Give Me a Sailor

A fine example of screwball farce, SAILOR showcases the unique and variegated talents of irrepressible Martha Raye as one of a pair of Larkin sisters, each of whom is after one of a pair of U. S. Navy Brewster brothers, and the question soon arises as to which of the possible pairings will ensue. Paramount, developing a Bob Hope/Raye team, casts Hope in his third feature for the studio as Jim Brewster, with Jack Whiting as brother Walter, each angling for the glamourous one of the Larkins, Nancy (Betty Grable), a competition which began when all four were youngsters. Raye portrays Nancy's sister Letty, who has agreed to assist Jim in garnering her sister's affection in return for his aid in winning the heart of Walter who is ignorant of the machinations about him, none of which is terribly complex for what is, after all, a musical comedy. Raye performs one of the five Ralph Rainger/Leo Robin songs, as does Grable (with Whiting), but it is Letty's gorgeous legs that win for her first prize in a national photo contest, ironic in light of Grable's pinup popularity, due to her own shapely stems, with American fighting men during World War II. Walter eventually notices Letty because of her new celebrity status, and the usually rather rambunctious singing comedienne has an opportunity to show him why he is mistaken in preferring her sister. Of the three films which Raye and Grable made together, this is perhaps the most blithe, and a scene wherein Letty uses overmuch facial masking which hardens to her deliciously acted consternation, draws gales of laughter wherever the picture is shown. Although we find Hope playing second lead to Raye, he plays his part with his normal aplomb and his comedic timing is impeccable as always, although his ad libbing is minimal. Leroy Prinz is responsible for the interesting choreography, and a splendid novelty scene has Grable singing "What Goes On Here In My Heart" while dancing with a collection of eager-to-please partners. Clarence Kolb, as the commanding officer of the Brewsters, is impressive as ever, and Director Elliott Nugent is able to call upon his father J.C. to perform as the Larkins' sire. Consistent with the director's customary panache and rapid pacing, SAILOR offers many treats, musical and otherwise, with the important editing function neatly handled by the generally overlooked William Shea.

Martha Raye and Betty Grable are sisters. Martha can cook like nobody's business; Betty mainly just wants to go dancing, and is not above stealing Martha's new dress if she thinks she will look better in it.

Meanwhile, out at sea, Bob Hope and Jack Whiting are brother sailors on their way into port to visit the sisters. It's a bit tangled but soon becomes clear that while both of the sisters have a crush on Whiting, both of the brothers think they're in love with Grable. The plot of the picture involves what happens when the boys get to town.

Martha Raye is essentially the lead here, or at least has the strongest role; she and Hope are fun as the couple who don't know they are a couple. Grable is good as the spoiled sister: the scene where she serves broiled (and I mean broiled!) fish is hilarious. Jack Whiting does a nice dance with Grable, and is adequate if not spectacular otherwise. Clarence Kolb is quite charming as the superior officer, a confirmed old bachelor who appreciates a well-cooked egg.

Favorite scene: when Martha comes into the house wearing a fur coat and pretending to be upper crust: "Have you finished dinnah?" she begins.

Moderately amusing, overall….a scattered handful of excellent scenes make this picture worthwhile if never brilliant.

In 1938, when this film was made, Bob Hope was 35 years and while he had been a star in vaudeville and Broadway for 15 years, he had just gotten his first radio show. While he had been in films for a few years, this was the first time he was the real star of a film.

It was also the first time that Martha Raye had star billing in a film. She had co-starred in films with Bing Crosby and Jack Benny before this, but at age 22, she was at the peak of her short film career, which had started just two years before. While she would have top billing in two more films, by 1941, three years later, her film starring career was largely over. She did do a wonderful bit part in Chaplin's "Monsieur Verdoux" in 1947, but for the most part, she starred on television here and there from the 1950's to the 1980's.

Betty Grable was also 22. Although she started her movie career well before Raye, she had done a lot of bit parts and hadn't become famous yet. This supporting actress role was one of her meatier ones. Three years later, just when Raye's film career was spiraling downward, she was becoming a superstar.

The movie is a rather silly screwball comedy with a lot of amusing bits, but nothing memorable or outstanding. Hope is almost the breezy, nervous, sentimental fast talker that he will portray brilliantly for the next 40 years. Raye is frenetic, but can't quite carry the film as the lead. Grable adds a nice sweet touch to the proceedings. She plays well off both Hope and Raye.

Jack Whiting, in apparently his one major role, is pretty awful as Hope's brother. He seems nervous and doesn't have much charm, although both Gable and Raye are supposed to be gaga over him.

Clarence Kolb is the one bit player who stands out. He went on to play Mr. Honeywell, the cantankerous boss in the "My Little Margie" television series in the 1950's.

The movie alternates between flat and mildly amusing dialogue and slapstick bits. It is worth watching just to see Hope and Grable at the beginning of their careers, and Raye at the too short peak of hers.

This screwball musical doesn't have many songs, and the comedy isn't very good, despite the talented cast. I was psyched to see Raye top-billed, but she plays a sad-sack Cinderella here, the sweet if homely and put-upon sister to manipulative, shallow and vain Grable-so the former is less funny and the latter less appealing than usual. Bob Hope is in his snarky comfort zone, but with so many other characters (including his brother/rival Jack Whiting) also being disagreeable and self-absorbed, he comes off as just another jerk rather than a likable wiseguy.

Raye gets a couple chances to show off her surprisingly pretty voice on non-comedic numbers, but her usual brass is an awkward fit for a role that needed a more winsome ingenue-slash-comedienne. The best thing in the movie is arguably the beginning when a quartet of never-seen-again sea dogs sing below deck. But otherwise it's a film without real production numbers, no romantic dynamics worth rooting for, a lack of good comic lines or situations, and a general "B" feel. A disappointment.

A few years after Give Me a Sailor was out, Betty Grable finally hit the big time over at 20th Century Fox. Those beautiful legs of her's on which perched the USA's all American girl were her stock and trade. Reportedly Lloyd's of London had them insured in seven figures.

So when part of the plot is Martha Raye winning a radio contest with a picture of her legs, it strains the credulity a lot. Of course the folks at Paramount obviously did not read into the future about Betty Grable's legs being her fortune.

Give Me a Sailor is one of the weaker of Bob Hope's early films. He was co-starred with Martha Raye a lot and note the billing where she's above him in the title and would be that way in all of their joint projects in the late Thirties.

Raye and Grable are sisters, Raye's the plain jane who's the good cook, but with apparently great legs. Grable's the beautiful sister whose gams never got noticed and she can't cook to save her life.

The sisters are being courted by two brothers, Bob Hope and Jack Whiting who are both in the Navy. Well at least both are after Betty with the other maybe doomed to settle for Martha. After a lot of crazy screwball antics which finds them at one point engaged to the wrong girl, all is right in the end. Guess who winds up with who though.

Jack Whiting made very few films, but he was a leading Broadway musical star and had the distinction of being Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.'s stepdad. Whiting married Anne Sully Fairbanks after her divorce from Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. was finalized. He has a long list of Broadway credits stretching almost 40 years. He had a pleasant enough singing voice, but as a film personality he was bland. Hope, Raye, and Grable just run all over him. I guess Hope needed to wait for Bing Crosby for a singer who could hold his own and more with him on screen.

Raye has some funny moments in the film, especially when she and Hope are stuck out in the woods together. She's the best one in the film by far.

Fans of Rapid Robert will like Give Me a Sailor as certainly will fans of Martha Raye and Betty Grable. If there are any Jack Whiting fans out there, this is one of the few places you'll see your man.