Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3112 in VHS
• Released on: 1992-04-01
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Formats: Color, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of tapes: 1
• Running time: 125 minutes

Amazon.com
The second half of this 1943 Technicolor musical is an excuse for MGM's contract talent to perform songs and sketches in a big show at an Army base. Unfortunately, more than an hour passes before the show arrives, stranding the viewer with a thin service comedy about an opera singer (Kathryn Grayson) tagging along to a military camp in hopes of reuniting her estranged parents, whose names are Bill and Hillary (no comments, please). Romance comes in the form of private Gene Kelly, a former trapeze artist who misses the glory of his former life. Grayson warbles, and Kelly has one nifty solo dance (with a mop and broom), but the all-star revue is the movie's main attraction. The song selection is generally poor ("I Dug a Ditch in Wichita" is performed twice), with Lena Horne's sultry take on "Honeysuckle Rose" an exception. She's backed by Benny Carter and His Orchestra. Specialty player Virginia O'Brien delights with one of her deadpan numbers, Eleanor Powell tap dances, and Judy Garland delivers with a boogie-woogie lilt on "Jumpin' Down at Carnegie Hall." Comedy sketches with Red Skelton and Frank Morgan are stubbornly unfunny. Then there's José Iturbi, the Spanish-born conductor, making his film debut at the beginning of his run as MGM's supposedly cute highbrow. Director George Sidney would team up two years later with Iturbi, Kelly, and Grayson in Anchors Aweigh, a much more enjoyable musical confection. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews

A cavalcade of MGM stars
MGM redefines the big-screen musical extravaganza in this 1943 roll-out of MGM stars... Gene Kelly and Katheryn Grayson, Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland, Red Skelton and Margaret O'Brien, plus Lucille Ball, Donna Reed, Ann Southern, Lena Horne, Frank (Oz) Morgan, Mary Astor, June Allyson, and John Boles and Ish Kabibble with Kay Kyser's big band. (At the time bigger than Benny Goodman, Glen Miller, Or Tommy Dorsey.)

Filled with great period jive and swing numbers, Thousands Cheer capsules everything dear to a 40's teenager. On the brink of World War II this movie was a morale-lifter for our boys. The finale used the largest sound-stage in MGM history. Call it a 'don't miss,' call it a 'must-have,' and give it thumbs up and five stars.

Stars Galore!
There are so many stars in this movie and is one of the greatest collaberation of stars ever assembled in one movie and at the end of the movie there is a special treat and is a must have! The stars that do what they do best include: Gene Kelly, Kathryn Grayson, Mary Astor, Judy Garland, Red Skelton, Eleanor Powell, Ann Sothern, Lena Horne, Margaret O' Brian, Marilyn Maxwell, Marsha Hunt, June Allyson, Gloria De Haven, Frank Morgan, Virginia O'Brien, Lucille Ball, Donna Reed, and Mickey Rooney. Can I say more? Simply the greatest stars assembled in one movie!

This is one of my favorite Kathryn Grayson movies
I love this movie. Most people only watch it because of all the MGM stars in it. i personally think this is the most boring part of the picture. I enjoy the romance between Gene Kelly and Kathryn Grayson much more than the songs, dances, and comedy scetches of the stars. The only thing I think is wrong with this movie is that Kathyrn Gryason only sings three songs which is hardly displaying her talent (although the songs are pretty good), and Gene Kelly only dances once. I'd like to say to anybody thinking of seeing this movie: go for it. It's wonderful!