Thousands Cheer (1943), 7+ Color

Acrobat Eddie Marsh is in the army now. His first act is to become friendly with Kathryn Jones, the colonel's pretty daughter. Their romance hits a few snags, including disapproval from her... 
2h 5min | Comedy, Drama, Musical, Romance | 13 September 1943 | Color
Director: George Sidney
Stars: Kathryn Grayson, Gene Kelly, Mary Astor, John Boles.
Fred Kelly ... additional choreographer (uncredited)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036432/
official release, but color offset effect visible at times.

George Sidney's 4th of 30 director credits, 17 music/musicals.

In the Tap! Appendix for Gene Kelly, Eleanor Powell.

This is a Warner Archive release, so no menu for chapters, only 13 chapters at 10 minute intervals. Here are the musical numbers and skits:

• ch1. KG sings an aria from Traviata while Jose Iturbi conducts a full orchestra at a concert. Also a second song while JI plays piano and conducts.
• ch3. KG sings with an army band in a performance. 
• ch3. Novelty song I Dug a Ditch (in Wichita) by some soldiers.
• ch4. Trapeze act by GK's family.
• ch5. KG sings Let There Be Music to GK in an empty circus tent.
• ch6. JI plays piano over the phone to KG.
• ch7. GK dances with a mop while army combo rehearses that Wichita song. Yes, he does the aeroplane with seemingly a dozen turns.
• ch8. The Show begins with big brass army band conducted by JI.
• ch8. Mickey Rooney becomes MC (and later does impressions).
• ch8. Eleanor Powell dances in a smallish space. (Black costume)
• ch8. Bob Crosby orch, June Allyson, Gloria DeHaven, Virginia O'Brien sing. (Drab costumes)
• ch9. Frank Morgan as a barber posing as a doctor during intake for potential WAVES Ann Sothern, Lucille Ball and Marsha Hunt. (mostly drab costumes)
• ch10. Kay Kyser and his orch w/ singers reprising Wichita yet again. (drab costumes)
• ch10. Don Loper clothes and hats (finally some bright colors) on white models in tropical makeup to a Latin beat. Chorus girls in solid bright green Caribbean costumes with a variety of hats. Then a brown evening wear dance team doing semi-adagio, eventually joined by the green chorus.
• ch11. Lena Horne sings Honeysuckle Rose with Benny Carter band. (white gown; magenta drapes and mirrors behind her)
• ch11. Red Skelton does a comedy routine as a soda jerk who acts out some stories to girls in bathing suits. Donna Reed is in one of the stories; her 14th film credit. Margaret O'Brien in another.
• ch12. JI plays boogie woogie on piano with Judy Garland singing.
• ch12. Aerialists (GK family, now with GK) perform.
• ch13. KG sings a patriotic song with JI conducting the orch from ch1, and a huge male (not young) chorus (well over 100 men, about twice the number as orch players).

The plot involves uncooperative GK adapting from being a trapeze star to a buck private, while falling in love with the commander's daughter (KG). Sacrifice, conformity, team work, respect, obedience. I now pronounce you soldier and army.

MGM, dir. Sidney; 7+