Judging from the few prior reviews, I wasn't expecting too much from this film, but it turned out to be one of the most entertaining of the Don + Peggy series for me. I say that having just watched the more highly acclaimed "Mister Big", and having seem most of the series that don't include The Andrew Sisters. Like most of the Don + Peggy series, this is now viewable at You Tube. Like their "Johnny Comes Marching Home" of the previous year, this film has a strong patriotic element, emphasizing the naval air force. True, Don's father, played by Richard Dix, at age 50, is implausibly long in the tooth for a volunteer navy pilot! In fact, sister Peggy initially assumed it was Don, age 18, who was called for this service.
True, as another reviewer pointed out, Suzanna Foster, although only a year older than Don, and the same age as Peggy, seems much older and more sophisticated than either. Thus, she doesn't come across as a plausible girlfriend for Don. She starred in the status film of the year for Universal: "Phantom of the Opera". Thus, incorporation into this low budget B&W musical comedy seemed like quite a come down. She replaced Gloria Jean: several years younger than Don, in this series, as the 'good girl' operatic singing girlfriend for Don. She would play a similar role in "This is Your life", released the following year, alternating with a younger Ann Blyth in this series as Gloria's replacement. Of the 3, Suzzana had the most high powered voice, and could reach astronomical notes. She brings a sophisticated presence to an otherwise wisecracking and flag-waving-dominated film, basically similar to the 3-themed "When Johnny Comes Marching Home". All 3 of her songs were entertaining and well suited to her voice. Early in the film,at home, she sings "Wishing", attracting Don's attention as a new neighbor. Later, at a gathering, she sings probably Jurame(I'm not familiar with it), ending on a very high note, as usual. Then, in the finale extravaganza, she sings a gypsy song, presumably "Romany Life" and perhaps "Otchi Tchomiya"(Russian gypsy song), in a gypsy camp setting, followed by a clownish gypsy dance by Don, Peggy and others. This is arguably the performance highlight of the film, incorporating both sophisticated and clownish elements.This is not to slight the entertaining comedic elements by Don and Peggy, separately or together, nor the several harmonica or xylophone numbers by the Borrah Minevitch Rascals, nor the Count Bassie orchestra, nor the mellow rendition of "Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams". by the Bobby Brooks quartet. Bobby, as a solo in this group, had a very unusual soprano-like(falsetto) singing voice. This group also had a number in several other of the Don + Peggy series("Mister Big" and "This is the Life")
Richard Dix, as Don's father provides the line for the film title when he says to Don "From now on, you're the top man", meaning that since father was joining the navy, Don would have to take his place as the nominal head of the family(otherwise 4 women, including maid Louise Beavers). Part of the comedy relates to Don's attempts to do what his father normally would do as relates to the 3 women and boyfriends. Don's new responsibilities as top man of the house, along with his desire to impress his new girlfriend cause him to hit the books to greatly improve his grades, and ask about a possible after school job at the local military aircraft factory. Yes, the factory needs lots more workers to increase production. After some resistance, Don convinces many of the other guys and gals at his junior college into working there part time.Now, they feel they are doing their fair share in the war effort, while continuing their schooling. At the end of the show extravaganza, Mr. Fairchild gives a speech honoring Don, as the inspiration for the others, and his father follows with a flag-waving congratulatory speech.Don asks Suzanna to join him on stage as his original inspiration. Incidentally, the objection of a previous reviewer that 'children' were being hired to do men's work is not appropriate. These 'children' were attending a junior college, and the men were mostly draft-eligible.
Incidentally, Don and the others were attending Burlington Junior College. Fairchild Aircraft did have a plant in Burlington, N.C.. It produced only combat trainer aircraft. Mr. Fairchild was played by Sam Hinds, who played the school principal in the prior "Mister Big" film of the series. He didn't start in theatrical roles until his '50s, after going broke in the '29 crash, and thereafter had many roles, usually as an authority figure, befitting his prior station as a lawyer.
