Stage Door Canteen [Slim Case]

So many companies have issued DVDs of the public-domain "Stage Door Canteen" and if the reviewers do not disclose which DVD transfer they are reviewing, those of us looking for a decent copy of this WW2 gem won't know which version to obtain.The copy I ordered is by Reel Enterprises, and I review it briefly here. The cover can be identified by a huge "48" with the names of the stars listed in the block numbers. This is a very good transfer. The picture contrast and quality is on par with Warner Archives --- no real restoration has been done to the film, but the company chose a good print to dupe. The audio quality is fine (there are no subtitles). In fact, I was really surprised at how good of a transfer it is.I've read that some transfers have censored parts of this film, resulting in a shorter running time. This one actually has a longer running time. IMDB lists the running time at 2 hrs. 12 min. This version runs 2 hrs. 21 min., but that extra nine minutes seems to be due to two reasons. The Gypsy Rose Lee number runs about halfway, then the screen goes blank and her routine begins again from the beginning. It's almost as if you're sitting in a theater in 1943 and the film breaks. To get things started again, the projectionist has to back it up. Secondly, for some unexplained reason, there are eight minutes of blank screen at the end. So, the actual movie here runs right at 2 hrs. 12 min.As opposed to Warner Bros. "Hollywood Canteen" that would be released the following year featuring film stars in cameos, this United Artists release focuses on cameos of Broadway stars (the real Stage Door Canteen was in New York City) such as Alfred Lunt, Lynn Fontanne, Katharine Hepburn, Ethel Merman, Katherine Cornell, Ray Bolger, Helen Hayes and Tallulah Bankhead. Many more appear, and some of them are reduced to less than a minute of screen time, so keep your eyes open!The really neat thing is that most of these stars appear as themselves and aren't performing show tunes for the most part --- they just serve, visit, and intermingle with the servicemen who stop by the canteen. The musical numbers are performed by several well-known big bands of the time, including Kay Kyser, Benny Goodman, Freddy Martin, Count Basie, Xavier Cugat and Guy Lombardo. (You can see a very young Peggy Lee singing the big hit "Why Don't You Do Right?" with Benny Goodman's band!) We even hear a couple of tunes from Yehudi Menuhin (introduced as "Mr. Menuhin"), thought by some to be the greatest violinist of the 20th century (sorry, Mr. Benny).What a nifty piece of trivia that this, the only American film in which Yehudi Menuhin appears, also stars Kay Kyser, whose band had a huge novelty hit with "Who's Yehoodi?" based on the catchphrase made famous by Jerry Colonna after Menuhin was a guest on Bob Hope's radio show (on which Colonna was a regular). Colonna thought the name was funny and kept repeating throughout the program "Who's Yehudi?"If you are a fan of the 40s culture and the WW2 home front, this film will keep you thoroughly entertained. And if you like this film, go ahead and enlist "Hollywood Canteen," "Thousands Cheer" and "Star-Spangled Rhythm" --- all star-filled, tune-filled films to keep Americans engaged and patriotically supporting the war effort and Uncle Sam. What an amazing time of unity in the USA!

This is a difficult film to rate. It is not a great movie so much as a major time capsule and cultural artifact of the early years of the U.S. entry into World War II, a not very bright time. Like the film Hollywood Canteen an incredible number of major entertainers were packed into a two hour special to boost morale. By the way, both "Canteens" were real places servicemen could go and eat, be entertained and even meet some famous performers. The Stage Door Canteen was in New York and sponsored by the American Theater Wing. That's what makes this entry extra special; the famous names are from the theater and though most had appeared on film they were a bit more rarefied than the all movie crowd. Beside the big names, and there are plenty of those, you get glimpses of Helen Hayes, Katherine Cornell, Cornelia Otis Skinner, Elsa Maxwell, Arlene Francis and Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontaine.Most of the actors get little bits or walk-ons (Talullah Bankhead is surprisingly listed as the "name" beneath the DVD cover here but blink twice and you'll miss her) and singers and musicians get spotlight performances. Some of the highlights include a lively Ethel Waters, Edgar Bergen & Charlie McCarthy, Kenny Baker with his clear tenor voice, and Gracie Fields singing about shooting down "Jap planes" (not "Jet Planes" as theclosed captioning says. Jets in 1943?). Big Bands include Basie, Cugat, Kyser, Lombardo andBenny Goodman with a 23 year old Peggy Lee lighting up the screen and so new as to be uncredited. Ray Bolger dances and Yehudi Menhuin plays violin and the list goes on and on. There are even moments featuring allies from the Russian Navy and Chinese Air Force lending a real authenticity to it all.This is not presented as a "Cavalcade of Stars" kind of thing, a Goldwyn Follies or Paramount On Parade, but is formed around a plot of a small group of servicemen being given a few days leave before setting off to Europe for the war. And remember, things weren't going very well so far.Though they have names, they having probably just met recently, go by the names of the places they hail from. There's big Tex, little California, Jersey and Dakota who gets the main romance. There are girls for each of them and while down home Dakota has initial trouble with career girl-actress Eileen, Tex and Ella Sue hit it off from the get go and California finally gets to kiss a girl. California is easily the most memorable of these minor characters whose stories happen in minutes between big acts on stage. He is played by Lon McCallister who had an all-American boyish charm that gave him a small film career till the early fifties when it became apparent that he would always be short.It's sentimental, it's sweet, it promotes the war effort but never is hateful or jingoistic and is a most unique and entertaining moment in Hollywood's war effort. Katherine Hepburn ends it all with a sincere and heartfelt speech.

Twice I have bought European zoned products from U.S. sellers and found them to be Zone 2 rather than Zone 1 playable in North America on a quality, standard DVD player. If you are buying this DVD look carefully at the visual image and if it says Cine-Club with an accent over the e you will not be able to play it on your DVD Player.To send it back would cost as much, or more, as the original product.

満点でないのは、このテープ、3倍速で録画されているからです。このシリーズは、他のものも3倍速でした。海外では意外に3倍速のセル・ビデオがあります。とはいうものの、白黒の映画だし、それほど気にならないといえるでしょう。私の評価が高いのは、とにかくスターが勢揃いしていること。これでしか見る事の出来ない演技や歌が随所に見られるのです。内容は、戦時下の兵隊さんを励ますための慰安所とそこでのショーという、実際にも行なわれていたものを映画用にした話です。そこに、恋愛が絡む仕掛け。これ以上は、言わないでおきます。低価格ですし、ご覧になってみて下さい。日本で有名でない人もたくさんいますが。。。

loved it

This is my third film on DVD published by Elstree Hill/Pickwick Group and it will be the last. Like the other two the quality is poor: it is a digitisation of a videotape master -- fuzzy, washed-out image with ghosting, ripples, drop-outs, low grade sound.It's not quite unwatchable, so I give it two stars rather than one (purely on technical quality).There ought be a legal requirement that material on a DVD that is made from a low-grade master has a warning notice to that effect on the packaging.Addition September 2015. I'm a fan of records (vinyl LPs) and recently I bought from a charity shop a two-disc set of classical favourites. Settling down to listen to the first I soon became restless — rubbish sound quality. Guess what! A Pickwick production!. I hadn't noticed this when I bought the discs.A further warning — don't part with any money on a Pickwick product.

During W.W.2, all the studios decided to use all the musical artists in a great 'variety' movie, using all the top singers, Big Bands, even straight actors in sketches, and musical items from thir own folios and performances. They weren't always successful I'm afraid.