weezeralfalfa What? No plot? Sure it has a plot, mostly involving star Eddie Cantor in his dual roles as himself and Joe: the ex-Broadway acting city bus driver, the Dennis Morgan-Joan Leslie romantic duo, and the 'Cuddles' Sakal-Edward Everett Horton show producing duo. Very strangely, the last two aren't even included in the major players list at this site, whereas Bogart, who had one short minor scene with Sakal, is at the top of the list!!The film begins with Dinah Shore singing the title song, composed by the team of Frank Loesser and Arthur Schwartz, who composed the numerous additional novel songs. This was Dinah's first film role, she being cast as the primary female singer, with virtually no role in the dramatic scenes. No doubt , she achieved this status thanks to Cantor, who often included her on his radio shows in the early 40s, being groomed by Cantor to become a significant singing star. She has 2 additional songs, well separated from each other. She comes across much better than in the rather similar type of film "'Til the Clouds Roll By", perhaps because of the influence of Cantor. She is followed by a comedy routine by John Garfield and Cantor, in which Garfield attempts to sing(not very successfully) Dinah's recent hit "Blues in the Night" Actually, this routine is rather good, with Garfield playing a tough guy gangster, with Cantor his periodic victim.Next, we have Spike Jones and his inimical cutup band, initially alone, then backing up the primary male singer Dennis Morgan, who is nearly always in the company of girlfriend spunky Joan Leslie. ....After Cantor does a typical Cantor song : "We're Staying Home", relating to the war, Alan Hale and Jack Carson do a vaudevillian song/dance/ comedy routine to "Way up North", rather reminding me of the Bing Crosby/Bob Hope team in "Road to Utopia", filmed that same year, but not released for several years.Between bits of drama is the "Love Isn't Born, It's Made" number, featuring Anne Sheridan, surrounded by a female chorus group who look to be at a slumber party. Anne's sophisticated singing style is quite different from Dinah's. The last time I saw her in a film, she was chasing Frank Sinatra, as 'the other woman', in the musical "Step Lively". After additional songs by Morgan, and by Dinah, we have an all African American production, centered around the song "Ice Cold Katie, Why Don't You Marry the Soldier". Hattie McDaniel starts off the singing, but various others dominate the singing at times, in a crowded street scene, in which another actress plays Katie, and is encouraged to marry a scared -looking soldier(Willie Best), who doesn't say or sing anything. Charismatic AA actor Jesse Lee Brooks is the tall robust justice of the peace, who dominates the dialogue and singing at times. He previously played the preacher in the well-remembered AA church scene, in "Sullivan's Travels", and would die the year following the present film. This was certainly one of the highlights of the film. Warner's flag-waving revue of the previous year: This is the Army", had also featured one all AA musical-comedy production.The musical production featuring Errol Flynn I didn't think much of. Not Flynn's fault. This was followed by Betty Davis's performance of "They're either too old or too Young", in which she laments that all the potential appropriate men for her are overseas in the armed forces. This was much more focused than Flynn's number, and Betty was quite good.The last original musical production was meant to contribute to FDR's 'good neighbor policy' to try to keep Latin American countries from siding with the European fascists. Morgan serenades a Latin senorita with "Good Neighbor, Good Night" . Interspersed between his singing bouts, Alexis Smith, with several male dancers, entertain with a romantic dance. Alexis would become Flynn's most frequent romantic lead in his 40s films, after he said goodbye to Olivia de Havilland, who had a small dancing part in this show, with Ida Lupino. Alexis would be featured as Cole Porter's wife in the tribute to Porter's music : "Night and Day".The last of the film deals with Cantor's problem that his look-alike, Joe, has taken over his identity as a showman and stage producer, and he is in a mental hospital, slated for a lobotomy. The finale consists of brief reprises of the major musical productions, some with rather elaborate sets. Then, orchestra conductor Sakal is spooked when he sees that all his players have Cantor faces, some with fiendish grins, after Cantor has been whisked off for a lobotomy. Not clear if this is supposed to indicate that Joe has suddenly become more dominating than the obnoxiously dominating real Cantor, whom Sakal helped get rid of.Of the 3 Warner films released in '43-44 in the current Warner Homefront DVD set, this is clearly the most entertaining, overall. In part, this is because of the pervading presence of Cantor and Sakal. But, it's also because it's the least saturated with flag-waving and enlistment promotional innuendos, and has the most semblance of a fairly entertaining story to go along with the many musical and comedy productions.

