ThiefHott Too much of everything

BlazeLime Strong and Moving!

Yash Wade Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

Freeman This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

lucywyly I just watched Hollywood Canteen again last night on TCM. The cameos were well done, especially Sydney and Peter. I would have liked to have seen better leads in the Hutton and Clark roles. Clark's appearance to me was annoying and Hutton too naive and simple and dull. Joan Leslie was luminous. She just lights up a room. I salute Bette Davis and John Garfield and everyone involved for what they did to create the real Hollywood Canteen. I love the old 30's and 40's movies so it was fun to watch all of the stars come together to make an entertaining movie and to promote the Canteen and the military. This movie also renewed my interest in reading about Hollywood's involvement in World War 2 and to learn more about the real Hollywood Canteen.

robcat2075 Almost every face in this movie was a notable star but only a handful are remembered today. A few, like Joe E. Brown, I knew only from caricatures in cartoons.The musical performances are the best part, in fact, I fast-forwarded through most of the cringe-worthy story sections to concentrate on those. The story almost seems like a horrible joke on any real servicemen who might have seen this.As others have noted, one of the highlights is the Golden Gate Quartet number. I've read that studios had to plan scenes with substantial black performers ( i.e. those not portraying servants) so that they could be cut from the movie without damaging the story. Southern white audiences demanded that. It is very much in evidence here. Unlike most of the other musical segments they have no tie-in with the action on the floor.Too bad someone couldn't come up with a better story to tie it all together but the time-capsule nature of it makes up for some of that.

Gary Lewin Hollywood Canteen is a real gem of a movie. But despite all the music and delightful cameos, it's really the love story between the movie star and the soldier that keeps this movie together. Others have said it's preposterous that a famous movie star would be likely to become so involved with a simple Joe average soldier on a few days leave during the war. But I don't agree. At the time Joan Leslie's character is very young and beautiful. But also appears to be no Dumbo. Plus she's human like everybody else and see's in the young good natured if star struck soldier, a young man who is sensible, kind, generous and caring. In short,somebody she could actually fall in love with.The chemistry between Joan Leslie and Robert Hutton in this movie as the lovers is there for all to see. So why could it not have happened in real life? There is also the tale of Hutton's friend, the Sergeant played by Dane Clark. He's a bit of a rough diamond but well-meaning and definitely funny. And he too finds love with the beautiful Janis Paige playing the ambitious studio guide who is quite delightful in the way she handles the ebullient Sergeant.All in all this is a wonderful movie that I would recommend to anybody interested in seeing how it used to be done.

ujam77 Did Kitty Carlisle sing Good Night Sweet Dreams Sweetheart in this movie?Does anyone have the words to this song? Who wrote it? Thanks.I read through all the comments and didn't see her name mentioned, or the song.I searched google for the words but couldn't find this song.It was a great movie and we often mention the stars who were really great.There's a movie buff out there who knows his stuff. So let me hear from you.