Something for the Boys

This is my first review of the next few days of what I'm going to call "war musicals", as this was made in and reflected (somewhat here) the condition of the World War II times. This was based on a Cole Porter musical on Broadway but only his title song is intact in this film version which is sung by leading lady Vivian Blaine. Most of the others are original songs by Jimmy McHugh and Harold Adamson. An exception to those is a number performed by Carmen Miranda. Nevertheless, I was entertained by all of them. Anyway, Ms. Blaine, Ms. Miranda, and Phil Silvers find out they're cousins when they find out they've each inherited a mansion in the South. The dilapidated state it's in makes them wish to rid of it but an Army Sergeant (Michael O'Shea) offers to rent it for his men and their wives for some R 'n' R. In order to raise money, they put on a show...Like I said, I liked the songs and the comedy bits involving the kitchen and an invention later on were quite hilarious to me. The only thing I didn't like was the contrived conflict between O'Shea and Ms. Blaine over the former's ex (Sheila Ryan). But other than that, I found Something for the Boys very entertaining from beginning to end especially during the two numbers of Ms. Miranda. P.S. Ms. Ryan had previously appeared in Laurel & Hardy's first two Fox features-Great Guns and A-Haunting We Will Go. And watch for future Amazing Colossal Man Glenn Langan as a Southern Lieutenant. And famous crooner Perry Como sings a couple of the songs. Oh, and Judy Holliday makes an appearance in the beginning...

Another film found on the Carmen Miranda DVD Collection, this reunites her with Vivian Blaine and Phil Silvers, and adds actor, Michael O'Shea. Vivian, Phil, and Carmen! are cousins who inherit a grand estate; the trouble - there's no grand to be found, not a cent. Then, the old mansion gets renovated with the help of soldiers, who are based nearby.

Right off the bat, I'll say this would have been more enjoyable (for me, anyway) if there had been a more believable love interest for Vivian other than Michael O'Shea. He doesn't seem to add that extra kick that Power, Ameche, or even Payne, could do with their leading ladies. It's not that O'Shea's not likable; he's just kind of bland and uninteresting. That really factors a lot in my rating of this movie.

Miranda does have a colorful song at the end of the movie, but getting there through some tedious goings-on does get on one's nerves. Carmen and Phil make the most of their roles and make the film as good as can be. This may not be Carmen's best film, but it does have some redeeming moments. Just watch something else first.

One thing I'll mention now, as this is my last review of the Carmen Miranda set, is that I didn't like how they make Carmen Miranda talk badly: not using correct English, mixing up catch-phrases, like it's funny to see her being ignorant, like it's endearing or something. I know I don't write or talk well or correctly all the time, but it gets old and feels somehow demeaning to treat her characters that way.

If you want to see Carmen Miranda and/or discover her for the first time and enjoy her larger-than-life and electrifying performances, buy her DVD set. "Something for the Boys" and "Doll Face" are the weakest of the bunch. But they all showcase a talent and star Hollywood will never see the likes of again.

Once a staple of studio production, this kind of picture now gives movie musicals a bad name. Especially in the light of what was produced subsequently, such a picture becomes an easy target. Paper-thin story line, forgettable songs throughout, less than memorable performances: Fox tried its best with what it had, but the studio could not approach the level of an MGM musical.

Here, as elsewhere, they cast as a leading man in a musical an actor without discernible singing or dancing talent (Michael O'Shea, meet John Payne, Don Ameche, Tyrone Power). While it is nice to see Vivian Blaine get a chance in a leading role, she is an unremarkable singer and not much of a dancer. Note how she does a few simple steps while the chorines and chorus boys are very busy around her, supposedly creating the impression that she is the star performer in a production number. Fox did the same with Alice Faye and even Betty Grable, who was a hoofer.

Frequently, the studio would upgrade the musical comedy quotient of such pictures with first-rate specialty acts, whose inclusion had nothing to do with the story line, or charismatic supporting players such as Carmen Miranda. Alas, the latter - as great as she is - cannot overcome the limitations of the two mediocre numbers she has to work with here. Even the stuff on her head is unimpressive.

Phil Silvers comes across better than in most of his films, but Perry Como was evidently instructed not to move any muscles except those necessary to emit the lyrics.

Indeed, there have been worse musicals. But given the available personnel and production values, this one should go back to the vault, and stay there.

As is the usual case with Cole Porter shows, they never arrive intact to the big screen. In the case of Something For The Boys only the title song at the very beginning of the film and sung by Vivian Blaine is kept in the score.

Vivian Blaine has the part that Ethel Merman played on stage for the 422 performance Broadway run. She is one of three disparate cousins who inherit a rundown old southern mansion that saw its best days during the run of the Confederate States Of America. The other cousins are Carmen Miranda and Phil Silvers. Their grandfather must have led an interesting life. While they're deciding what to do with the dilapidated house, their savior comes in the person of Sergeant Michael O'Shea. In a character obviously based on Glenn Miller, O'Shea is a bandleader drafted into the army and he hits upon the idea of converting the mansion into a guest house for army wives. And in the tradition of Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland they decide to put on a show to raise the needed capital to fix the house up.

The rest of the score is composed by Jimmy McHugh and Harold Adamson and truly nothing memorable comes from it. Perry Como plays a small part and only sings. He never really clicked as a film star.

Romantic complications ensue when Sheila Ryan shows up also and she and O'Shea were an item before the war. Ryan is one of those southern belles dripping with honeysuckle and acid.

And of course we've got Carmen Miranda and that's always a treat.

Despite the emasculation of the Cole Porter score, Something For The Boys is pleasant enough entertainment about three cousins doing their bit for the war effort.

This is a Carmen Miranda movie, and she's is the main reason to endure the rest of it. For instance: the manic-anything-for-a-laugh humor of Phil Silvers only occasionally raises above annoyance, the lead Michael O'Shea is singularly charmless, the meandering plot poorly peeled off the Cole Porter Broadway success is pretty silly--and only one Porter song makes an appearance in the first ten minutes. So why watch it at all? Miranda dazzles and sparkles and plays with the King's English in full Fox Technicolor drag, and there's a chorus number in pink polka dot aprons that is great top-tapping fun; Vivian Blaine sings a few forgettable numbers in the wistful Alice Faye style, and if you look closely, you can see Judy Holliday in a bit role. Verdict: Fun for patient Miranda fans or fans of World War II patriotic flag-wavers; perhaps a bit silly for most modern viewers. Major bonus: Extras include an hour-long near-definitive biography of Carmen Miranda, which, in some ways, is better than the film