The Singing Marine

By 1937 Dick Powell was acutely aware of his dwindling prospects as a crooner. Unfortunately, The Singing Marine is a textbook example of just the type of film he was aching to distance himself from--- something that wouldn't happen until his move to Paramount in 1942. This over long musical comedy co-stars newcomer Doris Weston (imagine Sonja Henie without the skates or accent); she's cute but the 19-year old fails to make a memorable impression. Her career spanned less than 3 years and 6 features, 2 shorts and a serial between Warner's and the financially wobbly "New" Universal Pictures. Sadly, she'd die of cancer in her early 40's.

The Singing Marine was one of Warner's 'A' pictures for 1937. It features the backbone of the studio's stock character troupe: Allen Jenkins, Addison Richards, goofy Hugh Herbert, Guinn Williams... but look for harmonica maestro Larry Adler doing his thing (Chinese Larry? I think HUAC might've even used that one against you too) in the Shanghai finale and keep your eyes peeled for Ward Bond in one of his don't-blink-or-you'll-miss-me-keeping-the-groceries-coming-in walk-on's he did throughout the 1930's.

I find myself looking at any pre-WW2 film with military elements as a Japanese spy. To this day I'm convinced one of the reasons we were attacked is Lou Costello in "Buck Privates." The Singing Marine certainly did us no favors with the mentality that a USMC enlistment could be bought off, or perhaps it was the corps' apparent fondness for wienie roasts. See this for Adler's haunting harmonica rift... but be prepared to walk away wondering why 20-minutes weren't left on the cutting room floor.

The Singing Marine is great example of the kind of film Dick Powell was trying hard to get out of doing. It's entertaining and charming in its way, but also has its moments of downright silliness.

Powell knew very well that his career in film would never last if he continued doing parts like these. He wanted to do serious dramatic stuff and finally got his chance seven years later from RKO in Murder My Sweet.

On furlough from the Marines on a lark Powell enters an amateur hour talent contest and wins. One of the losers is Doris Weston and she and Powell are taken with each other. Hugh Herbert signs Powell up to sing on the radio and his career as The Singing Marine is off and running.

Now here's where it gets a bit sticky for me. Hugh Herbert is his usual wackadoodle self in The Singing Marine and why anyone in his right mind would hire him as a business manager is beyond my power of understanding.

Also why Powell would forget about that little contract he signed with the Marine Corps is absolutely off the radar of my grey cells. That idiot Herbert actually thinks he's going to buy Powell out of his enlistment.

Yet these were more innocent times and I think if Dick Powell were alive today he'd appreciate The Singing Marine for the entertainment it is.

He got some good songs to sing from two teams of songwriters, Harry Warren and Al Dubin and Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer. Cause My Baby Says It's So was the hit from this film and the Song of the Marines enjoyed some popularity. It was never going to take the place of From the Halls of Montezuma in Marine Corps Annals.

Supporting Powell besides Hugh Herbert were Guinn Williams, Allen Jenkins, Lee Dixon, and as Ma Marine, Jane Darwell. That's right we have a character named Ma Marine. Jane is actually good in the role, she's a kind of den mother to the Marines stationed in Shanghai. Her financial problems are the crux of the story for the last 45 minutes.

Despite some of the nonsense, The Singing Marine is good entertainment with Dick Powell in real good voice.

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. (***)

The Singing Marine is great example of the 30's musicals. I enjoyed the music and songs. Dick Powell is in great form as the singing marine. One goof is the radio call letters was KRWB, but is in New York. It should start with W. The songs is enjoyable to listen to and keeps in your head. I rate the movie a 7 out of 10. The plot of the movie is silly in today's themes but it does add a change of basis. We could use more of this type of movies today. I like the songs of the 30's and 40's. You could understands the songs. Again, great songs and a enjoyable movie. It should be shown on TV more often. We need more of this type of songs again.

In San Diego, Bob Brent (Dick Powell) is a shy singing Marine who has a crush on shop girl Peggy Randall (Doris Weston). He is barely able to ask her out to a weenie roast with his marine friends. The other marines want his guitar and singing to entertain their dates. The boys send the shy singer to New York City for a radio program contest.

This has two musical sequences directed by Busby Berkeley. The first one has a lot of reverse filming which is obvious to me although maybe not to the 30's audience. That does take me out of it. The last dance is a lot men in uniform. It may be patriotic but I prefer the babes. Dick Powell is playing the clean cut singer type. He's very straight and a little stiff. He needs more Peggy time. The couple has a cute start. I expected a traditional love triangle movie. I even had a scheming diva in mind. She would lie to Peggy and drive her away. I did not expect Shanghai. That section has some good but never fully exploited. It's all a bit disappointing especially the cute romance going flat.