Schiff ahoi!

If you are like me, you love to watch even average or bad old movies just to see if you can spot up and coming stars in the background. Or maybe it's to be able to see stars that you wouldn't normally see at film retrospectives, or maybe it's to try to get an indication of why they were once considered to be great talents.

"Ship Ahoy" is such a picture. Released in 1942, it tells the story of how a chorus girl( a beautiful Eleanor Powell) unwittingly becomes involved as a Japanese spy during WWII. The story is totally forgettable and ridiculous, and the songs (some by E.Y."Yip" Harburg and Burton Lane" are not memorable. But this is still an interesting movie to watch.

It is a wonderful snapshot that shows us why Powell, Red Skelton, and especially Bert Lahr were big stars. Especially Lahr, who most people only remember either from "The Wizard of Oz" or the Lays Potato chip ads (I realize I'm dating myself with that last reference). Lahr is hysterical as a would-be playboy who assists Skelton in writing a series of hair-brained adventure stories. His scenes with Virginia O'Brien are the best in the movie.

This film is also noted as being the film debut for a skinny kid from Hoboken, N.J. named Frank Sinatra. Although he does not sing any songs of note, he does have an instant presence on the screen. Also, look fast to see future stars Hilary Brooke and John Raitt.

"Ship Ahoy" is never going to be a classic, but it is a film that film history fans should see.

6 out of 10

As with most of Eleanor Powell's films, this one plays out along the flimsiest of plots. For some reason -- oh it is explained! -- she's selected to transport a magnetic mine to Cuba. Good guys and bad guys compete for the mine and who is who gets confusing. But, as always, Powell's dancing is superb and worth the price of admission. And in this one Lahr plays his cowardly lion, evoking warm memories of that Technicolor film of 1939. A fringe benefit is hearing a young Frank, with that wonderful voice and skinny vulnerability that he abandoned for his wise-guy persona later on. In addition, the great drummer, Buddy Rich, has a wonderful time displaying his virtuosity. Watch particularly for his unique duet with Dorsey's trumpet man, Ziggy Elman. I say "unique" perhaps in ignorance, but I know of no other drum/trumpet sequence like this one on film or records. This film is fun. Even Skelton's goofy persona is relatively restrained. Powell shows again that she is the greatest film dancer ever.

So-so musical comedy with a flimsy espionage plot. Dancer Eleanor Powell is tricked VERY easily by Axis spies into taking some super special magnetic mine on board a ship headed to Puerto Rico. On the voyage she falls for writer Red Skelton, who also happens to be the guy who wrote the story that gave the spies the whole idea to begin with. Yeah, I know. Anyway, no one cares about all that. If you watched this, chances are you did so either to see Skelton do his shtick or to see Powell dance. If you're here for Skelton, you might be disappointed since he's rather subdued this time around. That's actually a plus for me as he isn't one of my favorite comic actors. If, like me, you watched this for Eleanor Powell, you undoubtedly enjoyed her nice tap numbers. Outside of the two stars, the movie has two other things worth mentioning about it. The first is a positive - an early appearance from a skinny Frank Sinatra singing with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. The second is a negative - the Cowardly Lion himself, Bert Lahr, plays Skelton's comic relief sidekick. Why Skelton, of all people, would need a sidekick trying to upstage him is beyond me. Lahr is a big drain on the movie, annoying to no end and playing a horndog chasing after girls half his age. The guy was literally born in the 19th century and poor Virginia O'Brien, in her early twenties here, is forced to play opposite him. Gross. Anyway, it's not the best movie but it will help to pass the time in a mostly pleasant way. The romance is flat and the comedy is a bit weak but Powell is charming and the musical numbers are good.

"Ship Ahoy" was probably made in order to showcase MGM talent. The film is a fun trip on an ocean liner on its way to San Juan, Puerto Rico, at the time in which the country was involved in WWII. This was typical fare for the studios, which gave the movie going public light weight entertainment as a distraction during those difficult times the country was living.

The beautiful Eleanor Powell is seen at her best in some musical numbers where she clearly shows us she was a dancer to be reckoned with. Red Skelton is also seen in a straight part with not too much clowning, as he pursues the beautiful Ms. Powell on the ship that is bringing them to Puerto Rico. The irresistible Bert Lahr has good opportunities in the film to show he was a funny man. Also Virginia Grey is seen as a fun girl who is not fooled by anyone.

There are good musical numbers featuring Tommy Dorsey and his orchestra, in which one sees, among others, the amazing Buddy Rich, who has a few solos with Mr. Dorsey and Ms. Powell. A young Frank Sinatra appears also as the lead singer of the band, backed by the Pied Pipers.

This is a nostalgic trip that should be savored by fans of this genre, which MGM totally controlled.

"Ship Ahoy" is one of MGM's minor musical comedies of the early 40s with a simple plot, great dance numbers by Eleanor Powell and comedy antics by Red Skelton supplemented by the music of Tommy Dorsey's orchestra which includes Buddy Rich and a young Frank Sinatra. Fun added by Bert Lahr and Smile-less Virginia O'Brien. This film is fun to watch!