The teenagers of the early 1940's were presented on screen for the most part as decent kids. Even those late 1930's thugs, the Dead End Kids, lightened up their image thanks to a desire of Hollywood studios to promote the all American attitude that made the fact that without fathers around and many mothers working in war plants, it was the teenage boys who had to step up to the plate to be men. Such is the case with Donald O'Connor in this patriotic musical where he has to tighten down on studying to better his chances of success when his father (Richard Dix) is called into active duty, leaving him to aide mom Lillian Gish and provide guidance to younger sister Peggy Warren while courting the classical singer (Susannah Foster) next door, eventually helping out in putting on a show to work part time and entertain war plant workers and the other locales affected by family members being off in service to the fight for freedom.
A combination of Andy Hardy style life lessons with the style that only Universal pictures could manage. Pathos are minimal but subtly present, with the focus on song and dance, which of course, O'Connor does a lot of, sprinkled with his comical antics, usually at the expense of sister Peggy. Anne Gwynne practically fades into the woodwork as the older sister, while Marcia Mae Jones is her typical snooty teen, playing a friend of Ryan's with an obvious crush on O'Connor, furious over his lack of interest in her. Ms. Gish is photographed and made up as if she was still doing silent films. The huge hearted Louise Beavers gets several great scenes as the good hearted maid who looks over the family as if it was her own. Ryan gets a good specialty, "Samba Sue", spoofing the craze for all things Latino. The camp Borrah Minovitch band also shows off their schtick. But all the success of this film rests on O'Connor's shoulders. .
A combination of Andy Hardy style life lessons with the style that only Universal pictures could manage. Pathos are minimal but subtly present, with the focus on song and dance, which of course, O'Connor does a lot of, sprinkled with his comical antics, usually at the expense of sister Peggy. Anne Gwynne practically fades into the woodwork as the older sister, while Marcia Mae Jones is her typical snooty teen, playing a friend of Ryan's with an obvious crush on O'Connor, furious over his lack of interest in her. Ms. Gish is photographed and made up as if she was still doing silent films. The huge hearted Louise Beavers gets several great scenes as the good hearted maid who looks over the family as if it was her own. Ryan gets a good specialty, "Samba Sue", spoofing the craze for all things Latino. The camp Borrah Minovitch band also shows off their schtick. But all the success of this film rests on O'Connor's shoulders. .