Follow the Boys (1944 film)

{{Infobox film

| name = Follow the Boys

| image = Follow the Boys Poster01.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Theatrical release poster

| native_name =

| director = A. Edward Sutherland

| producer = Charles K. Feldman

| writer = Lou Breslow
Gertrude Purcell

| screenplay =

| story =

| based_on =

| starring = George Raft
Vera Zorina

| music = Fred E. Ahlert
Billy Austin
Dick Charles
Kermit Goell
Leigh Harline
Inez James
Louis Jordan
Larry Markes
Jimmy McHugh
Phil Moore
Buddy Pepper
Hughie Prince
Frank Skinner
Roy Turk
Oliver Wallace

| cinematography = David Abel

| editing = Fred R. Feitshans Jr.

| studio = Chas. K. Feldman Group Productions

| distributor = Universal Pictures

| released = {{Film date|1944|04|25|New York City|1944|05|5|United States}}

| runtime = 122 minutes

| country = United States

| language = English

| budget =

| gross = $2 millionEverett Aaker, The Films of George Raft, McFarland & Company, 2013 p 109

}}

Follow the Boys also known as Three Cheers for the Boys is a 1944 musical film made by Universal Pictures during World War II as an all-star cast morale booster to entertain the troops abroad and the civilians at home. The film was directed by A. Edward "Eddie" Sutherland and produced by Charles K. Feldman. The movie stars George Raft and Vera Zorina and features Grace McDonald, Charles Grapewin, Regis Toomey and George Macready. At one point in the film, Orson Welles saws Marlene Dietrich in half during a magic show. W.C. Fields, in his first movie since 1941, performs a classic pool-playing presentation he first developed in vaudeville four decades earlier in 1903.{{Cite news|title=THE GREAT MAN IS BACK|date=Apr 2, 1944|work=New York Times|id={{ProQuest|106794234}}}}

Making appearances are Walter Abel, Carmen Amaya, The Andrews Sisters, Evelyn Ankers, Louise Beavers, Noah Beery Jr., Turhan Bey, Steve Brodie, Nigel Bruce, Lon Chaney Jr., the Delta Rhythm Boys, Andy Devine, Marlene Dietrich, W. C. Fields, Susanna Foster, Thomas Gomez, Louis Jordan and His Orchestra, Ted Lewis and His Band, Jeanette MacDonald, Maria Montez,[http://mariamontez.org/followtheboys2.html Follow the Boys] at Maria Montez Fan Page Clarence Muse, Donald O'Connor, Slapsie Maxie Rosenbloom, Arthur Rubinstein, Peggy Ryan, Randolph Scott, Dinah Shore, Freddie Slack and His Orchestra, Gale Sondergaard, Sophie Tucker, and Orson Welles, among many others.

Plot

Tony West performs in vaudeville in a group with his father Nick and sister Kitty, The decline of vaudeville forces the group to split up and Tony goes to Hollywood to try to make it in movies. He works at Universal Pictures, where he becomes screen partners with, and then the husband of, star Gloria Vance.

When World War II breaks out, Tony tries to enlist but is refused because of his knee. Tony finds himself organising the Hollywood Victory Committee (H.V.C.), a consortium of motion picture, theatrical and radio personalities dedicated to help the war effort.

He puts on a show that includes performances from Donald O'Connor and Jeanette MacDonald.

Tony and Gloria have a big fight and she doesn't tell him that she is pregnant. Tony organizes another show, where Welles performs magic tricks including sawing Dietrich in half.

Tony goes overseas and is killed during an attack by a Japanese submarine. Gloria takes Tony's place entertaining the troops.

Cast

George Raft as Tony West
Vera Zorina as Gloria Vance
Charley Grapewin as Nick West
Grace McDonald as Kitty
Charles Butterworth as Louie West
George Macready as Bruce
Elizabeth Patterson as Annie
Theodore von Eltz as Barrett
Regis Toomey as Doctor Henderson
Ramsay Ames as Laura
W. C. Fields as himself
Spooks as Junior
And Molly Lamont, Doris Lloyd, Nelson Leigh, Lane Chandler, Cyril Ring, Emmett Vogan, Addison Richards, Stanley Andrews, Frank Jenks, Ralph Dunn, Billy Benedict, Howard C. Hickman, Edwin Stanley, Wallis Clark, Richard Crane, Frank Wilcox, Clyde Cook, Bobby Barber, Walter Tetley, Anthony Warde, William Forrest, Dennis Moore, Duke York, Carlyle Blackwell, Edwin Stanley, Charles King{{cite book |title=The Films of W. C. Fields |last=Deschner |first=Donald |year=1966 |publisher=Cadillac Publishing by arrangement with The Citadel Press|location=New York |page=[https://archive.org/details/filmsofwcfields00desc/page/164 164] |url=https://archive.org/details/filmsofwcfields00desc|url-access=registration }} Introduction by Arthur Knight

