Show-Business at War (1943) - Star of the month... Frank Sinatra

'Show-Business at War' (March of Time, Volume 9, Number 10) is a 1943 short film newsreel chronicling the many ways in which the American entertainment industry was assisting during World War II. 

Watch the film:

From the publication of the "Show Business at War" edition of Variety newspaper, to the many stars dedicating their time to raise money on war bonds, to the volunteering at the Hollywood Canteen. I found it interesting to see Hollywood cameraman up-skilling army officers in how to use film cameras  to enable them to film their combats.

Hollywood studios had an important role to play during the war, by not only  providing entertainment to those risking their lives, but to also produce propaganda films to discredit the enemy.

The newsreel features the following personalities:

• Al Jolson (actor, who entertained troops)
• Alfred Hitchcock (director)
• Alfred Lunt (stage actor, who cooked for soldiers)
• Anatole Litvak (director)
• Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo (ballet company, who entertained troops)
• Bette Davis (actress)
• Bing Crosby (singer)
• Bob Hope (actor)
• Carole Lombarde (actress, who was tragically killed in a plane crash returning from a war bond rally)
• Clark Gable (actor, who enlisted)
• Daryl Zanuck (film producer)
• Deanna Durbin (actress, who danced with soldiers at the Hollywood Canteen)
• Dorothy Lamour (actress)
• Edgar Bergen (ventriloquist, who entertained troops with his doll Charlie McCarthy)
• Errol Flynn (actor)
• Ethel Barrymore (actress)
• Frank Sinatra (actor)
• Fred MacMurray (actor)
• Gertrude Lawrence (actress)
• Ginger Rogers (actress)
• Glenn Ford (actor)
• Hal B. Wallis (producer)
• Hedy Lamarr (actress, who danced with soldiers at the Hollywood Canteen)
• Irene Dunne (actress)
• Irving Berlin (composer, who wrote the songs in the wartime musical 'This is the Army', which featured an all-soldier cast)
• Jack Benny (radio comedian, who entertained troops)
• Jack L. Warner (head of Warner Bros.)
• James Cagney (actor)
• Joe E. Brown (comedian, who entertained troops)
• John Ford (film director, who headed the film producing unit of the Office of Strategic Services)
• John Garfield (actor, who co-founded the Hollywood Canteen)
• Kay Francis (actress)
• Lana Turner (actress)
• Linda Darnell (actress)
• Loretta Young (actress)
• Louis Armstrong (entertainer, who entertained troops)
• Marlene Dietrich (actress, who danced with soldiers at the Hollywood Canteen)
• Michael Curtiz (director)
• Mickey Rooney (actor)
• Myrna Loy (actress)
• Olivia de Havilland (actress, who danced with soldiers at the Hollywood Canteen)
• Orson Welles (actor/director)
• Rita Hayworth (actress)
• Robert Benchley (comedian, who volunteered at the Hollywood Canteen)
• Tyrone Power (actor, who enlisted)
• Walt Disney (who provided Disney studio resources to aid the production of instructional films for the armed forces)
• W.C. Fields (actor)

The musical highlight in the film is Al Jolson singing his signature tune "Mammy".

Show-Business at War (1943) - Star of the month... Olivia de Havilland

'Show-Business at War' (March of Time, Volume 9, Number 10) is a 1943 short film newsreel chronicling the many ways in which the American entertainment industry was assisting during World War II. 


Watch the film:

From the publication of the "Show Business at War" edition of Variety newspaper, to the many stars dedicating their time to raise money on war bonds, to the volunteering at the Hollywood Canteen. I found it interesting to see Hollywood cameraman up-skilling army officers in how to use film cameras  to enable them to film their combats.


Hollywood studios had an important role to play during the war, by not only  providing entertainment to those risking their lives, but to also produce propaganda films to discredit the enemy.


