For Me and My Gal (1942)

Director:

Busby Berkeley

Writers:

Howard Emmett Rogers (story)
Richard Sherman (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

19 August 1943 (Australia)

Genre:

Musical | Romance

Tagline:

The Greatest Romantic Musical . . . Ever !

Plot:

Set during WW I, Palmer and Hayden team up as vaudeville artists. Harry Palmer deliberately injures his hand to avoid being drafted to the army...

Plot Keywords:

Vaudeville | Song | Hand | Title Based On Song | Military

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Judy Garland	...	Jo Hayden
George Murphy	...	Jimmy K. Metcalf
Gene Kelly	...	Harry Palmer
Mártha Eggerth	...	Eve Minard (as Marta Eggerth)
Ben Blue	...	Sid Simms
Stephen McNally	...	Mr. Waring (New York Palace manager) (as Horace McNally)

Also Known As:

For Me and My Girl (UK)
The Big Time (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

UK:U | Finland:S | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #8464) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review)

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Loew's

Trivia:

When it was decided that the costume worn by Mártha Eggerth while she performed "Do I Love You?" revealed too much cleavage, all close-ups of her during the number were blurred at the bodice.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: A Southern Pacific "cab-forward" locomotive is seen pulling the train at the start of the movie. It is shown stopping in Iowa to let the main characters disembark. The SP does not, and never has, run into Iowa.

Quotes:

Jo Hayden: Who's the want ad with the squirrel around his neck?

Movie Connections:

Featured in An Evening with Gene Kelly (1977) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Tell Me

I wanted to buy war bonds!

Though a thinly veiled piece of propaganda for WWII sentiment, it did the trick. I couldn't believe I cried not once but three times at this Kelly/Garland musical. An amusement park of a flick. With rollercoaster rides of joy, mood swings of sadness and insecurities, all rolled into a sappy feel good post-depression fluff. Who needs hormones when you can watch this. Great star vehicle for Kelly,it catapulted him into the rarified air of those who have talent, good looks, and that certain "something". Though at times he seems a bit in awe of his surroundings, it comes off as cockiness and works. Garland's sense of innocent security grounded this film and proved she was already in the stratosphere. The supporting cast held up their ends admirably. Enough to make this film enjoyable even in these jaded times.