Ship Ahoy

I just love this movie! Red Skelton has always been one of my favorites, and Miss Powell's dancing is fabulous. My family's favorite part of this movie, however, is VIRGINIA O'BRIEN! Known for her deadpan facial expressions, she outdoes herself while singing the song Poor You. (Pay attention to the lyrics - so funny!) We have to rewind this part of the movie several times just because she is so ADORABLE! And the reactions by Bert Lahr are priceless. The music is good, the plot okay, but who cares? Miss Powell is gorgeous and the love story is cute. And it's a treat to see a young Frank Sinatra. One of my favorites.

As the story in my family goes, my dad, Milton Raskin, played the piano for the Dorsey band. After Sinatra joined the band, my dad practiced with him for hours on end. Then, at a point in time, my dad told Sinatra that he was actually to good to be tied up with such a small group (band), and that he should venture off on his own. By that time Sinatra had enough credits 'under his belt' to do just that! Dorsey never forgave my dad, and the rest, as they say, is history.

I have some pictures and records to that effect, and so does Berkley University in California.

I have seen just about every Sinatra movie more times than I wish to say, and his movies never get old . . . Thank you Frank

"Ship Ahoy" was probably made in order to showcase MGM talent. The film is a fun trip on an ocean liner on its way to San Juan, Puerto Rico, at the time in which the country was involved in WWII. This was typical fare for the studios, which gave the movie going public light weight entertainment as a distraction during those difficult times the country was living.

The beautiful Eleanor Powell is seen at her best in some musical numbers where she clearly shows us she was a dancer to be reckoned with. Red Skelton is also seen in a straight part with not too much clowning, as he pursues the beautiful Ms. Powell on the ship that is bringing them to Puerto Rico. The irresistible Bert Lahr has good opportunities in the film to show he was a funny man. Also Virginia Grey is seen as a fun girl who is not fooled by anyone.

There are good musical numbers featuring Tommy Dorsey and his orchestra, in which one sees, among others, the amazing Buddy Rich, who has a few solos with Mr. Dorsey and Ms. Powell. A young Frank Sinatra appears also as the lead singer of the band, backed by the Pied Pipers.

This is a nostalgic trip that should be savored by fans of this genre, which MGM totally controlled.

As with most of Eleanor Powell's films, this one plays out along the flimsiest of plots. For some reason -- oh it is explained! -- she's selected to transport a magnetic mine to Cuba. Good guys and bad guys compete for the mine and who is who gets confusing. But, as always, Powell's dancing is superb and worth the price of admission. And in this one Lahr plays his cowardly lion, evoking warm memories of that Technicolor film of 1939. A fringe benefit is hearing a young Frank, with that wonderful voice and skinny vulnerability that he abandoned for his wise-guy persona later on. In addition, the great drummer, Buddy Rich, has a wonderful time displaying his virtuosity. Watch particularly for his unique duet with Dorsey's trumpet man, Ziggy Elman. I say "unique" perhaps in ignorance, but I know of no other drum/trumpet sequence like this one on film or records. This film is fun. Even Skelton's goofy persona is relatively restrained. Powell shows again that she is the greatest film dancer ever.

If you are like me, you love to watch even average or bad old movies just to see if you can spot up and coming stars in the background. Or maybe it's to be able to see stars that you wouldn't normally see at film retrospectives, or maybe it's to try to get an indication of why they were once considered to be great talents.

"Ship Ahoy" is such a picture. Released in 1942, it tells the story of how a chorus girl( a beautiful Eleanor Powell) unwittingly becomes involved as a Japanese spy during WWII. The story is totally forgettable and ridiculous, and the songs (some by E.Y."Yip" Harburg and Burton Lane" are not memorable. But this is still an interesting movie to watch.

It is a wonderful snapshot that shows us why Powell, Red Skelton, and especially Bert Lahr were big stars. Especially Lahr, who most people only remember either from "The Wizard of Oz" or the Lays Potato chip ads (I realize I'm dating myself with that last reference). Lahr is hysterical as a would-be playboy who assists Skelton in writing a series of hair-brained adventure stories. His scenes with Virginia O'Brien are the best in the movie.

This film is also noted as being the film debut for a skinny kid from Hoboken, N.J. named Frank Sinatra. Although he does not sing any songs of note, he does have an instant presence on the screen. Also, look fast to see future stars Hilary Brooke and John Raitt.

"Ship Ahoy" is never going to be a classic, but it is a film that film history fans should see.

6 out of 10