Ajouter une intrigue dans votre langueSoldier Johnny Grey is engaged to marry singer Mapy Cortes, but his plans go awry when he learns that he is the heir to $100,000 from his great-grandfather -- a bequest that comes with a cat... Tout lireSoldier Johnny Grey is engaged to marry singer Mapy Cortes, but his plans go awry when he learns that he is the heir to $100,000 from his great-grandfather -- a bequest that comes with a catch: before claiming the money, Johnny must marry a descendant of his great-grandfather's C... Tout lireSoldier Johnny Grey is engaged to marry singer Mapy Cortes, but his plans go awry when he learns that he is the heir to $100,000 from his great-grandfather -- a bequest that comes with a catch: before claiming the money, Johnny must marry a descendant of his great-grandfather's Civil War enemy, General Havelock-Allen. Not wanting to disrupt his planned marriage to Map... Tout lire
- Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve
- (as Harold Peary {The Great Gildersleeve})
- Mapy
- (as Mapy Cortes)
- Specialty Dancers
- (as Lynn, Royce & Vanya)
Avis en vedette
U.S. and Philippino losses in that first year of the war were heavy, and the treatment of the prisoners of war there was shocking and brutal, and fairly well-known before 1945.
Watching this film, now, some sixty-four years later, one almost gets the sense of this being a "mockumentary." Of course, it isn't. It's a romantic comedy. But Victor Mature and his Army buddies are entirely too happy for newly minted soldiers facing the grim reality of mortal combat.
This film is a goofy, confusing and fast-paced romantic comedy. It has some nice comedic moments but the true value of this film fiction lies in the romantic music and in the performance of Lucille Ball.
Personality wise, Victor Mature comes off as being kind of ... cheesy ... which is unfair because many people who have considered his entire career find in him an actor capable of subtle and nuanced performances. He could and did play 'noble and heroic' types and he could also be the less-than-acceptable Cad & Bounder. In this film he's a high-voltage goof-ball surrounded by screwball types.
Film buffs who do not know much about cinema productions made during the war really ought to make it their mission to see this film the next time it comes around on Turner Classic Movies. It is fun, in the aforementioned goofy way, Ms. Ball scintillates, and the singing of Ginny Simms and the big band music is exceptional, truly exceptional.
Some day, some day soon, hopefully, some august person will write a dissertation or a pop culture book on the subject of ...
Where Did Rock & Roll Go Wrong ?
Looking back at Bill Haley & The Comets, Buddy Holly & The Crickets, the doo-wop era and the blues-oriented vocal groups of the 1950s, most anyone can see that rock & roll music grew out of the "swing" movement in the big band era.
But what happened to the genius deployed in the big band styles ? How could it have become obsolete so quickly ? Was it "television" that killed the big bands ?? Get a load of the song stylings in this peculiar film, crafted, clearly crafted, as a form of 'feel good' entertainment for the home-front at a time when the news was bad, grim and getting grimmer, and most anyone will have to ask -- where did all those brilliant singers go ??? This is a good film and got a six, but only because the plot is entirely paper-thin. But that didn't stop either Ball or Mature from hamming it up and having a very good time on the silver screen.
So, you've got a VERY contrived plot, lots of silly and superfluous singing and Victor Mature doing comedy. All in all, it sounds pretty bad...and it is. Even worse is when a fourth-rate guy does imitations of various celebrities. They announce each one before he begins--and you really need to be told who they are supposed to be because you really cannot tell by listening to him! A silly and forgettable film.
By the way, there is a very strange character in the film. Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve (Harold Peary) is the lawyer who handles the estate, right? Well, this same character (and actor) played Gildersleeve in quite a few other films. Plus, Gildersleeve was a very popular radio character who appeared regularly on "Fibber McGee and Molly" and later had his own spin off radio show starring, who else, Peary!
I don't think I'll spoil anyone's enjoyment of this movie by answering "Yes" to all those questions. This antique plot is used as an excuse for some Jimmy McHugh-Frank Loesser songs, a couple of major bands, including Freddy Martin and Les Brown, a comic dance trio, and a brief traipse through a radio staple or two of the era. Director Tim Whelan pushes the movie at a crackling pace, the specialty acts are pretty good for the era, and mature and Miss Ball perform appropriately. It's what light wartime entertainment is meant to be. With Ginny Sims, Arnold Stang (in his first credited role), and the usual assortment of familiar faces.
Through the magic of cable television, today's viewers are of course familiar with leading lady Lucille Ball. Her name will be what attracts viewers to this film. She's a descendant of a Confederate general and a girl with some means. And according to the screwball plot of this film, Victor Mature means to marry her and get some means because he's the last descendant of a Union general who wanted one of his offspring to marry one of the Confederate heirs and bind the nation's wounds so to speak.
Mature is just a buck private, not quite like Abbott&Costello were, but still a buck private and a man with a way with the ladies. I think you can figure out where this one is going.
The film and its silly plot just serve as an excuse to showcase some radio shows and big bands and other assorted acts from the World War II era. Mature is found on a real popular radio program of the day that traced missing heirs and he also appears on Truth Or Consequences with Ralph Edwards. And Harold Peary makes an appearance as the Great Gildersleeve and unless you are familiar with that popular radio comedy you probably won't understand Peary and his significance in being in Seven Days Leave.
Singer Buddy Clark is in the film and when I saw his name in the credits I looked forward to hearing him. Sad his numbers probably wound up on RKO's cutting room floor. I'm sure that bothered him no end.
Seven Days Leave is one terribly dated World War II era film that folks not brought up in that culture will not really enjoy.
Le saviez-vous
- AnecdotesThis film was a hit at the box office, earning RKO a profit of $673,000 (over $12.6M in 2024) according to studio records.
- GaffesBetween the credits and two shots showing the hyphenated surname of Terry Havalok-Allen's family in print, there are three different spellings of the first half of the surname and two different spellings of the second half of the surname.
- Citations
Mickey Havalok-Allen: I never saw you kiss Ralph like that!
Terry Havalok-Allen: Like what?
Terry Havalok-Allen: Like you kissed Johnny. It was more like a transfusion!
- ConnexionsEdited from Swing Time (1936)
- Bandes originalesPlease Won't You Leave My Girl Alone
(1942)
Music by Jimmy McHugh
Lyrics by Frank Loesser
Played during the opening credits
Sung and danced by the soldiers in the barracks, including Victor Mature, Peter Lind Hayes and Arnold Stang
Reprised at he end by soldiers on the ship and civilians waving goodbye
Played often as part of the score
Meilleurs choix
Détails
- Date de sortie
- Pays d’origine
- Langue
- Aussi connu sous le nom de
- Sweet or Hot
- Lieux de tournage
- société de production
- Consultez plus de crédits d'entreprise sur IMDbPro
Box-office
- Budget
- 561 325 $ US (estimation)
- Durée1 heure 27 minutes
- Couleur
- Rapport de forme
- 1.37 : 1