planktonrules

"You're in the Army Now" is an unusual film. It stars Wallace Ford, a guy you probably thought was an American but who actually was born in the UK and raised in Canada. It also is directed by American director Raoul Walsh. Yet, the film is from Gaumont Productions in Britain! That's a most unusual background, that's for sure!

Jimmy (Wallace Ford) is a small-time hood in New York. One night he's gambling and is jumped by a Chinese gang. When he comes to his senses, there's a dead body next to him and he runs, as with his background the police will assume he's guilty...and they do. So, he runs away to England, using the dead man's passport. This dead guy was on his way to join the army in Britain...so Jimmy just takes his place. Unfortunately, his laziness and independent streak make him a poor match for the discipline of the army. He also is a poor match is his taste in girls, as the girl he's gaga over is the Sergeant Major's daughter (Anna Lee)!! To make it worse, his best friend (John Mills) is also gaga for this blonde beauty.

After a while, Jimmy manages to make a passable soldier. That is...until his old girlfriend from the States arrives and threatens to blow his cover. Naturally, Jimmy being an idiot, he makes a VERY bad choice. What's next? See the film.

I do agree with the review that refers to this film as 'Raoul Walsh's first Cagney picture'. It's easy to imagine Cagney playing Ford's role...very easy. Ford, like Cagney, is cocky and a tough little guy...and he even has a passing similar look.

So is it worth seeing? Yes...it does make an amiable time-passer...even if you have to listen to Ford sing (!).

This film was made by Fox Studio's British branch. In fact, all the major US studios had British studios in order to get around a British law mandating that a certain percentage of the films shown in their theaters must be domestically produced.

When Mary (Judy Gunn) is made the head of the laboratory where she works, the sexist men are upset. The only one who doesn't seem bent out of shape is John (Louis Hayward). This is because he knows she's a darned good scientist and has earned this promotion. Regardless, the men decide the way to deal with her is to distract her so much that she'll be demoted or fired...and they want someone to distract her by wooing her. John volunteers to do this because it's not an onerous task...he already likes her. But when she starts taking care of her appearance and turns out to be a lovely woman, one of the sexist is interested as well. And, that man ends up being a REAL weasel! Will this jerk get his comeuppance or will he lead to the failure of Mary as head of the lab?

While this film about sexism and equality could have been done is a totally sexist way, the writer managed to do a very good job promoting women in the workplace. It also is a darned good script and I was surprised how much I enjoyed this film. Well worth seeing.

Jim Martin (James Mason) wants to cover his first story for the newspaper where he works. However, his boss keeps promising to give him a chance...eventually. Well, Martin wanders into the middle of a big story. It seems a cop was killed and a bank robbed...and the 'suicide' victim Martin discovers is part of that case. But Martin took along a female reporter who is, frankly, a dummy. Janet meets a woman who obviously is involved...and yet she promises the woman not to involve her. Why? I guess she's just psychic and knows the woman is innocent. Regardless, it makes you wonder how this dunderhead expects to be a reporter, as soon bad guys will realize that she'll bury a story if they ask her to!

So is this a terrible movie? No...just this part of it...and it simply makes no sense. If you can ignore much of the time she's in the story, it works a lot better! Plus, there's a cheap bit about a stutterer that's supposed to be funny...but it just seems cruel and it was a relatively common trope during the 1930s and 40s.

By the way, while I was not super-impressed by this film, it was James Mason's first screen appearance...and a starring one as well. He's good and worth seeing.