Ship Ahoy

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

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

So-so musical comedy with a flimsy espionage plot. Dancer Eleanor Powell is tricked VERY easily by Axis spies into taking some super special magnetic mine on board a ship headed to Puerto Rico. On the voyage she falls for writer Red Skelton, who also happens to be the guy who wrote the story that gave the spies the whole idea to begin with. Yeah, I know. Anyway, no one cares about all that. If you watched this, chances are you did so either to see Skelton do his shtick or to see Powell dance. If you're here for Skelton, you might be disappointed since he's rather subdued this time around. That's actually a plus for me as he isn't one of my favorite comic actors. If, like me, you watched this for Eleanor Powell, you undoubtedly enjoyed her nice tap numbers. Outside of the two stars, the movie has two other things worth mentioning about it. The first is a positive - an early appearance from a skinny Frank Sinatra singing with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. The second is a negative - the Cowardly Lion himself, Bert Lahr, plays Skelton's comic relief sidekick. Why Skelton, of all people, would need a sidekick trying to upstage him is beyond me. Lahr is a big drain on the movie, annoying to no end and playing a horndog chasing after girls half his age. The guy was literally born in the 19th century and poor Virginia O'Brien, in her early twenties here, is forced to play opposite him. Gross. Anyway, it's not the best movie but it will help to pass the time in a mostly pleasant way. The romance is flat and the comedy is a bit weak but Powell is charming and the musical numbers are good.

ELEANOR POWELL was in top tap-dancing form when she made SHIP AHOY! with RED SKELTON as her bumbling co-star and BERT LAHR for some added laughs, along with VIRGINIA O'BRIEN.

It's a daffy story about a gal asked to transport a magnetic mine aboard a ship to San Juan, Puerto Rico during World War II when Nazi spies were rampant in films of this sort. Her mission is soon in peril and the rest of the plot has her managing to stave off the bad guys with the help of Skelton and Lahr.

Worthwhile really only for the dancing talents of ELEANOR POWELL, who does a specialty number involving Buddy Rich on the drums that has to be seen to be believed. And watch for the young FRANK SINATRA singing with Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra.

It's a minor MGM musical comedy that deserves at least one watch.

One of the legendary Broadway stars who did not forge a memorable career in films, Bert Lahr performs at his cinematic best in this flimsy, albeit entertaining, musical comedy. Given considerable screen time and a character that permits his idiosyncratic comic turns to fit comfortably, Lahr exceeds his achievements in other movies. Whether working to only the camera, or with Red Skelton, or with Virginia O'Brien (a good partner for him), Bert Lahr at last shows what he can do. His brand of comedy may not be to everyone's taste (whose is?), but if you like his "shtick," don't miss this one.