hyped garbage

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

The acting in this movie is really good.

I was prepared for a lot of entertaining acts and a passable story line. The story line was so ridiculous and invasive, about a young soldier and his crush on Joan Leslie (played by herself), that this movie ends up being a big gobble-gobble. Some performance highlights are an aging Eddie Cantor (whose banjo eyes are not as cute at 52) doing a tired old his-wife-is-pregnant routine, an all-black singing group called the Golden Gate Quartet that I've never heard of but probably should have, a TERRIBLE number featuring Joan McCracken with embarrassing crotch shots and the worst costumes ever to grace the big screen (I am embarrassed for her), and a quasi-flamenco dance by the Spanish team of Rosario and Antonio. The one incredibly good performance was by Carmen Caballero. Peter Lorre and Sydney Greenstreet do a small bit that is genuinely funny. I've also watched Stage Door Canteen, which is poignant and entertaining as well, and of the the two, SDC is without a doubt, the better of the two WWII-era morale boosters.

. . . marrying their milkmen, plumbers, garbage guys, and gardeners, H0LLYWOOD CANTEEN giddily informs us. Under the thumbs of U.S. War Department Censors, Warner Bros. spreads the word that these mostly Fat Cat Oligarchical One Per Center Gals only have eyes for the Patriotic Loyal Normal Average Blue Collar Union Label Working Stiff Draftees then winning the War in the Pacific. But Warner's ever-prophetic filmmakers send out a subtle CANTEEN warning about America's Post-War Future and the Coming Turn-coat perfidy of the USA's Reverse Apostle Paul (that is, the War Era Union President who became the Presidential Union-Buster), when Blue-Blood Actress Jane Wyman boasts "I've been Reaganized!" Hitler's demise also is foretold with uncanny accuracy, as "the heel Hollywood hates to 'Heil!'" (53:50) is slated for his shortly upcoming Bunker-top "Barbecue in Berlin" (21:14) which would soon reduce the German version of alleged U.S. President #45 down to the Jawbone of an Ass. Warner preempts The Village People in disclosing that many if not most of the U.S. folks "In the Navy" are Gay, as Eddie Cantor betrays this fact by planting a kiss on a sailor's mug (31:50). Warner sneaks in at least 61 more Major Revelations about America's Near and (Then) Far Future past the Military Intelligence Oxymorons during H0LLYWOOD CANTEEN, most of which are too unsettling to discuss right now.

I just watched Hollywood Canteen again last night on TCM. The cameos were well done, especially Sydney and Peter. I would have liked to have seen better leads in the Hutton and Clark roles. Clark's appearance to me was annoying and Hutton too naive and simple and dull. Joan Leslie was luminous. She just lights up a room. I salute Bette Davis and John Garfield and everyone involved for what they did to create the real Hollywood Canteen. I love the old 30's and 40's movies so it was fun to watch all of the stars come together to make an entertaining movie and to promote the Canteen and the military. This movie also renewed my interest in reading about Hollywood's involvement in World War 2 and to learn more about the real Hollywood Canteen.

Hollywood Canteen is a real gem of a movie. But despite all the music and delightful cameos, it's really the love story between the movie star and the soldier that keeps this movie together. Others have said it's preposterous that a famous movie star would be likely to become so involved with a simple Joe average soldier on a few days leave during the war. But I don't agree. At the time Joan Leslie's character is very young and beautiful. But also appears to be no Dumbo. Plus she's human like everybody else and see's in the young good natured if star struck soldier, a young man who is sensible, kind, generous and caring. In short,somebody she could actually fall in love with.The chemistry between Joan Leslie and Robert Hutton in this movie as the lovers is there for all to see. So why could it not have happened in real life? There is also the tale of Hutton's friend, the Sergeant played by Dane Clark. He's a bit of a rough diamond but well-meaning and definitely funny. And he too finds love with the beautiful Janis Paige playing the ambitious studio guide who is quite delightful in the way she handles the ebullient Sergeant.All in all this is a wonderful movie that I would recommend to anybody interested in seeing how it used to be done.