Give Me a Sailor

A few years after Give Me a Sailor was out, Betty Grable finally hit the big time over at 20th Century Fox. Those beautiful legs of her's on which perched the USA's all American girl were her stock and trade. Reportedly Lloyd's of London had them insured in seven figures.

So when part of the plot is Martha Raye winning a radio contest with a picture of her legs, it strains the credulity a lot. Of course the folks at Paramount obviously did not read into the future about Betty Grable's legs being her fortune.

Give Me a Sailor is one of the weaker of Bob Hope's early films. He was co-starred with Martha Raye a lot and note the billing where she's above him in the title and would be that way in all of their joint projects in the late Thirties.

Raye and Grable are sisters, Raye's the plain jane who's the good cook, but with apparently great legs. Grable's the beautiful sister whose gams never got noticed and she can't cook to save her life.

The sisters are being courted by two brothers, Bob Hope and Jack Whiting who are both in the Navy. Well at least both are after Betty with the other maybe doomed to settle for Martha. After a lot of crazy screwball antics which finds them at one point engaged to the wrong girl, all is right in the end. Guess who winds up with who though.

Jack Whiting made very few films, but he was a leading Broadway musical star and had the distinction of being Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.'s stepdad. Whiting married Anne Sully Fairbanks after her divorce from Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. was finalized. He has a long list of Broadway credits stretching almost 40 years. He had a pleasant enough singing voice, but as a film personality he was bland. Hope, Raye, and Grable just run all over him. I guess Hope needed to wait for Bing Crosby for a singer who could hold his own and more with him on screen.

Raye has some funny moments in the film, especially when she and Hope are stuck out in the woods together. She's the best one in the film by far.

Fans of Rapid Robert will like Give Me a Sailor as certainly will fans of Martha Raye and Betty Grable. If there are any Jack Whiting fans out there, this is one of the few places you'll see your man.

Martha Raye and Betty Grable are sisters. Martha can cook like nobody's business; Betty mainly just wants to go dancing, and is not above stealing Martha's new dress if she thinks she will look better in it.

Meanwhile, out at sea, Bob Hope and Jack Whiting are brother sailors on their way into port to visit the sisters. It's a bit tangled but soon becomes clear that while both of the sisters have a crush on Whiting, both of the brothers think they're in love with Grable. The plot of the picture involves what happens when the boys get to town.

Martha Raye is essentially the lead here, or at least has the strongest role; she and Hope are fun as the couple who don't know they are a couple. Grable is good as the spoiled sister: the scene where she serves broiled (and I mean broiled!) fish is hilarious. Jack Whiting does a nice dance with Grable, and is adequate if not spectacular otherwise. Clarence Kolb is quite charming as the superior officer, a confirmed old bachelor who appreciates a well-cooked egg.

Favorite scene: when Martha comes into the house wearing a fur coat and pretending to be upper crust: "Have you finished dinnah?" she begins.

Moderately amusing, overall….a scattered handful of excellent scenes make this picture worthwhile if never brilliant.

Here is my first imdb review (actually this is the 2nd attempt, it didnt save the first attempt lol)

So... what do I think of this movie..

I watched "Give Me A Sailor" this morning, in bed tucked up under a duvet after a long Boxing Day the day before. So it is December 27th 2023, and why am I reviewing a almost 90 year old movie? Moreover why and how am I even watching this movie? Well, I felt like watching a movie that means nothing to me just a bit of light entertainment.

I am a classic movie fan, and as much as I love all the classics, sometimes I just like to watch a complete nonsense movie with people in that I dont particularly follow.

This movie is one of those. So, no spoilers here!! Lets give my run down on Give Me A Sailor..

Bob Hope does a pretty decent job in this one, you would never know it is one of his early movie roles. Martha Raye.. hmmm... what to say about Martha.. I find her a bit of an oddity, shes ok in this movie actually, but usually she can be quite annoying with weird facial expressions and the like (I guess in the 30s and 40s her unique style of comedy had them laughing in the aisles lol)..

Now lets move onto Jack Whiting who plays Walter Brewster, actually lets not. There really is nothing to say about him. So, Betty Grable.. a fantastic performance by Ms Grable as always, and a catchy little song and dance number too ~ what more could you want. Without Ms Grable, I would probably have given up watching before the picture was through.

Overall, a nice little light hearted comedy to pass the time whilst in bed feeling worse for wear. They dont make em like this anymore.

This is one of Bob Hope's weaker efforts. Martha Raye saves what is left of the film after the script writers tried to ruin it with their infantile plot. Betty Grable is not one of the better actresses as well; especially in this film. The rest of the cast is OK, but there is no chemistry between Hope and his brother? Fortunately for Hope, Bing Crosby will come along soon to rescue him and provide the perfect foil for his talents. Until then, watch this one only if nothing of any value is available at the same time.

A fine example of screwball farce, SAILOR showcases the unique and variegated talents of irrepressible Martha Raye as one of a pair of Larkin sisters, each of whom is after one of a pair of U. S. Navy Brewster brothers, and the question soon arises as to which of the possible pairings will ensue. Paramount, developing a Bob Hope/Raye team, casts Hope in his third feature for the studio as Jim Brewster, with Jack Whiting as brother Walter, each angling for the glamourous one of the Larkins, Nancy (Betty Grable), a competition which began when all four were youngsters. Raye portrays Nancy's sister Letty, who has agreed to assist Jim in garnering her sister's affection in return for his aid in winning the heart of Walter who is ignorant of the machinations about him, none of which is terribly complex for what is, after all, a musical comedy. Raye performs one of the five Ralph Rainger/Leo Robin songs, as does Grable (with Whiting), but it is Letty's gorgeous legs that win for her first prize in a national photo contest, ironic in light of Grable's pinup popularity, due to her own shapely stems, with American fighting men during World War II. Walter eventually notices Letty because of her new celebrity status, and the usually rather rambunctious singing comedienne has an opportunity to show him why he is mistaken in preferring her sister. Of the three films which Raye and Grable made together, this is perhaps the most blithe, and a scene wherein Letty uses overmuch facial masking which hardens to her deliciously acted consternation, draws gales of laughter wherever the picture is shown. Although we find Hope playing second lead to Raye, he plays his part with his normal aplomb and his comedic timing is impeccable as always, although his ad libbing is minimal. Leroy Prinz is responsible for the interesting choreography, and a splendid novelty scene has Grable singing "What Goes On Here In My Heart" while dancing with a collection of eager-to-please partners. Clarence Kolb, as the commanding officer of the Brewsters, is impressive as ever, and Director Elliott Nugent is able to call upon his father J.C. to perform as the Larkins' sire. Consistent with the director's customary panache and rapid pacing, SAILOR offers many treats, musical and otherwise, with the important editing function neatly handled by the generally overlooked William Shea.