Product Description

THIS IS THE ARMY is a great DVD with many wonderful actors including Ronald Reagan, Joe Lewis, Kate Smith who sings an incredible version of "God Bless America!". Director Michael Curtiz who also directed Casablanca does his best work again. Based on an Irving Berlin Broadway musical of the same name.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #162068 in DVD
• Published on: 1943
• Released on: 2004-01-01
• Format: NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 105 minutes

Customer Reviews

Irving Berlin sends Ronald Reagan off to fight World War II
On the 4th of July in 1942, "This Is the Army" opened on Broadway with book, lyrics and music by Irving Berlin, who persuaded the War Department to let him have 300 service men to do the musical and raise $10 million for Army Relief. The 1943 movie version, directed by Michael Curtiz ("Casablanca") for Warner Brothers, starred a pair of future California politicians, (Senator) George Murphy and (Governor) Ronald Reagan, as the father and son of Jerry and Johnny Jones.

Reagan had just entered the military and was assigned to making "This Is the Army" and then military training films. Scenarists Casey Robinson and Claude Binjoy came up with a story lined that worked in material from Berlin's 1917 soldier show "Yip, Yip, Yiphank." Set during World War I, Murphy plays a Broadway song and dance man who is drafted and put in charge of an army show. After the final performance the cast marches off to war, where Jerry Jones receives a leg wound. Then we jump to the start of World War II, Jerry is now a Broadway producer and son Johnny is his assistant.

History repeats itself, this time with Johnny enlisting and taking time to marry his sweetheart, Eileen Dibble (Joan Leslie), before marching off. The film offers Kate Smith singing "God Bless America" and the treat of Irving Berlin himself singing "Oh, How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning." This show also includes "This is the Army, Mr. Jones," which is probably the only other song contemporary audiences might still recognize, if you are old enough. Certainly "This Is the Army" is dated, but if you remember the time and place it does its duty well as a patriotic film exactly as it was supposed to do.

Historic variety musical
They don't make them like this any more. This is clearly from the time before TV when most people simply didn't have access to big time musical shows or the ability to SEE song and dance shows at home. The plot is a weak attempt to scrunch together some great song and dance production numbers featuring a host of familiar stars.

It is a glimpse into the history and evolution of movie entertainment. The title song has been running in my head for a week, so watch out. Some will think it is way too campy, but if you just come for the show and don't expect too much, you'll find it catchy. Kate smith singing HER SONG is not to be missed.