It’s no secret that the Hollywood Comet loves musicals.
In 2010, I revealed I had seen 400 movie musicals over the course of eight years. Now that number is over 600. To celebrate and share this musical love, here is my weekly feature about musicals.

This week’s musical:
Swingtime Johnny (1943) – Musical #789

Studio:
Universal Pictures

Director:
Edward F. Cline

Starring:
Harriet Nelson (billed as Harriet Hilliard), Patty Andrews, Maxene Andrews, Laverne Andrews, Peter Cookson, Tim Ryan, Matt Willis, William “Bill” Phillips, Tom Dugan, Ray Walker
Themselves: Mitch Ayres and His Orchestra

Plot:
Jonathan Chadwick (Cookson) is the owner of a pipe organ plant. Due to wartime conditions, the plant is converted into a munitions plant. Nightclub singers, Linda (Hilliard-Nelson) and the Andrews Sisters (themselves) leave their jobs at the club to help the war effort and work at the factory. Linda becomes Jonathan’s secretary, and the two become friendly. When the plant is threatened to close, Linda realizes someone is taking advantage of Jonathan.

Trivia:
• Premiered in New York City on Dec. 16, 1943, but did not have a broad release until Feb. 4, 1944.
• Working title was “Swingtime for Johnny.”
• The Andrew Sisters’ third film.
• First of three feature films of bandleader Mitch Ayres and His Orchestra.
• Peter Cookson’s first film.

Highlights:
• When the Andrew Sisters start singing “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy,” and someone says, “Every time three dames get together, they think they’re the Andrews Sisters.”

Notable Songs:
• “Sweet and Low” performed by Harriet Hilliard Nelson
• “I May Be Wrong, But I Think You’re Wonderful” performed by the Andrews Sisters
• “Boogie Woogie Choo Choo Train” performed by the Andrew Sisters
• “When You and I Were Young, Maggie” performed by the Andrews Sisters and Mitch Ayres and His Orchestra
• “You Better Give Me Lots of Lovin’” performed by the Andrew Sisters and Mitch Ayres and His Orchestra

My review:
If you have been following this blog for any length of time, you likely have figured out that I enjoy a World War II-era musical, especially if it includes big band music. Even better if the characters are working in a munitions factory!

While things in real life during this era were grim, these movies always seem to put a positive twist on a bad situation and end up being lots of fun. This week’s Musical Monday, SWINGTIME JOHNNY (1943).

Before I get into the review, I did have to wonder—I felt the title to the film should be Swing Shift Johnny, since they were in a factory, but I digress.

Nightclub singers, Linda (Hilliard-Nelson), Mitch Ayres and his Orchestra, and the Andrews Sisters (themselves) leave their jobs singing at a nightclub to help the war effort and work at a munitions factory. The factory was previously a pipe organ plant, run by Jonathan Chadwick (Cookson), and now the plant has been retrofitted because of the war. Linda becomes Jonathan’s secretary, and the two become friendly. When the plant is threatened to close, Linda realizes someone is taking advantage of Jonathan.

This is a brisk 61 minute film and it’s a lot of fun. Most people today know Harriet Hilliard as Harriet Nelson, wife of Ozzie Nelson, and mother of David and Ricky, who all appeared on the homespun family show, “Ozzie and Harriet.” I always enjoy seeing Harriet in 1930s and 1940s films, because the characters she played are much different than what she played on television.

For example, this film begins with Harriet Hilliard Nelson performing a burlesque-like humorous number where she loses her clothes throughout the number. Not exactly the same thing you’d see on “Ozzie and Harriet”!

This film also serves as a vehicle for the singing sister trio, The Andrew Sisters, and as always, they are a highlight. They don’t just sing great toe-tapping tunes, they have several comedic moments. The best part is when the sisters, playing themselves, decide to sing in the street to “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy.” A store owner stops them from singing and says, “Every time three dames get together, they think they’re the Andrews Sisters.” It’s quite funny.

Prior to this film, I wasn’t familiar with Peter Cookson. He’s a bit bland, but it works for his “stuffed-shirt” role, so he’s perfectly adequate in this film.

Overall, this brief, fun film is worth seeing. In order to see it, I had to buy it from as a homemade DVR.

Check out the Comet Over Hollywood Facebook page, follow on Twitter at @HollywoodComet, follow on Instagram or e-mail at cometoverhollywood@gmail.com