Production

The film was announced in June 1943. It was produced by Charles K. Feldman and was inspired by the success of Stage Door Canteen at Warner Bros. The original title was Three Cheers for the Boys.{{cite news|date=Jun 14, 1943|title=SCREEN NEWS HERE AND IN HOLLYWOOD|work=New York Times|id={{ProQuest|106592047}}}} George Raft signed in July 1943.{{cite news|date=Jul 16, 1943|title=Russell wade, former extra at RKO, gets his first lead in 'ghost ship' -- two films open today|work=New York Times|id={{ProQuest|106710185}}}} It was his first movie after leaving Warner Bros.{{cite magazine|magazine=Filmink|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/stars-stop-stars-george-raft/|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|title=Why Stars Stop Being Stars: George Raft|date=February 9, 2020}}

The cast featured several Universal contract stars, including Donald O'Connor and Peggy Ryan, as well as some actors who had just recently made films for Universal, such as Raft and Marlene Dietrich.

The film was shot at Naval Training Center San Diego.

The movie features a speech at the end about "soldiers in greasepaint", a tribute to those who entertained the troops during World War II. It features an "honor roll" which lists those entertainers who died in the war, including Carole Lombard, Leslie Howard, Roy Rognan, Tamara, Charles King and Bob Ripa.

Reception

The New York Times called it a "sentimental tribute... cheap screen entertainment – and hardly a tribute to the players it presents."{{Cite news|title=Review 1 -- No Title|author=BOSLEY CROWTHER|date=Apr 26, 1944|work=New York Times|page=24}} In Time in 1944, critic James Agee wrote, "Follow the Boys is a glorification of the service which cinemice and men are rendering the Armed Forces{{nbsp}}... W. C. Fields, looking worn-and-torn but as noble as Stone Mountain, macerates a boozy song around his cigar butt and puts on his achingly funny pool exhibition with warped cues{{nbsp}}... There are at least a dozen other acts, some of them all right. But they seem like three dozen, and the air gets so thick with self-congratulation that it is hard to see the patriotism."Agee, James - Agee on Film Vol.1 © 1958 by The James Agee Trust.

Songs and acts

George Raft – several dance numbers
Vera Zorina – dances to "A Better Day is Coming" and "I Feel a Song Coming On"
George Raft and Zorina – dance to "Tonight"
Delta Rhythm Boys – "The House I Live In"
The Andrews Sisters – "Shoo Shoo Baby" and a medley of their hits including "Bei Mir Bist Du Schön", "Hold Tight, Hold Tight (Want Some Seafood, Mama)", "The Beer Barrel Polka", "The Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B", "I'll Be With You in Apple Blossom Time", "Pennsylvania Polka", "Victory Polka"
Sophie Tucker – "The Bigger the Army and the Navy" and "Some of These Day"
Donald O'Connor and Peggy Ryan – "Kittens With Their Mittens Laced"
Jeanette MacDonald – "Beyond the Blue Horizon" and "I'll See You in My Dreams"
Orson Welles – performs a magic show including sawing Marlene Dietrich in half
Dinah Shore – "I'll Get By", "I'll Walk Alone", "Mad About Him Blues"
Arthur Rubenstein – performs "Liebestraum No. 3 (A Dream of Love)"
Louis Jordan – "Is You Is or Is You Ain't Ma' Baby", and "Sweet Georgia Brown", with Raft performing the charleston
W. C. Fields – performs a comedy routine involving a billiard table
Carmen Amaya – "Merriment"
the Delta Rhythm Boys
Gautier's performing dogs
Charlie Spivak and his Orchestra – "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot " and "Besame Mucho"
Ted Lewis – "Good Night"

Accolades

The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists:

2004: AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs:
"I'll Walk Alone" – Nominated{{cite web |url=http://www.afi.com/Docs/100Years/songs400.pdf |title=AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs Nominees |access-date=2016-07-30 |archive-date=2015-04-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150417023552/http://afi.com/Docs/100Years/songs400.pdf |url-status=dead }}

Home media

1994: MCA Home Video, VHS (80594), {{ISBN|0-7832-1096-5}}, 1994
2008: Universal Pictures UK, DVD (825 816 2), region PAL, 2008 [running time 106 minutes]