The 1946 Broadway revue "Call Me Mister" was a popular look at the life of soldiers, their gals, and the environment that occurred after World War II came to an end, sort of a follow-up to Irving Berlin's "This is the Army". Unfortunately, 99% of that show seems to be gone for this really boring musical which adds a plot of an estranged couple (Dan Dailey and Betty Grable) who are reunited in Tokyo, her attempts to put on a soldier show for the people waiting for orders to return home, and all of the trouble he causes her along the way. Dailey's character is very unlikable, and even with all the misunderstandings concerning his AWOL status, he never gains sympathy.
Being a popular team, Grable and Dailey are destined to get together no matter how many times they have a misunderstanding, he allegedly stands her up, how every many fights they have, or the presence of the handsome officer (Dale Robertson) who takes immediate interest in Grable. He is much more of a gentleman than Dailey's selfish hoofer, and got my support here more than Dailey did, even after Grable and Dailey's other teamings, most memorably "Mother Wore Tights".
Every show of the 40's and 50's needs a comic buffoon, and here it is Danny Thomas, a P.F.C. assigned to the important duty of pots and pans. He even has a dance number with them, and is moderately funny. His introduction at the beginning of the soldier show is hysterical in places and corny in others. Thomas's love interest (Benay Venuta) is wasted as Grable's sidekick.
Only two numbers from the original revue make it into the movie-the title song (heard only briefly) and a touching song performed by black sailors excited to be on the Going' Home Train. Unfortunately, Grable doesn't get to perform the numbers which stopped the show on Broadway for its original leading lady (Betty Garrett, a piece of irony considering the same initials and the fact that both Betty's got their big break in supporting roles in Cole Porter musicals starring Ethel Merman!), most notably "South America, Take It Away!".
What is left for Ms. Grable is her Oriental make-over for "Japanese Girl Like American Boy Much too Much too Much", which in retrospect is a bit tacky. She scores better with "I'm Gonna Love That Guy Like He's Never Been Loved Before". Her stage duet with Dailey doesn't resemble anything you'd see on stage, being seemingly shot outside, and the final number (choreographed by Busby Berkley) has way too many dancers in one spot that deflect attention away from the stars, even if it utilizes some of his signature overhead shots.
There's some nice moments, however, especially the irony of Grable and Venuta being passed down from officer to officer in discussion of their show until they finally hit gold with Robertson. The film, however, never reaches the mark it strives for, striking only mud with a thud.
Being a popular team, Grable and Dailey are destined to get together no matter how many times they have a misunderstanding, he allegedly stands her up, how every many fights they have, or the presence of the handsome officer (Dale Robertson) who takes immediate interest in Grable. He is much more of a gentleman than Dailey's selfish hoofer, and got my support here more than Dailey did, even after Grable and Dailey's other teamings, most memorably "Mother Wore Tights".
Every show of the 40's and 50's needs a comic buffoon, and here it is Danny Thomas, a P.F.C. assigned to the important duty of pots and pans. He even has a dance number with them, and is moderately funny. His introduction at the beginning of the soldier show is hysterical in places and corny in others. Thomas's love interest (Benay Venuta) is wasted as Grable's sidekick.
Only two numbers from the original revue make it into the movie-the title song (heard only briefly) and a touching song performed by black sailors excited to be on the Going' Home Train. Unfortunately, Grable doesn't get to perform the numbers which stopped the show on Broadway for its original leading lady (Betty Garrett, a piece of irony considering the same initials and the fact that both Betty's got their big break in supporting roles in Cole Porter musicals starring Ethel Merman!), most notably "South America, Take It Away!".
What is left for Ms. Grable is her Oriental make-over for "Japanese Girl Like American Boy Much too Much too Much", which in retrospect is a bit tacky. She scores better with "I'm Gonna Love That Guy Like He's Never Been Loved Before". Her stage duet with Dailey doesn't resemble anything you'd see on stage, being seemingly shot outside, and the final number (choreographed by Busby Berkley) has way too many dancers in one spot that deflect attention away from the stars, even if it utilizes some of his signature overhead shots.
There's some nice moments, however, especially the irony of Grable and Venuta being passed down from officer to officer in discussion of their show until they finally hit gold with Robertson. The film, however, never reaches the mark it strives for, striking only mud with a thud.