The newsreel features the following personalities:

• Al Jolson (actor, who entertained troops)
• Alfred Hitchcock (director)
• Alfred Lunt (stage actor, who cooked for soldiers)
• Anatole Litvak (director)
• Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo (ballet company, who entertained troops)
• Bette Davis (actress)
• Bing Crosby (singer)
• Bob Hope (actor)
• Carole Lombarde (actress, who was tragically killed in a plane crash returning from a war bond rally)
• Clark Gable (actor, who enlisted)
• Daryl Zanuck (film producer)
• Deanna Durbin (actress, who danced with soldiers at the Hollywood Canteen)
• Dorothy Lamour (actress)
• Edgar Bergen (ventriloquist, who entertained troops with his doll Charlie McCarthy)
• Errol Flynn (actor)
• Ethel Barrymore (actress)
• Frank Sinatra (actor)
• Fred MacMurray (actor)
• Gertrude Lawrence (actress)
• Ginger Rogers (actress)
• Glenn Ford (actor)
• Hal B. Wallis (producer)
• Hedy Lamarr (actress, who danced with soldiers at the Hollywood Canteen)
• Irene Dunne (actress)
• Irving Berlin (composer, who wrote the songs in the wartime musical 'This is the Army', which featured an all-soldier cast)
• Jack Benny (radio comedian, who entertained troops)
• Jack L. Warner (head of Warner Bros.)
• James Cagney (actor)
• Joe E. Brown (comedian, who entertained troops)
• John Ford (film director, who headed the film producing unit of the Office of Strategic Services)
• John Garfield (actor, who co-founded the Hollywood Canteen)
• Kay Francis (actress)
• Lana Turner (actress)
• Linda Darnell (actress)
• Loretta Young (actress)
• Louis Armstrong (entertainer, who entertained troops)
• Marlene Dietrich (actress, who danced with soldiers at the Hollywood Canteen)
• Michael Curtiz (director)
• Mickey Rooney (actor)
• Myrna Loy (actress)
• Olivia de Havilland (actress, who danced with soldiers at the Hollywood Canteen)
• Orson Welles (actor/director)
• Rita Hayworth (actress)
• Robert Benchley (comedian, who volunteered at the Hollywood Canteen)
• Tyrone Power (actor, who enlisted)
• Walt Disney (who provided Disney studio resources to aid the production of instructional films for the armed forces)
• W.C. Fields (actor)

The musical highlight in the film is Al Jolson singing his signature tune "Mammy".

Love Crazy (1941)

Spotlight on Movie Mothers... Monster Mothers

Love Crazy is an MGM screwball comedy telling the story of a married couple, Steve and Susan Ireland (played by William Powell & Myrna Loy), whose marriage is on the verge of being broken up by Susan's interfering and disapproving mother.

While Steve is returning from an errand, he bumps into his former girlfriend, Kimble Grayson (played by Gail Patrick). Steve attempts to hide this meeting from Susan, however she soon finds out, and in a jealous rage files for divorce.

To hold off the divorce, Steve pretends to have a nervous breakdown, and pleads insanity. Steve does such a great job, he declared insane by the lunacy commission and committed to a mental institution.

To further complicate things, Susan meets and is romanced by archery champion Ward Willoughby (played by Jack Carson).

The significance of the mother-in-law

In this case, we are dealing with a monster mother-in-law, Mrs. Cooper (played by Florence Bates). Although Mrs. Cooper is only featured in several scenes, she is extremely significant to the story, acting as a catalyst for most of the film's events.
Firstly, Mrs. Cooper invites herself over during Steve and Susan's fourth anniversary dinner, as is tempted by a hidden agenda to sabotage the couple's evening. She also brings a gift of a very ugly rug, which Steve and Susan are forced to display near the front door. During her visit, she asks Steve to mail her insurance premium for her. This event is significant, as it is during this errand that Steve bumps into his former flame.
Throughout the rest of the film, Mrs. Cooper attempts to fill Susan's head with negative comments about Steve.


Concluding thoughts
Of all the classic movie pairings, my favourite leading couple would have be William Powell and Myrna Loy. Powell & Loy made marriage life on the screen sophisticated and fun. Love Crazy was the 10th of 14 films the duo made together, and is also my personal favourite.

DVD releases

'Love Crazy' has not been released on DVD in Australia. It is shown occasionally on Turner Classic Movies (TCM) Australia on Foxtel.


It has been released on DVD in the US, as part of the Myrna Loy and William Powell TCM Spotlight Collection.