La reina de corazones

For all those like me who have wondered and searched for information on what became of Tommy Dix.I came across a site with information on him from 2009. According to the site Dix was drafted after "Best Foot Forward" and severely injured in a stateside training accident. I don't know what the injury was. Because of the injury he was unable to go overseas with his regiment which was decimated at the Battle of the Bulge. He apparently lives in Savannah Georgia. I wish he had been able to continue his career.I really enjoyed his singing. "Wynsocki" tends to stick in your mind.The music makes this otherwise mundane movie worth watching. I hope Tommy Dix's life has been rich and satisfying

Based upon the 1941 Broadway musical, I found this to be a fun,charming, and well written screenplay that entertains from beginning to end. Although not her best film, Lucille Ball is more than adequate playing herself in this early teen romp. June Allyson, Gloria DeHaven, Virginia Weidler, Beverly Tyler, and Sara Haden are great as the quirky,loud-mouthed, obnoxious teenagers hell-bent on ruining Lucy's night at the prom. But, this film is completely and utterly stolen by Nancy Walker as the way-over-the-top "Blind Date" girl. She is hilarious, and talented in this, her 1943 film debut. Her comedic genius is in full view in this film for which she should have received an Oscar nomination as Best Supporting Actress, but did not. Tommy Dix does a fine job as the star cadet the screenplay revolves around, and Harry James' music is more-than-worth watching the movie. When combined together, the above make this film a worthwhile watch; your belly will hurt from the hearty laughs you will emit!

Here's a movie I adored when I was a kid, thrilled by "Buckle Down Winsocki", the spirited song sung at a military academy by a bunch of singing, dancing and marching cadets. But seeing the film now, is a real letdown. It's below par in every department.

At second glance, it's really a minor musical with HARRY JAMES and his Orchestra and a little gal named NANCY WALKER (making her film debut) as the chief compensations for a script full of lame, dated one-liners and some trifling songs with bad choreography.

Even the great LUCILLE BALL, as the movie star invited to the prom, has a hard time getting any laughs. She's supposed to be a faded star whose press agent talks her into accepting an invitation from TOMMY DIX, who overlooks his girlfriend VIRGINIA WIEDLER because of his crush on Lucy.

Lucy looks great and the Technicolor makes her a glamorous creature, but the script defeats everyone. It's nice seeing JUNE ALLYSON, GLORIA de HAVEN and NANCY WALKER having fun with a couple of tunes but while the picture at least got their careers off to a good start, it's no great shakes as a musical--especially one from MGM which specialized in the very best of that ilk.

NANCY WALKER struts her stuff as "Blind Date" material--although some of the humor at her expense is a little cruel. But she's a reminder that real talent can even overcome some witless material. And I have to ask the question so many others have: whatever happened to Tommy Dix???

A kid at a military academy named Bud Hooper (Tommy Dix) sends a fan letter to Lucille Ball asking her to be his prom date--despite the fact that he has a girlfriend, Helen Schelsinger (Virginia Weidler). Ball accepts under the pressuring of her agent (William Gaxton). Bud's two roomies (Kenny Bowers, Jack Jordan) are also hot for Ball. Add Nancy Walker and Harry James and his Orchestra and thing go barreling out of control.

Not a great musical but enjoyable. The color is bright, the film is full of life and there are some very funny (if dated) lines. Most of the songs are unmemorable (and go on far too long) until the last one--it's a great little number called "Buckle Down Winsocki" and easily stops the show.

Acting--well Ball is just incredible--VERY sexy, funny and believable. Dix is just so-so as Bud, Weidler is good as his girlfriend. His two roomies--one is OK (Bowers) but the other (Jordan) over OVER ACTS to a truly annoying degree. It reached the point that every time he was on screen I was cringing away. Walker's character is treated dreadfully--she's the butt of some VERY cruel jokes. Still she manages to be funny regardless. Also this is one of you few chances to see Walker sing and dance (pretty well) and see Lucy sing (although her voice is obviously dubbed). And there's Gloria DeHaven and June Allyson in bit parts!

Nothing great but I enjoyed it. If the songs had been better this would have gotten a 10. As it is I'm giving it a 7. Worth catching.

I usually don't like movies wherein stars "play themselves" but cable TV plays this movie so often I've seen it like a million times and each time I catch something different. The story is somewhat contrived and, true-to-form, movie star (as opposed to TV star) Lucille has a hard time getting rid of her somewhat brassy edge. She herself has commented that this trait held her back in films. Toward the end, however, she does soften up, especially in the hilarious Marx Brothersesque scene in the dormitory when everybody has to hide in closets to keep from getting busted by the general. I can envision this picture playing during the war as the second feature. It's one of those movies that, in the days when you could stay at the movies all day, you wouldn't mind coming in in the middle of it and then staying later to catch just the beginning. Harry James is a surprisingly good dancer and his scene with little Nancy Walker is good. All-in-all a good movie to watch on a rainy day or when you're home sick with the flu.