This film was based on a real place--the Hollywood Canteen was a place where men on leave from the war could drop by and get free food and drinks. Also actors and actresses volunteered to run the canteen for free. The VERY skimpy story has two buddies--Cpl. Ed "Slim" Green (Robert Hutton) and Sgt. Nowland (Dane Clark)--going to the canteen. It seems Slim is obsessed with actress Joan Leslie. Bette Davis and John Garfield arrange a meeting. They meet--kiss--and fall in love. Just like real life huh? Throughout we have musical acts (wait till you see Roy Rogers and Trigger!) which aren't bad and various actors doing cameos. The ones I recognized were Joe E. Brown, Barbara Stanwyck, Jack Carson, Jane Wyman (who makes a crack about being "Reaganized"!), Bette Davis, John Garfield, Eddie Cantor, Ida Lupino, the Andrews Sisters, Sydney Greenstreet and Peter Lorre (gently kidding their bad guy images), Alexis Smith, Dennis Moragn, Joan Crawford and Jack Benny.
Basically this just becomes a "spot the stars" movie. It was kind of fun to see the actors NOT playing parts but the story was incredibly stupid, the dialogue was terrible and it runs over two hours! Add to this that Hutton couldn't act (he was tall and handsome though) and Clark is cracking bad jokes nonstop. Leslie however is very good in her role. It's worth seeing if you're a fan of old Hollywood movies but some of this is really a struggle to get through. I give it a 6.
Basically this just becomes a "spot the stars" movie. It was kind of fun to see the actors NOT playing parts but the story was incredibly stupid, the dialogue was terrible and it runs over two hours! Add to this that Hutton couldn't act (he was tall and handsome though) and Clark is cracking bad jokes nonstop. Leslie however is very good in her role. It's worth seeing if you're a fan of old Hollywood movies but some of this is really a struggle to get through. I give it a 6.