The story is more important in this film than in "Mister Big". Thus, Don and Peggy get fewer musical or comedy routines. Don has a mock-dance instructor comedy routine with Peggy asking wisecracking questions. Later, Peggy does one of her zany solo dance routines to "Samba Sue from Paducah". As part of the finale extravaganza, Don and Peggy have a great song and dance routine to "Git it. I'd like to see You Wit' it". It starts with their faces in a picture cutout, with them singing back and forth. They come out and do a vaudevillian-style clownish dance, including a couple of rag dummy dance partners. Great fun! In the latter part of the Gypsy scene, they join others in a clownish dance.
True, as another reviewer pointed out, Suzanna Foster, although only a year older than Don, and the same age as Peggy, seems much older and more sophisticated than either. Thus, she doesn't come across as a plausible girlfriend for Don. She starred in the status film of the year for Universal: "Phantom of the Opera". Thus, incorporation into this low budget B&W musical comedy seemed like quite a come down. She replaced Gloria Jean: several years younger than Don, in this series, as the 'good girl' operatic singing girlfriend for Don. She would play a similar role in "This is Your life", released the following year, alternating with a younger Ann Blyth in this series as Gloria's replacement. Of the 3, Suzzana had the most high powered voice, and could reach astronomical notes. She brings a sophisticated presence to an otherwise wisecracking and flag-waving-dominated film, basically similar to the 3-themed "When Johnny Comes Marching Home". All 3 of her songs were entertaining and well suited to her voice. Early in the film,at home, she sings "Wishing", attracting Don's attention as a new neighbor. Later, at a gathering, she sings probably Jurame(I'm not familiar with it), ending on a very high note, as usual. Then, in the finale extravaganza, she sings a gypsy song, presumably "Romany Life" and perhaps "Otchi Tchomiya"(Russian gypsy song), in a gypsy camp setting, followed by a clownish gypsy dance by Don, Peggy and others. This is arguably the performance highlight of the film, incorporating both sophisticated and clownish elements.This is not to slight the entertaining comedic elements by Don and Peggy, separately or together, nor the several harmonica or xylophone numbers by the Borrah Minevitch Rascals, nor the Count Bassie orchestra, nor the mellow rendition of "Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams". by the Bobby Brooks quartet. Bobby, as a solo in this group, had a very unusual soprano-like(falsetto) singing voice. This group also had a number in several other of the Don + Peggy series("Mister Big" and "This is the Life")
Richard Dix, as Don's father provides the line for the film title when he says to Don "From now on, you're the top man", meaning that since father was joining the navy, Don would have to take his place as the nominal head of the family(otherwise 4 women, including maid Louise Beavers). Part of the comedy relates to Don's attempts to do what his father normally would do as relates to the 3 women and boyfriends. Don's new responsibilities as top man of the house, along with his desire to impress his new girlfriend cause him to hit the books to greatly improve his grades, and ask about a possible after school job at the local military aircraft factory. Yes, the factory needs lots more workers to increase production. After some resistance, Don convinces many of the other guys and gals at his junior college into working there part time.Now, they feel they are doing their fair share in the war effort, while continuing their schooling. At the end of the show extravaganza, Mr. Fairchild gives a speech honoring Don, as the inspiration for the others, and his father follows with a flag-waving congratulatory speech.Don asks Suzanna to join him on stage as his original inspiration. Incidentally, the objection of a previous reviewer that 'children' were being hired to do men's work is not appropriate. These 'children' were attending a junior college, and the men were mostly draft-eligible.
Incidentally, Don and the others were attending Burlington Junior College. Fairchild Aircraft did have a plant in Burlington, N.C.. It produced only combat trainer aircraft. Mr. Fairchild was played by Sam Hinds, who played the school principal in the prior "Mister Big" film of the series. He didn't start in theatrical roles until his '50s, after going broke in the '29 crash, and thereafter had many roles, usually as an authority figure, befitting his prior station as a lawyer.
The story is more important in this film than in "Mister Big". Thus, Don and Peggy get fewer musical or comedy routines. Don has a mock-dance instructor comedy routine with Peggy asking wisecracking questions. Later, Peggy does one of her zany solo dance routines to "Samba Sue from Paducah". As part of the finale extravaganza, Don and Peggy have a great song and dance routine to "Git it. I'd like to see You Wit' it". It starts with their faces in a picture cutout, with them singing back and forth. They come out and do a vaudevillian-style clownish dance, including a couple of rag dummy dance partners. Great fun! In the latter part of the Gypsy scene, they join others in a clownish dance.