Product Description

Three soliders meet three girls at the famous canteen before going overseas in this star-studded film. Featuring apperances by Katharine Hepburn, Helen Hayes, Edgar Bergen, & Harpo Marx. Also featuring the bands of Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Guy Lombardo, and Freddy Martin.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #71956 in DVD
• Published on: 2003
• Released on: 2005-10-25
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Black & White, Closed-captioned, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 135 minutes

Customer Reviews

The stars of Broadway do their bit to entertain the troops
"Stage Door Canteen" comes up with a wartime romance to showcase the talented stars who served food to the troops and provided entertainment at the Stage Door Canteen. There are about five dozen stars in this film, from Judith Anderson to Ed Wynn, with Edgar Bergen & Charlie McCarthy, Helen Hayes and Gypsy Rose Lee, Count Basie and Benny Goodman, Harpo Marx and Johnny Weissmuller in between. At one point Katharine Cornell does the balcony scene with young Lon McCallister while standing in the serving line. For some reason most of the songs are written by Al Dubin and James Monaco, including "She's a Bombshell from Brooklyn," We Musn't Say Goodbye," and "Sleep Baby Sleep (in Your Jeep)." There is also the Rodgers & Hart song, "The Girl I Love To Leave Behind," a rather appropriate title given the situation.

The romantic plot of the film has Eileen (Cheryl Walker), a junior hostess at the New York City Canteen, meeting Private Ed "Dakota" Smith (William Terry). Despite her best intentions, she falls in love with Dakota, even though this means loses her pass at the Canteen because she has broken the rule about dating service men. Katharine Hepburn, serving as the Officer of the Day, allows Eileen to wait inside for her fiance, but then word comes that the boys sailed that morning and Dakota is already gone. Hepburn then consoles Eileen and gives an inspirational speech on the importance of the Canteen's work. It is certainly interesting to have this dramatic moment pop up at the end of this film, but the cause was certainly worthwhile.

Eighty percent of the profits from this 1943 film directed by Frank Borzage went to the Canteens operated by the American Theater Wing across the country. "Stage Door Canteen" is a fun little film to watch, especially if you remember who Xavier Cugat and Paul Muni were way back when. Be sure that you get the 132-minute version of the film and not the shorter 93-minute version that cuts out a lot of the performances. If you are looking for a double bill, then the obvious choice is "Hollywood Canteen," which is basically the same deal but set in Los Angeles rather than New York and offers the Andrews Sisters, Joan Crawford, Bette Davis, Roy Rogers and Trigger, Jimmy Dorsey and his Orchestra and much, much more.

Complete at last!
I rejoice to say that this version of Stage Door Canteen (Critic's Choice Edition) is the real thing, uncut, with all the vaudeville and band performances intact. I'll bet I've bought this movie, either in VHS or DVD formats, 4 or 5 times at least. Each version would be missing at least one segment, usually more. And each time it'd be different segments! Now all the bands (Xavier Cugat, Kay Kyser, Count Basie with Ethel Waters, Benny Goodman with Peggy Lee, Freddy Martin and Guy Lombardo) are here, as well as all the comic and musical bits I've seen over the years.

If you've never seen the movie, it ain't no great shakes in the drama department, but it is an unforgettable look at both a galaxy of Hollywood, stage and radio stars and at the kind of American culture and attitude that won World War Two. If you're a fan of the 30s-40s pop culture, love old radio, swing music, or if you have a sentimental love for this time in American history, give it a look. Just make sure it's this version!

mesmerizing

Stage door canteen is star-studded. The many cameo appearances and stage performances were interwoven nicely, the story intact and fluid. Though not recognising many of the stars, I can't help being impressed by the professional performances and the unquestionable support for the soldiers. Most noted among the performances were The Lord's Prayer (Gracie Fields), Ave Maria and The Flight of Bumble Bee (Yehudi Menuhin)on violin and piano accompaniment, Good night Sweetheart (Kenny Baker) as well as the puppet performances. The beautiful music elicited undivided attention and respect from the soldiers, the mood infectious across the screen. A young soldier lining up for food recognized the orange lady as the famous lady playing Juliet. Thus began the recital of the lines of Romeo and Juliet the play.

The version (not this one) I watched was not digitally restored. Yet it somehow delivered a powerful message. Emotional support from the young waitresses, dish washing and cooking by the show people, food donation from everywhere offered a unified and unreserved support for the young soldiers who were known as Dakota, Jersey, California (named after the places they come from). Simple rules that the waitresses could not meet soldiers outside the canteen and staff could not taste the leftover (such as rationed coffee) were enforced effectively. Back then, things were simpler, more black and white.