In the Navy (1941)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Arthur Lubin

Writers:

Arthur T. Horman (story)
Arthur T. Horman (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

30 May 1941 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

Tagline:

You'll Boogie-Woogie to: "We're In The Navy" - "Hula-Ba-Luau" - "Gimme Some Skin"...and sing and sway to other songsations!

Plot:

Russ Raymond, America's number one crooner, disappears and joins the Navy under the name Tommy Halstead...

Plot Keywords:

Electrician | Pastry | Hawaii | Abbott And Costello | Crooner

Cast

Bud Abbott	...	Smokey Adams
Lou Costello	...	Seaman Pomeroy Watson
Dick Powell	...	Thomas Halstead, aka Russ Raymond
Claire Dodd	...	Dorothy 'Dot' Roberts
Patty Andrews	...	Herself (as The Andrews Sisters)
Maxene Andrews	...	Herself (as The Andrews Sisters)
Laverne Andrews	...	Herself (as The Andrews Sisters)
Dick Foran	...	CPO Dynamite Dugan
Billy Lenhart	...	Butch - Commander's Nephew (as Butch)
Kenneth Brown	...	Buddy - Commander's Nephew (as Buddy)
Shemp Howard	...	Dizzy
Frank Condos	...	Tap-Dancing Sailor #1 (as The Condos Brothers)
Harry Condos	...	Tap-Dancing Sailor #2 (as The Condos Brothers)

Also Known As:

Abbott and Costello in the Navy (Australia)
Hello, Sailor (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

86 min | Argentina:90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

USA:Not Rated (video & dvd release) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | USA:Approved (PCA #7376)

Filming Locations:

Naval Training Center, San Diego, California, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

During the "I'll Take the Water" routine, in which the sailors fill their mouths with water in order to spray Lou Costello, Costello actually cracked up and spit his mouthful of water onto the floor, but the take was so funny it was kept in the film.

Quotes:

Smokey Adams: Did you ever go to school, stupid?
Seaman Pomeroy Watson: Yeah, and I come out the same way.

Movie Connections:

References Buck Privates (1941)

Soundtrack:

You're a Lucky Fellow, Mr. Smith

Intermittently amusing

Plot is not really a crucial element of this type of picture ,and it comes as no suprise to learn it is pretty skimpy.A radio crooner (Dick Powell )is tired of the pressure of fame and enlist incognito in the US navy .A zealous reporter (Claire Dodd )sets out to expose the truth ,even resorting to stowing away on board ship to break the story. It is really the excuse for a variety of set pieces -musical from the Andrews Sisters and comedic ,from Abbot and Costello ,following up their earlier forces comedy "Buck Privates"(acknowledged in a brief gag over the opening credits) These are varied in the amusement value--I loved the scene where Bud demonstrates that 13 multiplied by 7 equals 28 ,and the "bunco game "scene with lemons is a minor classic but much of it is unsubtle clowning.

As a memento of the more innocent age of cinema it is endearing and will still generate a few laughs along the way.