Follow the Fleet (1936)

Director:

Mark Sandrich

Writers:

Hubert Osborne (play)
Allan Scott (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

20 February 1936 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

Tagline:

In the Super-Dreadnought of Musical Shows

Plot:

A Navy sailor tries to rekindle a romance with the woman he loves while on shore leave in San Francisco.

Plot Keywords:

Sailor | Dancing | Navy | Dance Hall | San Francisco California

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Fred Astaire	...	Bake Baker
Ginger Rogers	...	Sherry Martin
Randolph Scott	...	Bilge Smith
Harriet Hilliard	...	Connie Martin
Astrid Allwyn	...	Mrs. Iris Manning
Betty Grable	...	Trio Singer
Harry Beresford	...	Captain Hickey
Russell Hicks	...	Jim Nolan
Brooks Benedict	...	David Sullivan
Ray Mayer	...	Dopey Williams
Lucille Ball	...	Kitty Collins
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Richard Alexander	...	Paradise Ballroom Waiter (uncredited)
Constance Bergen	...	Ticket Seller (uncredited)
Frederic Blanchard	...	Captain Jones (uncredited)
Lynton Brent	...	Deck Officer (uncredited)
Phyllis Brooks	...	(uncredited)
Tom Brower	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Edward W. Burns	...	Sailor (uncredited)
Lita Chevret	...	Showgirl in Casino Number (uncredited)
Bob Cromer	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Billy Dooley	...	Sailor (uncredited)
Lester Dorr	...	Sailor in Dress Whites (uncredited)
Dorothy Fleisman	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Bud Geary	...	Coxswain (uncredited)
Huntley Gordon	...	Touring Officer (uncredited)
Jeanne Gray	...	Singer, Trio Member (uncredited)
Harvey S. Haislip	...	Executive Officer (uncredited)
Jane Hamilton	...	Paradise Ballroom Waitress (uncredited)
Joy Hodges	...	Singer, Trio Member (uncredited)
Mary Jane Irving	...	(uncredited)
Frank Jenks	...	Sailor (uncredited)
Maxine Jennings	...	Paradise Ballroom Hostess (uncredited)
Thelma Leeds	...	A Girl (uncredited)
Doris Lloyd	...	Mrs. Courtney (uncredited)
George Lollier	...	Deck Officer (uncredited)
George Magrill	...	Quartermaster (uncredited)
Tony Martin	...	Sailor (uncredited)
Frank Mills	...	Sailor (uncredited)
Frank Moran	...	Husky Sailor (uncredited)
James Pierce	...	Paradise Ballroom Bouncer (uncredited)
Addison Randall	...	Lieutenant Williams (uncredited)
Herbert Rawlinson	...	Mr. Webber, Paradise Ballroom Owner (uncredited)
Joey Ray	...	Dance Contest Announcer (uncredited)
Gertrude Short	...	Cashier, Paradise Ballroom (uncredited)
William Smith	...	Ensign Gilbert (uncredited)
Mary Stewart	...	Mary / Chorus Girl / Dancer (uncredited)
Frank Sully	...	Sailor (uncredited)
Kay Sutton	...	Telephone Operator (uncredited)
Eddie Tamblyn	...	Sailor (uncredited)
Max Wagner	...	Marine Leader (uncredited)
Eric Wilton	...	Iris' Butler (uncredited)
Allen Wood	...	Office Boy (uncredited)

Directed by
Mark Sandrich

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Hubert Osborne		play "Shore Leave"
Allan Scott		screenplay
Dwight Taylor		screenplay

Produced by
Pandro S. Berman	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Max Steiner		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
David Abel		(photographed by)

Film Editing by
Henry Berman		(as Henry M. Berman)

Art Direction by
Van Nest Polglase

Costume Design by
Bernard Newman		(gowns)

Makeup Department
Mel Berns	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Argyle Nelson	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Carroll Clark	....	associate art director
Darrell Silvera	....	set dresser

Sound Department
George Marsh	....	sound editor
Hugh McDowell Jr.	....	sound recordist

Special Effects by
Vernon L. Walker	....	photographic effects (as Vernon Walker)

Visual Effects by
Don Jahraus	....	miniatures (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
John Miehle	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Carroll Clark	....	associate editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Philip Faulkner Jr.	....	music recordist (as P.J. Faulkner Jr.)
Max Steiner	....	musical director
Maurice De Packh	....	music arranger (uncredited)
Gene Rose	....	music arranger (uncredited)
Walter Scharf	....	music arranger (uncredited)
Roy Webb	....	music arranger (uncredited)
Clarence Wheeler	....	music arranger (uncredited)

Other crew
Harvey S. Haislip	....	technical advisor (as Harvey S. Haislip Commander, U.S.N., Retired)
Hermes Pan	....	choreographer: ensembles
Elizabeth McGaffey	....	research director (uncredited)

Production Companies

• RKO Radio Pictures

Distributors

• RKO Radio Pictures (1936) (USA) (theatrical)
• RKO Radio Pictures (1953) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release) (edited)
• C&C Television Corporation (1955) (USA) (TV)
• Chapel Distribution (2009) (Australia) (theatrical) (35mm print)
• Continental Home Vídeo (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Image Entertainment (1994) (USA) (laserdisc)
• RKO Home Video (video)
• Turner Home Video (1999) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (2005) (Brazil) (DVD)

Runtime:

110 min | USA:80 min (re-release)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Victor System)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #1801) | Finland:K-16 | UK:U

Company:

RKO Radio Pictures

Trivia:

This is the feature film debut of Harriet Hilliard. A natural blond, she wears a brunette wig so as not to distract from fellow blond actress and, more importantly, the film's star Ginger Rogers.

Quotes:

Bake Baker: [about Bilge] He's stuck on that Iris Manning. Say, what's she like?
Sherry Martin: Anything in a uniform.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Designing Women: I'll Be Seeing You (#2.9)" (1987)

Soundtrack:

But Where Are You?

Final dance number is unforgettable.

Although I enjoyed seeing Harriet Hilliard and Lucille Ball as other characters than Desi's "Lucy" and Ozzie's "Harriet", I would be happy to just watch the final dance number over and over and never see the rest of the movie--it's hauntingly beautiful and the most touching I've ever seen.

It's not just a dance number! With body language alone they act out a very emotional, but unspoken drama.