use his furlough leave to go to New York City and appeared in an upcoming amateur contest, hosted by J. Montgomery Madison (Berton Churchill). Bob agrees to go, and while on the bus, he is seated next to Peggy, who in turn, also plans to go on the amateur radio contest to represent San Diego as Bob is going to represent the Marines. They soon become fast friends and agree to root for one another. While Peggy flops due to nervousness, Bob succeeds with his singing, being immediately signed to a radio contract by agents, Felix Fowler (Addison Richards) and Aeneas K. Phinney (Hugh Herbert), and hiring Peggy as Bob's personal secretary. As Bob rises to fame, success goes to his head, causing him to ignore Peggy, who now loves him, to be with other girls, and forgetting his sworn duty with the Marine Corps.
With music and lyrics by Harry Warren and Al Dubin, the songs and production numbers on the musical program include: "You Can't Run Away From Love Tonight" (sung by Dick Powell); "Stolen Holiday" (sung by Doris Weston); "'Cause My Baby Says It's So" (Powell); "The Lady Who Couldn't Be Kissed" (Powell/Weston, tap dance solo by Lee Dixon); "You Can't Run Away From Love Tonight" (Powell/Weston); "Night and Day" (by Cole Porter/with Larry Adler and his harmonica); "Tiger Rag" (Adler playing harmonica); "Comin' 'Round the Mountain" (sung in both English and Chinese by a Chinese quartet); "'Cause My Baby Says It's So" (reprise by Powell); "I Know Now" (Weston); "Night Over Shanghai" (written by Johnny Mercer/sung by Powell and Weston, with Adler and his harmonica); and finale, "The Song of the Marines," "To the Shores of Tripoli" and "The Song of the Marines."
Aside from the handful of songs, the production number of "Night Over Shanghai," directed by Busby Berkeley, echoes a couple of Berkeley's earlier numbers, such as "Shanghai Lil" from FOOTLIGHT PARADE (1933) with Americans in Chinese setting; and the finale from 42nd STREET (1933) where the girl meets her demise by getting shot and dying in the arms of her man. For the finale, "The Song of the Marines," it's not as lavish and long as "Shanghai Lil" but does present a handful of uniformed Marines marching in formation, doing military drill, singing in front of the symbol of the American eagle in the center stage with Powell singing and standing in front of the giant globe and map of the United States. Very patriotic. Then there is Doris Weston (1917-1960), a newcomer to films, who would have a brief movie career in spite of her cute looks, good singing voice and pleasing personality. It's obvious that Warners was trying to develop her into a new Ruby Keeler-type, Powell's frequent on-screen co-star in seven musicals, even down to her almost similar hairstyle for instance, but it wasn't meant to be. Weston's rendition, however, to "I Know Now" is good, but sadly, both song and its vocalist are forgotten. Hugh Herbert adds to his silliness to the story, along with one scene in which he is dressed in drag playing his own sister.
The supporting cast include Lee Dixon as Corporal Slim Baxter; Jane Darwell as "Ma" Marine; Henry O'Neill, Guinn Williams, Eddie Acuff, Marcia Ralston, and a very young Jane Wyman in a small role as Joan, one of the fans of the Singing Marine.
While THE SINGING MARINE has been frequently played on Turner Classic Movies over the last few years, especially during its tribute to Dick Powell on his birthday (November 14), it's surprising that this peacetime military musical didn't get a critique by Leonard Maltin's annual "Movie and Video Guide" until after 2000. In spite of its predictable and somewhat overlong plot, THE SINGING MARINE is entertaining from start to finish. (***)