1h 25min | Comedy, Musical, Sport | 8 October 1940
Director: George Abbott
Stars: Lucille Ball, Richard Carlson, Ann Miller, Eddie Bracken, Frances Langford, Desi Arnaz, Hal Le Roy.
LeRoy Prinz ... dance numbers staged by
Also featured: Van Johnson, his first film credit, and his only as "chorus boy." He's really out front and visible frequently; doesn't have a solo or a specialty, but he's often in the front row and a head taller than row mates. He actually speaks a line in the football stadium.
We get multiple large-ensemble production numbers, with Ann Miller and Hal Le Roy dancing specialties. In Tap! Appendix for them.
I spotted Jay Silverheels onscreen and confirmed him on IMDb, which also lists Iron Eyes Cody as an extra, and Harry James as an orchestra leader. Didn't see either of them.
The songs are all Rodgers & Hart, but the film is all about college football, as are a lot of the songs. Finally, when LB complains to RC that they never kiss, she sings (dubbed by another) I Didn't Know What Time It Was (re-used in the film Pal Joey ('57)), which transfers to Eddie Bracken re-telling the tale.
The finale had a lot of people moving in a very confined space, and lots of film cuts to compensate for the lack of movement. (Van Johnson was in the front row again, but usually with his back to the camera.)
This is the first pairing of LB & DA, but they don't interact much onscreen. In real life, they're married 6 months later. Other than an appearance in an episode of Ed Wynn's TV show, their next IMDb collaboration is I Love Lucy ('51). This is Desi's first film.
The live-action short on the dvd, Frances Carroll and the Coquettes is pretty good. Just a band and some specialty acts, but all women. In a few years, that would be explained by men being in the war. In '40 it's just a novelty.
RKO, dir. Abbott; 6
