Best Foot Forward (1943)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Edward Buzzell

Writers:

John Cecil Holm (book)
Irving Brecher (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

8 October 1943 (USA)

Genre:

Musical | Comedy

Plot:

Bud Hooper, a cadet at Winsocki Military Academy, sends an invitation to movie star Lucille Ball to come to Winsocki's big dance...

Plot Keywords:

Military Academy | Actress | Reporter | Pennsylvania | Prom

Cast

Lucille Ball	...	Herself
William Gaxton	...	Jack O'Riley
Virginia Weidler	...	Helen Schlesinger
Tommy Dix	...	Bud Hooper
Nancy Walker	...	Nancy - Blind Date
June Allyson	...	Ethel
Kenny Bowers	...	Dutch Miller
Gloria DeHaven	...	Minerva
Jack Jordan	...	Hunk
Beverly Tyler	...	Miss Delaware Water Gap, Vocalist
Chill Wills	...	Chester Short
Henry O'Neill	...	Major Reeber
Sara Haden	...	Miss Talbert
Donald MacBride	...	Captain Bradd
Bob Stebbins	...	Greenie (as Bobby Stebbins)

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #9191) | Sweden:Btl | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | Australia:G

Filming Locations:

St. John's Military Academy - 1101 North Genesee Street, Delafield, Wisconsin, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

The play opened on Broadway in New York City, New York, USA on 1 October 1941 and had 326 performances. The opening night cast included Nancy Walker, who originated her movie role in the play, and June Allyson, Kenny Bowers, Tommy Dix, Jack Jordan and Stanley Donen, all of whom are also in this film but with different roles; and Rosemary Lane. Gil Stratton was brought out to Hollywood at the same time but appeared in Girl Crazy (1943) instead, although some say he had a small role in this film. A 1963 off-Broadway revival starred Liza Minnelli.

Goofs:

Continuity: June Allyson is credited onscreen as Minerva and Gloria DeHaven as Ethel. However, Allyson is called Ethel and DeHaven is called Minerva and 'Min' in the film.

Movie Connections:

Featured in That's Entertainment! III (1994)

Soundtrack:

Buckle Down, Winsocki

The movie kinda grows on you.

I usually don't like movies wherein stars "play themselves" but cable TV plays this movie so often I've seen it like a million times and each time I catch something different. The story is somewhat contrived and, true-to-form, movie star (as opposed to TV star) Lucille has a hard time getting rid of her somewhat brassy edge. She herself has commented that this trait held her back in films. Toward the end, however, she does soften up, especially in the hilarious Marx Brothersesque scene in the dormitory when everybody has to hide in closets to keep from getting busted by the general. I can envision this picture playing during the war as the second feature. It's one of those movies that, in the days when you could stay at the movies all day, you wouldn't mind coming in in the middle of it and then staying later to catch just the beginning. Harry James is a surprisingly good dancer and his scene with little Nancy Walker is good. All-in-all a good movie to watch on a rainy day or when you're home sick with the flu.