Call Me Mister
Betty Grable and Dan Dailey on a Call Me Mister lobby card.
Directed byLloyd Bacon
Written byAlbert E. Lewin
Burt Styler
Based onCall Me Mister
1946 musical
by Harold Rome
Arnold M. Auerbach
Produced byFred Kohlmar
StarringBetty Grable
Dan Dailey
CinematographyArthur E. Arling
Edited byLouis R. Loeffler
Music byLeigh Harline
Distributed byTwentieth Century-Fox
Release date
  • January 31, 1951 (1951-01-31) (New York City)
Running time
96 minutes
LanguageEnglish
Box office$2,175,000 (US rentals)[1][2]

Call Me Mister is a 1951 American Technicolor musical film released by Twentieth Century-Fox. The feature was directed by Lloyd Bacon and re-written from the 1946 Broadway play version by Albert E. Lewin and Burt Styler with music by Harold Rome that featured cast members from the US armed forces.

Call Me Mister was filmed in Technicolor, and starred Betty Grable and Dan Dailey and co-starred Danny Thomas with supporting players Dale Robertson, Benay Venuta, and Richard Boone. Only a couple Harold Rome numbers were kept in the film.[3]

Background

Screen version of the Broadway musical Call Me Mister was one of Grable's final "successful" films as her box-office power was beginning to diminish. This was also Grable's last film with Dan Dailey, with whom she co-starred in several of her previous films. Call Me Mister was a "moderate success" at the box-office.

The finale is a production number of "Love Is Back in Business" staged by Busby Berkeley, ending with four leading players on a precarious, high-rising disc surrounded by water fountains. Benay Venuta is replaced by a lookalike in the same clothes for this. Asked in the 1970s about it, she explained, "Betty Grable said, ‘I’m the star. I gotta do it.’ Dan Dailey was so drunk he didn’t care what he was doing. Danny Thomas said, ‘I’m on the way up. I gotta do it.’ Well, I didn’t gotta do it."

Plot

"Call Me Mister" is set in the aftermath of World War II, where American soldiers stationed in occupied Japan find themselves in need of entertainment. They are treated to a show organized by Sergeant Shep Dooley (played by Dan Dailey) and his former wife, the talented entertainer Kay Hudson (portrayed by Betty Grable).

The story unfolds as Shep and Kay, once a married couple and now separated, come together to put on a spirited performance for their fellow soldiers. Their show is filled with music, dance, and comedy, providing a much-needed respite from the challenges of post-war life.

Amidst the backdrop of Japan's occupied territory, the film explores themes of camaraderie, love, and the healing power of entertainment. As the soldiers enjoy the show, Kay and Shep's on-stage chemistry begins to rekindle old feelings, adding a layer of romantic tension to the story.

The plot also introduces other key characters, such as P.F.C. Stanley Poppoplis (played by Danny Thomas), Captain Johnny Comstock (portrayed by Dale Robertson), and Billie Barton (played by Benay Venuta), each contributing to the show and the overall atmosphere of the film.

Throughout "Call Me Mister," the audience is treated to a memorable soundtrack featuring songs like "Call Me Mister," "Japanese Girl Like 'Merican Boy," "I'm Gonna Love That Guy Like He's Never Been Loved Before," "Lament to the Pots and Pans," "Goin' Home Train," "I Just Can't Do Enough for You, Baby," "Military Life," and the grand production number, "Love is Back in Business."

As the film unfolds, it combines the power of music, dance, and laughter to remind the soldiers that life goes on, even in the face of adversity. "Call Me Mister" not only entertains but also serves as a heartwarming tribute to the resilience of the human spirit in the aftermath of war.


Cast

Soundtrack

  • Call Me Mister
    • Written by Harold Rome
    • Performed by chorus during credits
    • Reprised by Betty Grable and Dan Dailey
  • Japanese Girl Like 'Merican Boy
  • I'm Gonna Love That Guy Like He's Never Been Loved Before
    • Written by Frances Ash
    • Performed by Betty Grable and male chorus
  • Lament to the Pots and Pans
    • Written by Earl K. Brent
    • Lyrics by Jerry Seelen
    • Performed by Danny Thomas
  • Goin' Home Train
    • Written by Harold Rome
    • Performed by Bobby Short and male chorus
  • I Just Can't Do Enough for You, Baby
    • Written by Sammy Fain
    • Lyrics by Mack Gordon
    • Performed by Betty Grable and Dan Dailey
  • Military Life
    • Written by Harold Rome
    • Revised lyrics by Jerry Seelen
    • Performed by Danny Thomas
  • Love is Back in Business
    • Written by Sammy Fain
    • Lyrics by Mack Gordon
    • Performed by Betty Grable, Dan Dailey, Benay Venuta, and Danny Thomas

References

  1. ↑ 'The Top Box Office Hits of 1951', Variety, January 2, 1952
  2. ↑ Aubrey Solomon, Twentieth Century-Fox: A Corporate and Financial History Rowman & Littlefield, 2002 p 223
  3. ↑ "Call Me Mister - Original Broadway Cast | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic.
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