If this had a better song score it would have been an excellent war musical. There's a stronger story than normal and the presence of the wonderful Rita Hayworth, along with Janet Blair, but the songs are very generic even with Jule Styne writing the music and Sammy Cahn the lyrics. They are nicely staged but unfortunately not one of them has become a part of the great American songbook.
Another issue is the lack of a strong romantic leading man with Lee Bowman paired opposite Hayworth and not making much of an impression. Marc Platt, as the leading dancer, is much more charismatic but doesn't have much to do dramatically. When he creates an improvinosational dance to a Hitler speech, it's very spot on and funny.
Walking away with the film is the marvelous character actress Florence Bates, tough and very stern one moment and absolutely lovely and is motherly the next. Her character is a fictional version of the 1940's London theater owner Mrs. Henderson. There really was a theater like this that never closed during the blitz, and Bates is perfect casting in a role later given to Judi Dench. The film is colorful and certainly topical, but the numbers sadly second rate, especially when compared to Hayworth's previous years "Cover Girl".
Another issue is the lack of a strong romantic leading man with Lee Bowman paired opposite Hayworth and not making much of an impression. Marc Platt, as the leading dancer, is much more charismatic but doesn't have much to do dramatically. When he creates an improvinosational dance to a Hitler speech, it's very spot on and funny.
Walking away with the film is the marvelous character actress Florence Bates, tough and very stern one moment and absolutely lovely and is motherly the next. Her character is a fictional version of the 1940's London theater owner Mrs. Henderson. There really was a theater like this that never closed during the blitz, and Bates is perfect casting in a role later given to Judi Dench. The film is colorful and certainly topical, but the numbers sadly second rate, especially when compared to Hayworth's previous years "Cover Girl".