HOLLYWOOD CANTEEN

US, 1944, 124 minutes, Black-and-white.
The Andrews Sisters, Jack Benny, Joe E.Brown, Eddie Cantor, Kitty Carlisle, Jack Carson, Dane Clark, Joan Crawford, Helmut Dantine, Bette Davis, Faye Emerson, Victor Francen, John Garfield, Sydney Greenstreet, Alan Hale, Paul Henreid, Robert Hutton, Andrea King, Joan Leslie, Peter Lorre, Ida Lupino, Irene Manning, Dennis Morgan, Janis Page, Eleanor Parker, William Prince, Roy Rogers/Trigger, S. Z. Sakal, Zachary Scott, Alexis Smith, Craig Stephens, Barbara Stanwyck, Donald Woods, Jane Wyman, Jimmy Dorsey and his orchestra, Carmen Cavallaro and his orchestra, Sons of the Pioneers.
Directed by Delmar Daves.

Hollywood Canteen was a 1944 morale-boosting film, also a fundraiser, for the canteen in Hollywood (very much like the New York Stage Door Canteen). Bette Davis and John Garfield were influential in the establishing of the canteen and speak to camera about their work.

There is a slight story to give some kind of shape to the film which is a showcase for so many of the people walking working at Warner Brothers at this time. Robert Hutton plays Slim, on leave with his buddies before moving out to action. He has dreamt of the possibility of meeting Joan Leslie – and even of a kiss. He goes to the canteen, meets a number of the stars as do his buddies, and the word gets around about his dreams for Joan Leslie. She is asked to do a favour for the canteen and to meet up with Slim, having some time together, walking and talking around Los Angeles, her taking him home to visit her parents. He gets the kiss and the dream fulfilment.

The location is authentic and recreates, though in black and white, the sets around the canteen as well as various Los Angeles locations.

Joan Leslie is acting a character as well as being herself, agreeable in making herself available to meet Slim, and the canteen organising that he receive a prize for being the millionth visitor to the canteen.

It is always interesting to see so many stars, even major stars like Joan Crawford and Barbara Stanwyck, even Roy Rogers and Trigger, along with the regulars at Warner Brothers at this time, singing, dancing, joking. There is even a scene in the kitchen where Paul Henreid and Dane Clark are part of the kitchen staff discussing the situation with Slim.

This film is really recreation film, part of Hollywood history, a reminder of the star power of the 1940s – and appreciating their contribution to morale boosting.