User Reviews

Just took another trip down memory lane by watching the 1943 movie, "Reveille With Beverly". A few of the details had been forgotten over the 64 years since the original viewing but the music was remembered! The reprise of the records which were so popular at that time and which kept wearing out turntable needles was a joy to the ears. The Mills Bros. (with John Sr instead of the original John Jr) were a soothing sound. Count Basie was a must with his 'One O'Clock Jump'. Bob Crosby with bassist Bob Haggart and drummer Ray Bauduc gave us "Big Noise From Winnetka". Then Duke Ellington and his great organization gave us his theme song, 'Take the A Train'. Frank Sinatra gave us a production staged rendition of ' Night and Day'. That is to say, it featured many violinists and pianists of gowned femininity. But the arrangement was the record which was so popular on a 78. Ella Mae Morse with the backing of Freddie Slack and his orchestra gave us the 'Cow Cow Boogie' in her own inimitable way. Finally the Radio Rogues were brought in to give us a smorgasbord of various popular radio performers of the time and of the past. There were the usual imitations of 'Lum and Abner'; 'Amos and Andy'; Kate Smith; Ben Bernie; Red Skelton; etc. Ann Miller finished up with a production number which was strapped by budget. If you like swing and remember WWII, this is a delight.

For Swing fans there are six good reasons to watch this movie and they are the half dozen platters spun by DJ Beverly Ross (Ann Miller) which include The Mills Brothers, Count Basie, Bob Crosby, Duke Ellington, Freddy Slack/Ella Mae Morse and Frank Sinatra. The plot is very secondary to the talent on display albeit the gimmick - Miller loads a platter onto the turntable, sets it spinning, lowers the stylus and we 'dissolve' to that actual artist performing the respective number in full. There is also another act, The Radio Rogues, a trio of impressionists active from 1935 who featured in several Columbia shorts who offer ho hum carbons of Clark Gable, Amos n' Andy, Lum and Abner, Ben Bernie, Kate Smith et al. Essentially it's a nostalgia trip for Senior citizens but none the worse for it.

Ann Miller did get to MGM but unfortunately at a time when musicals were on their way out. She started out at RKO, where her tap specialities were usually the standout scenes from the so-so films she was given. When "Too Many Girls" was filmed, Ann did her famous "Mexiconga" dance. The producers wanted to take her back to Broadway but Ann was set on Hollywood stardom - she then signed with Columbia. "Reveille With Beverly" was an extremely popular musical featuring some of the biggest swing bands of the era and was typical of the type of film that Ann was making at the time.

The film starts with the wonderful Mills Brothers singing "Cielito Lindo" (Mexican Hat Dance) - beautiful Beverly dreams of having her own radio show - she would fill it with plenty of boogie woogie. Vernon Lewis (Franklyn Pangborn) is the early morning broadcaster who has the "Classics at Dawn" show. After convincing Vernon that he needs a vacation Beverly takes his place and the first record is Count Basie's "One O'Clock Jump" - "hotter than your morning coffee"!!!

Eddie Ross (Larry Parks) gets a lift to the barracks and hears his sister on the radio - a debate breaks out about her looks or lack of them. Eddie neglects to tell them she is his sister but does invite them to his house for the weekend. Of course they find out that she is young and pretty but just to confuse matters, the boys swap names. Barry Lang is sick of being only liked for his money, but as plain old Andy Adams, Beverly takes a shine to him. The inevitable mix-up occurs throughout the film.

She christens her show "Reveille With Beverly" and starts it off with "Big Noise" by Bob Crosby (singers include Lyn and Lee Wilde). Before she gets going Beverly is sacked and gets her old job back at the record store!!! That's before her boss realises what a gold mine he has. Suddenly she is back on air - with Duke Ellington's "Take the A Train". All good things must come to an end and Vernon returns - like a bad penny!!! Beverly can now only dream of presenting Frank Sinatra singing "Night and Day" to her "boys". All things end well and with a "Cow Cow Boogie" sung by Ella Mae Morse, she is back on deck.

The end of the film features a great concert with the Mills Brothers singing "Sweet Lucy Brown", and The Radio Rogues, who do spot on imitations of Morton Downey, Amos and Andy, Kate Smith, among others. The story is only an excuse for presenting some of the finest swing musicians of the day but Ann Miller is beautiful, bubbly and talented and her tap solo to "Thumbs Up and V for Victory" must be the fastest on film!!! Although I can't find her credited, I think that must be Irene Ryan (Granny from "The Beverly Hillbillies") playing a sassy secretaries who fills the film with cornball humour.

Recommended.

Taking on a man's job as radio DJ, future camp movie musical star Annie Miller moves from supporting roles to leading lady and Columbia's big song and dance girl in this war collection of specialties by some of the hottest acts of the time. Ann Miller would go on to greater things years later at MGM and of course on Broadway, but her charm and innocence made for a fine second string lead at Columbia studios where, while no threat to Rita Hayworth or Jean Arthur, was definitely one of their top attractions.

This is 75% music and 25% plot, but what is inside the shell is quite superb. Even Frank Sinatra pops up to sing Night and Day, and there's also Bob Crosby, the Mills Brothers and a novelty song called Cow Cow boogie witch has a music video out there somewhere involving cows lip syncing to the song heard here. It's a shame though that what was obviously a sound, or essentially an early music video, wasn't utilized in this movie because of the original songs, it is the most well remembered.

Look sharp for Irene Ryan as Miller's co-worker who gets in a few funny Libes. Franklin Pangborn sneers hysterically at cracks for being a decade out of step with the times and the Radio Rogues, sometimes annoying, are amusing with their selections of imitations. Of course, this wouldn't be a successful World War II musical without the obligatory patriotic finale, and this is where Annie breaks out in tap shoes which she would later utilize with great abandon and in Technicolor, and sometimes backwards as well wearing high heels at MGM.