NAVY BLUE AND GOLD

US, 1937, 94 minutes, Black and white.
Robert Young, James Stewart, Florence Rice, Billie Burke, Lionel Barrymore, Tom Brown, Samuel S. Hinds, Paul Kelly, Barnett Parker, Minor Watson.
Directed by Sam Wood.

Navy Blue and Gold is a patriotic film which came out just before the outbreak of World War Two. It shows the strength of the navy, recruitment and training in the 1930s – and the preparations for World War Two.

The film is a story of three friends who grew up together, from different backgrounds. Robert Young plays the would-be playboy who sees the navy just as a stepping stone to a rich wife and a career. James Stewart, on the other hand, is an earnest young man whose father has been dishonourably discharged from the navy and who wants to vindicate his father. Tom Brown is the son of rich parents and Florence Rice is his sister. She, of course, is the cause of some rivalry between Robert Young and James Stewart.

Lionel Barrymore also has a good role as the elder statesman from the navy, the initial player of American football and the coach. For those who like American football, this is a great bonus for the film.

After establishing the characters of the three young men, it shows them joining the navy, their different backgrounds, the training and hard work, their skill at football, their success in the navy teams. However, when Robert Young becomes assertive, there is a tension between the three friends. Tom Brown, because of his small stature, is bullied by a lot of the men. However, it is James Stewart who has the dramatic role, listening to the recounting of a story about his father and then rising to defend his father, risking his navy career.

The film was directed by Sam Wood who was to direct a number of significant films in the 30s and 40s including Goodbye Mr Chips, Kings Row, For Whom the Bell Tolls.

1. A film of the 1930s? The armed forces? The navy, recruitment, training? Sport? The combination of these themes, patriotically?

2. The black and white photography, the scenes before the 1930s, the young boys, their growing up? The 1930s, the navy academy? Colleges, football, matches, commentators? The musical score?

3. The title, the visuals of the navy, the parades, the ethos? The atmosphere of the 1930s? World War Two to come?

4. The three boys, the different personalities, their different backgrounds, rich and poor, together, their plans?

5. Their growing up, their early twenties, the developing personalities, the relationships between the three?

6. The background of the navy, joining, the scenes of training, the officers?

7. Football, the importance, the crowds at the matches, the training, the coaches, the tactics? The personalities of the coaches and their interactions with the men?

8. Each of the three, their life, the involvement in sport? Roger, his love for Patricia? Richard and his care for his sister? Small, bullied? John, rather shy, earnest, his attraction towards Patricia?

9. The character of Roger, his assertion, vanity, his attitudes and behaviour, his disappointing his friends, the coach, his being left off the team? The crisis? His coming to his senses, being humiliated? His helping John? His giving up Patricia?

10. Captain Dawes? His role, interest in the men, his intervention, his covering up for Roger? Enabling him to resume play? His support of the group?

11. The decisions, the matches, the commentators?

12. The play without Roger, his arrogance, his selling out? The others, experiencing the change? The loss of the matches without Roger? Without the other two?

13. John, his background, listening to the story about his father, his father’s honour, his protest, defending his father? The discussions with the naval officers? Their decision for him?

14. Romance, sport, military training, people having moral changes and decisions? An edifying film from the 1930s?