During World War Two: 1941 Movie Recs

1941 has always seemed like the calm before the storm to me in terms of how the war was playing out, at least for America, which was rather insulated. Europe was mostly taken over by the Nazis, Japan was greedily eyeing the various parts of Asia, and Hitler stupidly decided to invade Russia in Operation Barbarossa.

In America we were living our lives and wondering when we would have to join the fight, if we ever did. In the meantime, though, we were enjoying ourselves, watching the turbulent 1930s fade into the background. And of course, there were tons of great films coming out of Hollywood.

I honestly had trouble deciding what to recommend from this year because there are so many good ones (my list originally had twenty-four movies on it), but after some deep cuts this listicle came down to twelve. Hope you enjoy…

Ball of Fire (January 9)

A group of extremely straightlaced encyclopedia writers have been working on their project for years, and one of the only things they’re missing is a section about modern pop culture, especially slang and music. There’s nothing else to do but venture out and take in the sights. Well, Who knew that would mean Professor Bertram Potts, the youngest and handsomest of the group, natch, would meet Sugarpuss O’Shea, a sassy chanteause with some rather unsavory connections.

Buck Privates (January 31)

OK, so this movie does get pretty dumb sometimes, but it’s also a riot, and a very timely one at that, as America’s young men were now contemplating the possibility of being drafted. If going into the Army includes charming camp hostesses like the Andrews Sisters, it might not be so bad at that. This movie includes the classic Andrews Sisters standards, “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B,” and “In Apple Blossom Time.” Read my review here.

Andy Hardy’s Private Secretary (February 21)

Andy is about to graduate from high school, and he’s frightfully busy. There’s the school play to get up, and the graduation ceremonies to plan, not to mention all the various mixers, and Andy is spread so thin he’s in danger of flunking English. Naturally, not all is lost, but getting to the finish line will take some work. This movie costars a very young Kathryn Grayson and Todd Karns, the latter of whom is best known for playing Harry Bailey in It’s A Wonderful Life. Read my review here.

Ziegfeld Girl (April 12)

This sumptuous film is both a sweeping tribute to the Ziegfeld Follies during their heyday and the story of three of its players, all of whom have different trajectories for their lives and different goals. It was the second time Judy Garland and Lana Turner worked together and the only time Hedy Lamarr and Judy were costars. It must have been a dream come true for costumer Adrian, who clearly let his imagination go wild. Read my review here.

Moon Over Miami (July 4)

One of my favorite Betty Grable films, Moon Over Miami is about two sisters and their aunt who go to Florida in an attempt to marry rich. Betty Grable as Kay Latimer finds two guys vying for her, and it’s touch-and-go who will ultimately get picked. Will Kay marry for love or for wallet fatness? Yeah, this movie is a lot of fun, and was filmed in the former Cypress Gardens, which is part of today’s Legoland Florida. Read my review here.

The Bride Came C.O.D. (July 12)

One of two movies James Cagney and Bette Davis costarred in, Bride is an hilarious film about a pilot who’s contracted to keep a woman from marrying her fiancee, so he crash-lands in a ghost town. It’s incredibly fun and cute, and one of the things I loved about it as a kid was that it was set in a ghost town. I first saw the film after visiting Bodie, so Bride hit all the right spots. Read my review here.

The Little Foxes (August 29)

1941 was a busy year for Ms. Davis, who also starred in The Little Foxes with Theresa Wright and Herbert Marshall. This story, which is about an old money Southern family and its various toxicities, is not only full of biting wit and great performances, but a lot of the scenes are set up so that we can see as many reactions from the cast as possible all at the same time. It sets up a unique intensity for both the actors and us as the audience. Read my review here.

Citizen Kane (September 5)

No 1941 rec list would be complete without this cultural juggernaut and film class staple, and Charles Foster Kane needs no introduction. Among the remarkable things about this film is that Orson Welles was only twenty-four when he directed it, he broke his ankle during filming, and the proceedings were kept so hush-hush that whenever anyone from the head office would visit Welles had the cast and crew play catch. Read more about the film here.

Sergeant York (September 27)

An excellent biopic of Alvin C. York, this classic film follows York’s journey from a wild, whiskey-swilling rapscallion to a devout Christian who has to decide how to reconcile his love for God and love of country in the midst of the First World War. Naturally, he ends up surprising everyone, including himself. This film is wonderfully rousing and satisfying, with great performances by Gary Cooper, Joan Leslie, Walter Brennan, and George Tobias, as well as other familiar Warner Bros. faces.

Week-End In Havana (October 17)

The idea of jetting off to Cuba for a weekend seems so odd in our post-Castro world but once upon a time people used to do it, and when Nan’s trip gets upended by a ship that’s run aground, she demands first class accomodations in Cuba or she’ll rat out the transit company (She saw the captain engaging in some funny business as the ship ran aground). While Havana might be very dated, it’s also very charming and Alice Faye is delightful. Read my review here.

The Maltese Falcon (October 18)

The man, the myth, the legend, Sam Spade in one of the greatest film noirs of all time. I’m not going to say much about it because I don’t want to ruin it for anyone who hasn’t seen the movie. It’s really that good. On a side note, one of the many falcons made for the film is currently owned by Steven Spielberg.

Babes On Broadway (December 31)

Judy and Mickey’s new opus was quite a way to end 1941. The attack on Pearl Harbor had taken place on December seventh, we entered the Second World War on December eighth, and there was a lot of shakiness, uncertainty, and grim resolution in the air. The film is a rollicking celebration of American culture, with a hoe down and Carmen Miranda (played by Mickey Rooney), a tribute to great American performers and a look at everyday pleasures. It also told our British neighbors, who had been fighting for two years, “Chin up! Cheerio! Carry on!”

As it turned out, we would need that reminder ourselves. Read more about the film here.

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What will 1942 bring? We’ll find out–I’m not sure what’s going to be on the list yet, either. Thanks for reading, all, and I hope to see you Friday for the Seventh So Bad It’s Good Blogathon…

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Ball of Fire (DVD), Buck Privates (DVD and Blu-ray), Andy Hardy’s Private Secretary (DVD), Ziegfeld Girl (DVD and Blu-ray), Moon Over Miami (DVD), The Bride Came C.O.D. (DVD), The Little Foxes (DVD and streaming), Citizen Kane (DVD and Blu-ray), Sergeant York (DVD and Blu-ray), Week-End In Havana (DVD), The Maltese Falcon (DVD and Blu-ray), and Babes On Broadway (DVD) are available to own from Amazon.

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