Duas Garotas e um Marujo

Perky June Allyson and lovely Gloria DeHaven are two vaudevillians given a chance to open their own canteen for military personnel by a mysterious benefactor. The very thin plot revolves around this simple premise and at over two hours running time it becomes very stretched indeed. However, as this is an MGM movie, there is much to enjoy thanks to the plethora of studio talent involved. The highlights for me were gorgeous Virginia O'Brien doing her usual 'deadpan' number, June Allyson's terrific 'Young Man With A Horn', beautiful Lena Horne singing 'Paper Doll' and who could resist Jimmy Durante performing 'Inka Dinka Doo'? The production is lavish with huge sets, hundreds of extras and fabulous costumes. The bizarre dream sequence is quite eye-popping and even includes a fashion parade with some truly beautiful models. Quite an extravaganza!

With the basic plot element taken from Great Expectations, the two girls of the title try throughout most of the Two Girls And A Sailor to figure out what did they do to become the benefactors of such incredible generosity by person or persons unknown.

June Allyson and Gloria DeHaven are the singing Devo Sisters who come from an old vaudeville family and who now sing and dance for money and then after the show hold their own informal cabaret at home. In 1944 there wasn't anything one didn't do for the service men and women.

One night they mention about that they'd really like to get a hold of an old warehouse down the street to open a really swanky nightclub/serviceman's center and the next thing you know there is Donald Meek knocking on their door with a deed in hand, signed over to them by a mysterious benefactor. And after that every time they need to pay a bill for construction, Meek's there with the money.

In between all this are a whole bunch of musical and comedy acts with songs from a variety of sources. Two Girls And A Sailor got an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay and if there's nothing terribly original in taking the plot from Great Expectations, the really creative part of the script was getting all that talent in and not disturbing the story too much.

This wartime musical was MGM's launching pad for Van Johnson where he was given billing over the title. He's the sailor in the title. In fact the film was a showcase for Allyson, DeHaven, and Johnson all of whom were among the newer stars in MGM's shimmering firmament.

The film also featured one of the best of the swing era bands led by Harry James featuring one of the best singers from the Forties, Helen Forrest. Latin American music has periodically invaded mainstream America from the Tango to the Macarena and here it's represented by Xavier Cugat with Carlos Ramirez and Lina Romay doing the vocals. Comedy is supplied in ample measure by both Jimmy Durante and Gracie Allen. Durante had a featured part as an old vaudevillian that the girls remember from their childhood who is actually living in the warehouse they are gifted with. I only wish MGM had the sense to put him and Gracie Allen in a scene together.

Gracie was put in a scene however with Jose Iturbi. Louis B. Mayer always considered himself a bit more highbrow than the other Hollywood moguls, hiring opera and concert performers. Still having Jose Iturbi and his equally talented sister Amparo playing double piano is always a treat in any film.

As for who the benefactor is, the identity shall remain nameless. It's not an escaped convict like in Great Expectations. But take a look at the character names the cast has and remember the times and I think you can figure it out. Actually a mammoth size clue is given almost at the beginning of the film. But see the film for the clue and the identity.

This movie was made in the years when life was turmoil, when Europe was at war and the US military was more than visible. Consequently the plot twists and turns but you know it will turn out happy. I was enthralled by the movie. Lots of humor and sisterly love draw you into the plot. The mystery of who will end up with whom keeps you riveted. But most of all June Allyson and Van Johnson together, in their 1940's lovemaking way, make this one of the best movies I've seen in a long time.

This was one of my grandmother's favorite films and she bought it when it came out on video. I have watched it so many times, I am afraid that the tape is going to fall apart. I hope that it becomes available on DVD soon! The characters are interesting and the story is touching. The songs, costumes, and dance numbers are unforgettable. The array of stars in this film makes it fun to watch to see who's coming up next. I want my children and grandchildren to be able to watch it as well. It is family tradition for myself, my sister, and my grandmother to watch it together.If you can find this video somewhere, I definitely recommend it!

This slight musical comedy from 1944 was a blockbuster of its year. Its one of those Stage door canteen where G.I.s are entertained by hit musicians of their including the popular band and orchestra leader Harry James and Xavier Cugat. The big hit "Young man with a horn" is featured prominently. The songs are lovely and generally feel orchestrated and operatic as this is a Joe Pasternak production. Like a Bruckheimer, a Selznick, a Freed or a Ross Hunter, you know a Pasternak when you see it. That is, slight plots with certain scenes that are written and play better than the whole movie and make you wish they were in another movie. There is usually a love plot involving dueling sisters, mother and daughter, or jealous daughters to their dads. The actresses are pretty and young. The songs, hits of their day but taken out of their time and the situations, they lack the oomph for classic appreciation unlike the movies of Arthur Freed. Take note, there is a dream sequence in this movie that is begging for one of those Freed musical numbers but instead we get Jimmy Durante shenanigans that lifts the weight from the scene. Thorpe, the journeyman director at MGM who made a lot of hits, directs in his usual flat and placid style that gets the job done and not much more. If only Pasternak aimed higher, varied the formula a little, he could have been a champion, not just a contender.