If you enjoy such WWII promotional movies as "Your Navy At Work Today" (hypothetical title), you will enjoy this movie. Otherwise, you probably won't.
There are only two things that raise it even slightly out of the muck: Nat Pendleton and the girl he is chasing, Una Merkel.
Nat Pendleton, of whom I am a fan and have enjoyed as the dumb cop in many other films, is funny here, but not given much to work with, even though his part is bigger than usual. Mostly he grumpily gives orders to the enlisted men. His "repartee" with Ted Healy is without exception annoying. In fact, the main idea of "comedy" in this movie seems to be sailors yelling at one another, something that happens again and again.
Una Merkel, who was wonderful in The Bank Dick (1940), is the other highlight, although she is quite different here from the sweet innocent she played in that film. Her rough, low-life character is not particularly likable (although it is very enjoyable to watch), and she has too little on-screen time to come anywhere near saving the film.
Robert Taylor, at the peak of his youthful handsomeness, doesn't do much except stand around looking macho and break up the sailors who are yelling at each other. His girlfriend, played by Jean Parker, is repulsive throughout. I couldn't imagine what he saw in her. Money, I guess.
Arthur Byron is also good as the captain, but it is barely more than a cameo role. He does manage to give the spoiled Jean Parker a good lecture, though.
Taylor doesn't solve the case. He literally stumbles on the perp, who, to my sorrow, turned out to be one of the only other likable characters in the film.
A few great wisecracks from John Hyams as a fed-up husband. He has the only line in the whole movie that made me laugh out loud.
All in all, not worth the time it takes to watch it.
There are only two things that raise it even slightly out of the muck: Nat Pendleton and the girl he is chasing, Una Merkel.
Nat Pendleton, of whom I am a fan and have enjoyed as the dumb cop in many other films, is funny here, but not given much to work with, even though his part is bigger than usual. Mostly he grumpily gives orders to the enlisted men. His "repartee" with Ted Healy is without exception annoying. In fact, the main idea of "comedy" in this movie seems to be sailors yelling at one another, something that happens again and again.
Una Merkel, who was wonderful in The Bank Dick (1940), is the other highlight, although she is quite different here from the sweet innocent she played in that film. Her rough, low-life character is not particularly likable (although it is very enjoyable to watch), and she has too little on-screen time to come anywhere near saving the film.
Robert Taylor, at the peak of his youthful handsomeness, doesn't do much except stand around looking macho and break up the sailors who are yelling at each other. His girlfriend, played by Jean Parker, is repulsive throughout. I couldn't imagine what he saw in her. Money, I guess.
Arthur Byron is also good as the captain, but it is barely more than a cameo role. He does manage to give the spoiled Jean Parker a good lecture, though.
Taylor doesn't solve the case. He literally stumbles on the perp, who, to my sorrow, turned out to be one of the only other likable characters in the film.
A few great wisecracks from John Hyams as a fed-up husband. He has the only line in the whole movie that made me laugh out loud.
All in all, not worth the time it takes to watch it.