GEORGE SIDNEY

Bil’s rating (out of 5):  BBB.5

USA, 1945.  Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Loew’s.  Screenplay by Isobel Lennart, suggested by a story by Natalie Marcin.  Cinematography by Charles P. Boyle, Robert H. Planck.  Produced by Joe Pasternak.  Music by Calvin Jackson, George Stoll.  Production Design by Randall Duell, Cedric Gibbons.  Costume Design by Irene.  Film Editing by Adrienne Fazan.  

Lightweight musical that isn’t as memorable as Gene Kelly‘s later navy-themed On The Town. He and Frank Sinatra (who co-starred with Kelly in the aforementioned Stanley Donen classic) star as two sailors on shore leave in Los Angeles who meet up with a charming young tot (Dean Stockwell) who would love to join the navy. As it turns out, his big sister (Kathryn Grayson) is really dreamy and the boys don’t fail to notice. Lots of musical numbers, the standout being the point where Kelly dances with Jerry, the animated mouse from the famous duo of Tom and Jerry. This was the only time that Kelly was ever nominated for an Academy Award for an acting performance.

Academy Award:  Best Scoring of a Musical Picture
Nominations: Best Picture; Best Actor (Gene Kelly); Best Cinematography-Colour; Best Song (“I Fall In Love Too Easily”)