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When Johnny Comes Marching Home
Universal Pictures
Released: December 24, 1942
Runtime: 74 minutes
This is Allan’s second war-musical. The plot is simple and somewhat similar to that of “Sing a Jingle,” but it showcases some amazing talent with Phil Spitalny and His All-Girl Orchestra, and Evelyn and Her Magic Violin.
Johnny Kovacs is a famous war hero who is returning home on leave for 10 days. What Johnny would like most is to spend his leave peacefully, away from the crowds and his eager lady admirer Diana Wellman (who thinks they’re engaged). His plant is to return to a performing arts boarding house he used to live in before going to war. He talks to Lt. Tommy Bridges about his plan, explaining that he used to sing with a band as the Irish Tenor. The Lt. is kind and makes it a military secret of his whereabouts…
Ironically, he is not worried about people recognizing his face, and simply changes his name to Johnny O’Rourke (his pre-war hero name) and changes out of his uniform to hide his identity. His old friends Ma Flanagan, Frankie Flanagan, and Dusty are thrilled to see him. Frankie is a talented tap dancer and Dusty is the outgoing, comical type of girl. Frankie introduces Johnny to Marilyn Benton, an aspiring singer. She is star-struck and simply honored to meet the Johnny O’Rourke. Next, much to Johnny’s attention, Marilyn’s older sister Joyce walks in. She is a bit on the strict side and reprimands her sister for straying from her voice studies. She also takes it that Johnny is the source of her distraction. As she leaves, Frankie, Dusty, and Marilyn offer to rehearse a little song and dance number for Johnny. Frankie takes the piano, and the two girls sing on each side. The number is “One of Us Has Gotta Go,” and provides a charming routine for the talented youngsters. Meanwhile, a manager of a show is angry that Johnny isn’t appearing for a bunch of social events and threatens to call the police, but Lt. Bridges keeps his secret.
That evening, Johnny, Frankie, and Marilyn go to the club where he used to sing with the band. Now that all of the men are off to war, the orchestra leader, Spitalny, has his All-Girl Band. They are play just as well, with a hot drummer, two pianists, trombones, trumpets, violins, and everything. Afterwards, Evelyn gives an amazing performance on her magic violin. As they finish, Joyce, a singer at the club, comes onstage and sings, “This is It.” Spotting Johnny, she takes him onstage, and he sings with her. Later at the boarding house, one of the pianists from the All Girl Band accompanies Marilyn singing to “Green Eyes.”
The same day the army calls the boarding house, asking where he is. Marilyn and Frankie begin grow suspicious and end up believing he is a deserter. They decide to see if they can convince him to turn himself in by making him brave. They go to the club where Joyce is performing with an all-girl chorus and lead singer. They sing, “This is Worth Fighting For.” Johnny is there to see Joyce, just when they give him a little speech about how he should stop being afraid because they will stand by him, and how he should show Joyce that he’s a man. Johnny, who is pursuing Joyce (who has been ignoring him), assumes that they are talking about how he should handle his feelings for her. So, he thanks them for their advice, confidently walks into Joyce’s room, and gives her a big kiss. She smiles at him, but then quickly realizes what he did, and slams the door in his face. Marilyn talks to Joyce and explains what they believe about Johnny. That night, everyone is on the rooftop enjoying the moonlit sky. Evelyn begins to play, “You and the Night and the Music.” Soon, Johnny is singing, along with Joyce and Marilyn. Joyce then tries to convince Johnny to turn himself in. He is angry that they would think that and have no faith in him.
Frankie, now desperate to do something about Johnny, calls the manager who is producing a major army relief benefit. Knowing that there will be a bunch of army generals there, Frankie makes a deal with him. If he and the girls can do a number, he can produce Johnny. This is the same manager who has been looking for him, and assumes it’s the right Johnny, so he agrees. Frankie can’t help himself and breaks down about his plan when he brings up the show with Johnny. Johnny plays along and acts out like he should do his duty and turn himself in. But, to test Joyce’s feelings for him, he asks Frankie if she would try to stop them from taking him away. Well, it turns out that she does.
Arriving at the benefit, Johnny is singing, “My Little Dream Girl.” Afterwards, Lt. Bridges and Diane meet with him to exchange a few words, and Joyce comes running up between them. She tells Johnny that she loves him and won’t let them take him away. He explains to her, Marilyn and Frankie that he is Johnny Kovacs. They are all surprised but angry that he lied. Frankie, Marilyn, and Dusty do another song/dance number, “Say It With Dancing,” while Johnny sings the finale song, “The Yanks Are Coming” with a dance number by the Step Brothers. The all girl chorus comes in to sing, “We Must Be Vigilant.” Johnny then picks up the finale song again, and soon enough, everyone is marching along, and then it merges into a montage of real-life soldiers, planes, marines, etc. It returns to Johnny and Joyce (who have made up, Diane out of the way) leading the march for the grand finale.
Credits
Director…Charles Lamont
Producer…Bernard W. Burton
Writers…Dorothy Bennett, Oscar Brodney
Cinematography…George Robinson
Film Editing…Charles Maynard
Art Direction…John B. Goodman
Choreographer…Louis Da Pron
Music Director…Charles Previn
Original Music…Ted Cain
Cast
Allan Jones…Johnny Kovacs/O’Rourke
Jane Frazee…Joyce Benton
Gloria Jean…Marilyn Benton
Donald O’Connor…Frankie Flanagan
Peggy Ryan…Dusty
Richard Davies…Lt. Tommy Bridges
Clyde Fillmore…Hamilton Wellman
Marla Shelton…Diana Wellman
Olin Howard…Trullers
Emma Dunn…Ma (Norah) Flanagan
Four Step Brothers:
Maceo Anderson
Freddy James
Sylvester Johnson
Al Williams
Phil Spitalny…Himself
Phil Spitalny and His All-Girl Orchestra…themselves
Evelyn Silverstone…Herself, as Evelyn and Her Magic Violin
Soundtrack
• “You and the Night and Music”
o Sung by Allan Jones, Jane Frazee, Gloria Jean, violin accompaniment by Evelyn Silverstone
o Written by Howard Dietz, Arthur Schwartz
• “My Little Dream Girl”
o Sung by Allan Jones
o Music: Anatol Friedland
o Lyrics: L Wolfe Gilbert
• “Romance”
o Recorded by Allan Jones and Gloria Jean but not included in film
o Music: Walter Donaldson
o Lyrics: Edgar Leslie
• “Say It With Dancing”
o Sung/Danced by Gloria Jean, Donald O’ Connor, Peggy Ryan
o Written by: Don Raye, Gene de Paul
• “This is It”
o Sung by Allan Jones, Jane Frazee
o Written by Don Raye, Gene de Paul
• “Green Eyes”
o Sung by Gloria Jean, accompanied by All Girl Band pianist
o Written by Adolfo Utera and Nilo Menendez
• “One of Us Has Gotta Go”
o Sung by Donald O’ Connor, Gloria Jean, Peggy Ryan
o Written by Inez James, Buddy Pepper
• “This is Worth Fighting For”
o Sung by the All-Girl Chorus, Jane Frazee
o Music: -
o Lyrics: -
• “We Must Be Vigilant” (adapted from F.W. Meacham’s “American Patrol”)
o Performed by the All-Girl Chorus
o Music: adapted by Joseph A. Burke
o Lyrics: Edgar Leslie
• “The Yanks are Coming”
o Sung by Allan Jones, Jane Frazee, Gloria Jean, Donald O’ connor, Peggy Ryan, All Girl Chorus, and performed by Phil Spitalny and his All-Girl Orchestra
o Written by Harry Seymour