For Me and My Gal (1942)

Director:

Busby Berkeley

Writers:

Howard Emmett Rogers (story)
Richard Sherman (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

30 August 1943 (Sweden)

Genre:

Drama | Musical | Romance

Tagline:

The Greatest Romantic Musical . . . Ever !

Plot:

Set during WW I, Palmer and Hayden team up as vaudeville artists. Harry Palmer deliberately injures his hand to avoid being drafted to the army...

Plot Keywords:

Moral Reformation | Backstage | Tap Dancing | Tap Dance | Eiffel Tower Paris

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Judy Garland	...	Jo Hayden
George Murphy	...	Jimmy K. Metcalf
Gene Kelly	...	Harry Palmer
Mártha Eggerth	...	Eve Minard (as Marta Eggerth)
Ben Blue	...	Sid Simms
Stephen McNally	...	Mr. Waring (New York Palace manager) (as Horace McNally)

Also Known As:

For Me and My Girl (UK)
The Big Time (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

UK:U | Finland:S | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #8464) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review)

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Loew's

Trivia:

George Murphy was originally cast as Harry Palmer, but he instead played Jimmy Metcalf once the lead role went to Gene Kelly.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Depicts a Southern Pacific Railway "cab-forward" steam locomotive hauling a passenger train. That model locomotive was used in freight service only.

Quotes:

Harry Palmer: Right up to this minute, my only claim to fame: you were once my girl.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Gene Kelly: An American in Pasadena (1978) (TV)

Soundtrack:

By the Beautiful Sea

A great musical

The classic plot of girl refuses guy only to fall in love with him later is at work again. When the girl happens to be Judy Garland, one of the top box office draws and the MGM triple threat of extraordinarily talented singer, actress and dancer, it kind of changes the whole perspective. In the MGM heavens there are no leading men who can match her on screen stature.

To solve that problem, she gets two leading men. Before World War 1, the vaudeville girl has to choose between two partners. George Murphy and Gene Kelly. Fresh from Broadway success with "Pal Joey", Mr Kelly makes his movie debut in "For Me and My Gal" and it is nothing short of memorable. It was time the world saw that Hollywood dancers wore something other than white tails and top hat, like Mr Astaire.

The screenplay is slight. It hardly matters, because World War 1 is enough of a threat to forward the story anyway. All elements of drama and tear jerking romance are there. For a routine musical at MGM, we expect our happy 40s story, all complete with happy ending, plus the usual congenial mix of complications along the way. And with direction from Busby Berkley, great 1915s songs and two of the greatest musical stars in the mix, we certainly get our happy ending.

Today it stands out because of its musical quality and excellent conception of production. They certainly don't make 'em like this anymore.

Rating: 8/10