Something for the Boys

I first seen this movie when I was a boy during the 1940's and liked it very much. I liked it both as a comedy and for the musical numbers. Vivian Blaine was superb, as normal. Too bad Perry Como didn't sing more. I then seen this movie on Turner Movie Classics and now found it to be an okay movie but not one Carmen Miranda's best. Miranda is still very good in it but should of had more to do. Phil Silvers stole the movie and was great. Why would they give the name "Chiquita" to a Brazilian? In Brazil they speak Portuguese not Spanish. Chiquita is Spanish for Petite and sometimes used to mean Girlfriend. In most of Miranda's movies they even give her words to say and though she spoke Spanish. Still a very enjoyable movie. It was also fun to see Judy Holiday, June Haver and Cara Williams who were uncredited at the time.

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.

Many of the Fox musicals were wonderful and fun, particularly ones that starred Alice Faye or Betty Grable. This WW II effort, "Something for the Boys" was marginally okay, starring Vivian Blaine, Carmen Miranda, Phil Silvers, Michael O'Shea, Perry Como, Sheila Ryan, and Glenn Langan - not exactly Alice Faye, John Payne, Cesar Romero et al.

In "Something for the Boys," Silvers, O'Shea, Blaine, and Miranda are cousins and inherit a dilapidated southern mansion in need of fixing and a lot of money to do so. Sergeant Rocky Fulton (O'Shea) thinks it might be a great place to rent so his men could have some place to be with their wives. He says his men will do the work to fix it up, and they do.

To get the rest of the money they need, they put on a show - big surprise there.

For some reason, it is now 2013 and Fox Movie Channel still hasn't fixed this film and put it in the right order. The reels are still all mixed up and we have part of the show before there's a discussion or rehearsal, and by the time Sheila Ryan comes along, you think it's another character because she's already been there and had a scene with Miranda and Blaine. It's a mess.

If you let all that go, if you can, the music is pleasant enough. Perry Como was adorable and sings "I Wish We Didn't Have to Say Goodnight" divinely. Blaine sings the only song intact from the Broadway musical, which is the title song. She was a wonderful talent and livened many a Broadway show. Phil Silvers is funny, as he always was.

Carmen Miranda brings all her energy and talent to this film, as a character who can divine what's playing on the radio -- a talent Silvers late puts to good use.

It's a pleasant movie, very colorful, but be prepared to be plenty confused due to the reels being in the wrong place.

Among them Carmen Miranda and Phil Silvers, for me to enjoy the movie. Individually I would not have minded but both in one movie was too much. Michael O'Shea and Vivian Blaine were very good and the musical and dancing numbers were terrific. Some of the unintentionally cornball stuff and poor script made the audience burst out laughing far too often in all the wrong places. I gave it a 5 out of 10. A young Perry Como with energy was a delight to see and hear.

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...