richard.fuller1 Back in the dark ages of three networks (four if you count ETV with Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers) and before tivo, dvr and vcrs, a late movie was what you stayed up to watch, if you remained awake.Such was the case with Thank Your Lucky Stars. I remember other movies airing late at night on the local ABC network, such as James Cagney with that grapefruit, believe it or not, among others, but Thank Your Lucky Stars had the distinction of airing late Sunday night on the first day of summer vacation. I was about 11, making this '77 or so.I knew Dinah Shore from her daytime talk show and recognized Alan Hale Sr from his son's stint on Gilligan's Island, and I knew Errol Flynn from Robin Hood airing Sunday afternoons. Didn't realize that was Abner Kravitz from Bewitched at all tho.I would not see this movie again for over 30 years, with the intention of watching it on New Year's Eve, then a tornado took out the power, so I had to wait.Cantor absolutely amused me to no end. I thought he was brilliant in the dual role of a look-alike as well as himself who no one could stand. Maybe the Cantor resentment doesn't carry over today as well as disdain for Margaret Hamilton or Lionel Barrymore, but Cantor really got it in that mental hospital.For some reason, I remember Ann Sheridan's number. She's very lovely and I understand she was popular for her time, but she's hardly striking and that hairnet deal isn't appealing. Maybe that is why I remembered her; for that odd hairnet.Most astonishing for me, upon purchasing the movie on DVD, was seeing Hattie McDaniel's Ice Cold Katie number.Where I live, in the south, this number was cut, out of some odd feeling of being considerate now? Her reprisal with Cantor was kept in. I think it was removed because of MS native Willie Best's portrayal, now regarded as offensive.I'll always enjoy this movie (being a lot longer than I recalled) simply because it means no school the next morning, if nothing else.

Richard_vmt This is a Cavalcade of Stars ( the storyline production of which is the pretext for the show) an inside look at showbiz. which is all great. With Bogart and Garfield doing extemporaneous drama, it is every bit like a TV variety show. The effect is very modern and the talent all top notch. Edie Cantor, even after familiarity during the Fifties seems bizarre as ever. Cantor dances like a magician and/or juggler. When he starts clapping and dancing like a seal, it is really all him. Quite a display. And it could be said to be pretty much the Edie Cantor Show. The songs in this particular flick hold up really well. It is still entertaining and it is history as well.This film is a great little entertainer and carries you along all the way to The End in first class spirits. The War plays almost no part in the story.

Michael_Elliott Thank Your Lucky Stars (1943) *** (out of 4) Pretty much plot-less "musical" doesn't need a plot when you have guests stars that include Humphrey Bogart, Bette Davis, John Garfield, Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Jack Carson, Dinah Shore, Ann Sheridan, Dennis Morgan, Ida Lupino and many, many more. What plot the film does have centers around a benefit show where a couple new to Hollywood tries to get on to make a name for themselves. We also have Eddie Cantor playing not only himself but the role of another man trying to break into the business. If you want any type of story then you're going to be disappointed but if you come to a film like this wanting a story then I'm not sure what to tell you. One must remember that the country was at war when this was made and in the end the studio just wanted to deliver something fun and that's what they did. With so many great A-list stars you can't help but have fun even when they're either making fun of themselves or making a fool out of themselves by singing. Flynn and Davis are really bad to listen to but at least they both are having fun with it. Bogart has a funny bit as the "tough guy" who gets pushed around by a nobody. Bogart's reply to this is priceless. Garfield is also quite good as he's the first one to appear in the film and he gets it off to a great pace. Character actor Richard Lane also appears as a character and does fine work as does the rest of the supporting cast. Cantor really seems to be having a blast with some great songs as well as making fun of himself as a boob throughout. All in all, this is a very entertaining movie even if the 127-minute running time goes on a bit too long but there's no way to deny the charm of seeing all these stars in one film.