Looking back at the patriotism of World War II, it does appear to be a magical time with everybody flag waving, praying for their sons out fighting, praying for their neighbor's sons out fighting, struggling with rationing, and when they visited cities like New York, Washington or L.A., struggling to find a room to stay in. For Fibber McGee and Molly, an invitation from a distant relative of Molly's to visit Washington is a dream come true, especially when they get to visit the senate thanks to an invite from pompous senator Eugene Pallette. A disastrous interruption in the senate by Fibber results in Molly's cousin firing him from a position he had offered him in a new government office devoted to serving the common man, but thanks to the spirit of America playing his piccolo on Fibber's shoulder, Fibber is motivated to continue his quest for the good of the common man. Too bad he didn't remember to register to vote, because America needs voters like him to get out the blowhards like federal government politician Pallette and local politician Raymond Walburn, so smug in his continued victories in a community so small that nobody dares to run up against him.
This is corny, dated and sometimes irritatingly cute, especially with a rather manipulative segment of Fibber and Molly greeting migrant children brought into Molly's cousin's home, all acting so sweet and polite (except for one amusing incident) and oh so contrived. But I do see the point to what the writers were trying to say here, that freedom is something worth fighting for, and that the goals of the common man are even more important than the ambitions of the ruthless and often obnoxious politicians that are voted into office and paid with taxpayer's money. There's a few musical numbers tossed in for the audience's enjoyment, the best one "Please Won't You Leave My Girl Alone" with music by Jimmy McHugh and lyrics by Frank Loesser. Molly's lullaby song is shrill and forgettable, and a flashback to Fibber's World War I service shows him singing "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows" as part of a barber shop quartet like chorus. I doubt many modern audiences will relate to any of the political views of the day. A secondary story of a romance between minor characters Gordon Oliver and Barbara Hale (reporters looking for a story on Fibber and Molly) seems to be just tossed in as an afterthought and ends up pointless.
This is corny, dated and sometimes irritatingly cute, especially with a rather manipulative segment of Fibber and Molly greeting migrant children brought into Molly's cousin's home, all acting so sweet and polite (except for one amusing incident) and oh so contrived. But I do see the point to what the writers were trying to say here, that freedom is something worth fighting for, and that the goals of the common man are even more important than the ambitions of the ruthless and often obnoxious politicians that are voted into office and paid with taxpayer's money. There's a few musical numbers tossed in for the audience's enjoyment, the best one "Please Won't You Leave My Girl Alone" with music by Jimmy McHugh and lyrics by Frank Loesser. Molly's lullaby song is shrill and forgettable, and a flashback to Fibber's World War I service shows him singing "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows" as part of a barber shop quartet like chorus. I doubt many modern audiences will relate to any of the political views of the day. A secondary story of a romance between minor characters Gordon Oliver and Barbara Hale (reporters looking for a story on Fibber and Molly) seems to be just tossed in as an afterthought and ends up pointless.