Panama Hattie (1942), 6+

Hattie Maloney runs a saloon in Panama where assorted characters congregate where they frequently sing and dance Cole Porter numbers. An upper class gentleman arrives and sparks fly between... 
1h 19min | Comedy, Musical | September 1942
Directors: Norman Z. McLeod, Roy Del Ruth (uncredited), Vincente Minnelli
Stars: Red Skelton, Ann Sothern, Rags Ragland, Dan Dailey, Marsha Hunt, Alan Mowbry.
Daniel Dare ... dance director (as Danny Dare)

Vincente Minnelli ... stager: musical numbers

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0035170/
bootleg, mediocre copy. should get official release.

In the Tap! Appendix for Berry Brothers, Dan Dailey. Ffwd'd to confirm DD does NOT dance. BB dance twice. Their first number concludes with them leaping over a railing on the second level (club entrance) into splits on the floor below, sliding up to standing position and catching the canes thrown to them - spectacular. Lena Horne sings twice, one is Just One of Those Things, but it's too brief. AS has 1 solo and another song with 3 cast mates. Skelton, Ragland & Blue have a number with 3 women. Some of the songs come from Cole Porter, others from Roger Edens. This is an Arthur Freed production.

The plot is not great, based entirely on the class difference between AS and DD (Philadelphia society, but DD's not convincing) who has an 8-y.o. daughter. The daughter, who looks younger, laughs at the outfit AS dons to meet her, and later advises her on her 2nd outfit, cutting off its bows. AM is the butler who escorts the daughter to Panama. MH is a society acquaintance of DD who also denigrates AS.

This is thoroughly infused with the war. Skelton, Ragland & Blue are sailors, DD is army (4 stripes), MH is an admiral's daughter. The cast sings a big patriotic song to the 4th wall at the end.

MGM, dir. McLeod, Del Ruth, Minnelli; 6+