Comments about Thousands Cheer (DVD):

Ok is not Gene Kelly's best movie but i do think is a great romantic/comedy/musical... the best part is towards the end, the performances of many many MGM stars... of course for me the best was and will always be Judy Garland.. so if you are a fan of Judy and/or Gene... this is a must have!!

Comments about Thousands Cheer (DVD):

Thousands Cheer was released in 1943 at the height of MGM's presence as a leader in Hollywood production codes. It's at time humous and filled impeccable musicianship and dancing, thanks to Gene Kelly's dancing feet. Kathryn Grayson offers a vibrant young appeal that she also would capitalize on in later films during her more than 10 years with MGM.

Comments about Thousands Cheer (DVD):

I only bought this movie to see Eleanor Powell perform one dance number in the movie. when it comes to dancing I don't think we will ever see another one like her.

Comments about Thousands Cheer (DVD):

If you're a fan of MGM musicals of the 1950s and 60s you'll probably enjoy this parade of stars. The plot is weak but it provides an excuse to parade a dozen or more of the studio's favorite performers across the screen. Kelly's dance with a mop is reminiscent of Astaire's whirl with a coat rack about eight years later. I'm happy to be able to add this and and other recently released musicals from the WB Archives to my collection.

Comments about Thousands Cheer (DVD):

One of the big star studded 1943 MGM musical hits loaded with stars. But the key story of Gene Kelly (one of his earliest pre Anchors Aweigh roles)wooing Kathryn Grayson ties it all together under the expert direction of George Sidney in his first major film. This one leads the pack of multi star studded wartime musicals.

Comments about Thousands Cheer (DVD):

In a decade dedicated to bolstering the war effort on the home front, MGM launched into their elephantine offering in support with George Sidney's Thousands Cheer (1943) - a gargantuan, star packed musical extravaganza that regrettably shows signs of creakiness throughout its rather threadbare plot. No fault can be placed on screenwriters, Paul Jarrico and Richard Collins, who first envisioned the project as a modest non-musical entitled Private Miss Jones.

The casting of MGM's leading soprano Kathryn Grayson and dancer Gene Kelly in the leads necessitated revamping the film to include several songs and dances. However, upon viewing the finished footage, L.B. Mayer decided that what was really required was a show of force - literally - a glittering star packed zeitgeist of songs and dances haphazardly thrown together; not only to support the selling of war bonds but more to the point to celebrate MGM's supremacy in the realm of musical entertainment.

Since the modest tale of a female army recruit falling in love with a private left little room to establish such a show of shows, the last third of Thousands Cheer is reserved for an all out interruption of the story in favor of a cavalcade of showmanship mercilessly paraded before the spectator's eye, though bypassing the heart entirely.

The film opens with Kathryn Jones (Grayson) announcing her retirement from the New York Symphony conducted by Jose Iturbi to join the army as a morale booster, as well as to reunite with her estranged father, Colonel Bill Jones (John Boles). Kathryn's mother, Hyllary (Mary Astor) approves - but only superficially. She and Bill have been divorced for many years and Hyllary still holds Bill's love of serving his country - at the expense of being a full time father - against him.

On the train bound for the recruitment camp, Kathryn meets Private Eddie Marsh (Gene Kelly). Brash and holding women in low regard, Eddie's nose is tweaked by Bill while his heart is strained by Kathryn's romantic overtures. Eventually, Eddie confides in Kathryn that he always believed his true calling was in the Air Force, having been an aerialist for many years with a travelling circus troop.

Kathryn and Eddie's romance blossoms despite adversity - to the point where Eddie is set to forgo his plans of joining the U.S. flyers. However, Hyllary has other plans entirely, thwarting her daughter's romance by having Eddie thrown in the guard house under the mistaken belief that nothing good can ever come from falling in love with a soldier.

From here, the narrative becomes frozen in time in favor of a grand display of MGM star power who descend on the military camp to entertain the troops. With Mickey Rooney as the show's M.C., the finale to Thousands Cheer disintegrates into a bizarre claptrap of musical outtakes and comedy skits featuring the likes of Eleanor Powell, Red Skelton, Margaret O'Brien, Frank Morgan, Lucille Ball and other such luminaries - most, utterly wasted in all too brief appearances that are neither memorable or career defining.

Standouts are present - including Bob Crosby and his orchestra introducing June Allyson, Gloria DeHaven and Virginia O'Brien singing 'In A Little Spanish Town'. Lena Horne's 'Honeysuckle Rose' with Benny Carter and his band also makes for quite a show, as does Judy Garland's 'The Joint Is Really Jumpin' Down At Carnegie Hall' - accompanied by Jose Iturbi.

Arguably, the best musical offerings in the film have nothing to do with this grand finale. From Kathryn Grayson's magnificently operatic 'Sempre Libera' and poignant 'Three Letters in A Mailbox', to Gene Kelly's mop dance performed to the tune of 'Let Me Call You Sweetheart', to the climactic 'United Nations on the March' finale that closes the film - Thousands Cheer is a musical that would have done better to remain modest and cloying rather than boisterous and brazen.

The Warner Archive edition of Thousands Cheer represents a film in crisis. The Technicolor elements are hanging on by a thread with glaring mis-registration and a barrage of age related artifacts that make the film appear much older than it is when directly compared to other films from this vintage.

There is even a brief insert of a train travelling at night that is almost B&W in its appearance - the emulsion from the Technicolor negative - that ought to have rendered it in tones of deep blue - having completely worn off.

As with most other titles in the Warner Archive - the quality of the transfer represents the ravages of the years without the benefit of any restoration work having been done. But this is one film that desperately needs such efforts employed to save it from disappearing forever and altogether. Remarkably, the audio fairs considerably better than the video. It is very crisp and clean with only minor hiss and pop detected.

Comments about Thousands Cheer (DVD):

Should have been in a Hollywood Dream Factory set along with others in the Warner Archive series and fully restored. There is reasonable color but not the sparkle of say that of Till the Clouds Roll By and no trailer(none on any color musicals released so far in this series)but there was one on the Laserdisc copy I still own. There are a few noticeable blemishes. Pity but a good musical of its type from the wartime era along with Hollywood Canteen, Thank Your Lucky Stars, This is the Army, Star Spangled Rhythm etc. All are worth owning and viewing. The CON for me is that I live outside USA and must pay thru the nose for these films and not able to take advantage of the bundling packages.

Comments about Thousands Cheer (DVD):

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Comments about Thousands Cheer (DVD):

This movie is a great example of what MGM did
very well for the war effort. Just about everyone
on the lot was in the film, if only briefly.
The story is pure Hollywood and Gene Kelly plays
his usual chip on the shoulder character. But it's
a great time capsule of what MGM had to offer. It's a lot of fun. The film does need restoration
however on the whole the copy isn't all that bad.