Stage Door Canteen

Rating:
Summary: The stars of Broadway do their bit to entertain the troops
Review: "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 Bergn & 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 in the serving line. The romantic plot has Eileen (Cheryl Walker), a junior hostess at the New York City Canteen, meets Private Ed "Dakota" Smith (William Terry). Despite her best intentions, she falls in love with Dakota, even though she loses her pass at the Canteen because she breaks the rule about dating service men. Katharine Hepburn, the Officer of the Day, allows Eileen to wait inside for her fiance, but then word comes that the boys sailed that morning. Hepburn then consoles Eileen 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.

Rating:
Summary: Great time capsule, lousy movie
Review: i first saw this movie in 1979, when i was bedridden due to a back injury. i was in constant pain until i watched it. the back pain went away. the pain in my soul yet lingers. having once been a soldier, i well understand the loneliness of a posting away from loved ones, and the fear of dying in war. this movie is simply the most eloquent statement of that loneliness and fear, and it expresses the common hope of all soldiers- that there is a place like the Stage Door Canteen in every port, to make service to one's country a little easier.

Rating:
Summary: All Star Review
Review: Re: Review by person above...Don't you just love people who let their politics show when they write a review for a movie. Review the movie and keep your politics to yourself......this movie is an all star review of Hollywood in the 40's. Lot's of stars putting on great cameo performances. Taken in context and bearing in mind America was at war, the dialog reflects the feelings in America about the times. With young men going off to war Hollywood tried it's best to keep up morale of the troops and the folks on the homefront. Some dated dialog but an enjoyable movie.

Rating:
Summary: Great time capsule, lousy movie
Review: What a hoot this is! The fictional characters and the story line are pure hokum, and most of the stars, with the distinct exception of the superb Ray Bolger, are unintentionally hilarious. This might have worked in WWII, but a good movie has to endure. And the sight of American soldiers carrying dinimutive Chinese soldiers on their shoulders, or Gracie Fields singing a lighthearted novelty number about shooting down "Jap" planes (followed, oddly enough, by "The Lord's Prayer"), pretty much invalidates any claim this movie has to being of any value to anyone. (Oh, and let's not forget "Romeo and Juliet" over the fruit counter! And Katharine Hepburn's one-for-the-Gipper speech! I could go on and on.)