Four Jills in a Jeep

Wartime musical comedy about four actresses (Kay Francis, Martha Raye, Carole Landis and Mitzi Mayfair, playing themselves) touring with the USO. The film is based on the book of the same name written by Landis, based on her experiences with the USO. Some good musical numbers but the comedy (mostly Raye) is the pits.

Landis is beautiful and glamorous as always. Francis seems matronly and out of place. Raye hams it up as she often did in her films. Her brand of comedy isn't to my tastes. Mayfair I was unfamiliar with prior to this film. She doesn't really leave an impression here, good or bad. She's the Zeppo of the group I guess. Support from Dick Haymes and Phil Silvers. Also features Jimmy Dorsey, Betty Grable, Alice Faye, and Carmen Miranda as themselves.

This is a show about a USO tour during WW11. It has a little more than sentimental value as I saw Martha Raye during my tour of Vietnam in the late 60's Camp Enari. Where many famous people just went to say that they did, Martha Rey really meant it and you could tell.

You can tell it is one of those made-up films that has stilted and hokey dialog to try and entertain the viewer. Somehow it works. The movie is based on the actual experience of Kay Francis, Carole Landis, and Mitzi Mayfair. And being produced in 1944 we do not get it through a hindsight filter of half a century.

The DVD I watched has: Isolated score track Deleted scenes The real four Jill's Restoration Comparison Still Gallery And more

Filmed at 20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA.

Four Jills In A Jeep in based loosely on the true story of a USO unit which went overseas. Headed by Kay Francis, it also included Martha Raye, Carole Landis, and Mitzi Mayfair. In the movie version, there are romances which didn't really take place, plus all-too-frequent appearances by Phil Silvers as an Army sargeant who is their escort. This film also marked the first "official" appearance of Dick Haymes in a movie, although he actually appeared in a film earlier. As with USO type musicals of this period, there are specialty numbers by guest stars including Jimmy Dorsey and his band (in top form here), Betty Grable, Carmen Miranda, and Alice Faye, in one of her last films. She sings a heart rending version of "You'll Never Know" which make one realize what a beautiful song this really is, how much it meant to service men and women far from home, and what a jerk Englebert Humperdinck is for the way he sings it. The movie was also the last high water mark for the four leading actresses. Mitzi Mayfair never made another movie. Kay Francis made only two or three more before retiring. Carole Landis would suffer personal problems and die a few years later. Martha Raye moved on to a successful career in 1950's television, and twenty years later would entertain troops in Viet Nam in much the same way as she does here.

Four Jills in a Jeep was inspired by a book that Carole Landis wrote about the tours she made with USO overseas at the beginning of American participation in World War II. Besides Carole, the other three performing with her on this tour were Kay Francis, Mitzi Mayfair and Martha Raye.

When 20th Century Fox did this film they appealed to the fantasy of every GI in the field as well those potentially going overseas. Not only do the stars entertain the boys over there, but they get romantically involved with a few of them. Talk about a morale booster.

Besides the four stars playing themselves, Alice Faye, Betty Grable and Carmen Miranda came on via radio broadcast from the Armed Forces Radio broadcast show Command Performance USA. All of them reprised numbers that they had sung in Fox musicals.

In addition to the female film stars Four Jills in a Jeep was the feature film debut of singer Dick Haymes. After Crosby and Sinatra, Haymes was probably the best known male singer of the Forties. He had a smooth baritone and really knew his way around a lyric. He introduced a song How Blue the Night that became a hit for him and just in time to record as the famous musicians strike against the record companies was just concluding.

Seeing Dick Haymes in an army uniform is quite ironic indeed as it was later brought out about how he had claimed Argentine citizenship in order to avoid the draft. Haymes was born in Argentina of visiting American parents. His career sank like an anchor after that one.

Phil Silvers did a version of the character he later perfected as Sergeant Bilko in the Fifties on television. Martha Raye who also made it big on television in the Fifties, complements Silvers well in the comedy department. Phil's a funny guy all right, but he should only be taken in moderation. Martha of course entertained our troops in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam with the same enthusiasm that you see here on the screen.

With Jimmy Dorsey and his band in the cast for some up to date Forties swing, what more could you get in a Forties musical. A nice film, I'm sure appreciated both at home by the Rosie the Riveteer crowd and the troops abroad.

Except for the musical numbers, this picture was a waste of time and talent by all concerned. The humor is strictly cornball and the plot is non-existent, the acting stilted and self-conscious. The sole bright spot is Martha Raye, who shows off her particular brand of manic comedy as well as a pretty fair singing voice. The usually dependable Phil Silvers is also on hand in a thankless role which does him no credit.

Four entertainers volunteer to go overseas to entertain the troops, and are placed in artificial plot circumstances and unfunny situations. Was this really the best the studio could do? Was there no plausible storyline to put performers in while waiting for a song spot? As stated, the musical numbers are the only reason to watch this almost unwatchable movie. Special thanks go to Betty Grable and Alice Faye for their singing cameos, and to the Jimmy Dorsey band for livening up the proceedings.