Warner Bros. and the Homefront Collection – DVD Review

Film, Reviews



There was a time when Hollywood made an effort to entertain and support the troops with high-budget productions. They enlisted their A-List stars and major directors to create inspirational movies that put a song in their heart and reminded them what they were defending. They didn’t just slap together a quickie performance with B-list stars giving substandard comedy routines. During World War II, the stars put on a show as spectacular as themselves. Warner Bros. and the Homefront Collection is packed with tributes to the troops that will shock and awe fans of vintage cinema.

Irving Berlin’s This Is the Army (1943 – 125 minutes) was a major fundraiser for military relief during World War II. This Technicolor musical extravaganza takes us back to 1917 during the height of World War I. George Murphy is the toast of Broadway who gets his draft notice in the middle of his latest hit. It’s off to boot camp. Alan Hale (the father of Alan Hale Jr., the Skipper on Gilligan’s Island) is the drill sergeant. He’s got the problem of breaking these showbiz people into fighting machines. Murphy brings glamor to the glum of the base. He produces a Broadway musical starring his fellow troops. The goal being they will march off to war during the finale. They Huns will be their encore. There’s even a drag number. Today, these guys would be booted out of boot camp under “Don’t ask. Don’t tell.” Director Michael Curtiz and crew bring a dangerous edge to the trench warfare scenes. Kate Smith establishes herself as an icon by belting out “God Bless America.” At the outbreak of World War II, Murphy’s brother (Ronald Reagan) revives the production as a tribute to those who served with him and those that will answer the nation’s call for this new war to end all wars. In the middle of the revival, there’s a blackface number. Boxing great Joe Louis arrives with real black soldier performers afterward. He pounds the speed bag during the musical number. I’m going to guess they hid the blackface routine from Louis until the premiere. The finale includes a song from Irving Berlin. For a man who wrote so many memorable songs, he’s got an extremely forgettable singing voice. The chorus washes him off the soundtrack.

Thank Your Lucky Stars (1943 – 127 minutes) is about showbiz folks putting together an all-star musical revue for a wartime charity. This isn’t just about the stars. The storyline deals with struggling showbiz folks that work everyday for that big studio contract. They live in a community made from discarded movie sets. Eddie Cantor performs two roles as himself and a struggling actor who can’t land a real role because he looks like Eddie Cantor. There’s quite a few giant stars showing their hidden talent. Noir tough guy John Garfield turns “Blues in Night” into a criminal confession. Errol Flynn puts down the sword to cut up “That’s What You Jolly Well Get.” Humphrey Bogart gets roughed up by S.Z. Sakall, his Casablanca cohort. Hattie McDaniel (Gone with the Wind) blows away most of the performances with “Ice Cold Katie.” It’s a jumpin’ jazz number about a last minute marriage to a G.I. Always a great theatrical band is Spike Jones and His City Slickers ripping through “Hotcha Cornia” like a pack of comic Cossacks. Spike knew that a gun is a percussion instrument. Dinah Shore gets several musical moments as she’s the hot star in the film.

Hollywood Canteen (1944 – 124 minutes) lets us inside the legendary nightclub set up by the stars to entertain the troops during their stays in Los Angeles. The film kicks off deep in the South Pacific with mens stuck in the jungle. A soldier (Robert Hutton) fears his girlfriend has dumped him since she hadn’t written in 14 months. His only comfort is watching a movie in the pouring rain. He thinks his ex-love looked like Joan Leslie. After an off-camera injury, Hutton ends up rehabbing in the heart of Tinseltown. After a day of sightseeing, he gets directed to the legendary Hollywood Canteen in order to truly see the stars. There’s plenty of famous names dropping by to give G.I.s, sailors and marines a good time including Joan Crawford, Bette Davis, Barbara Stanwyck, Ida Lupino, Alan Hale, Eleanor Parker and John Garfield. Fans of Casablanca will get a kick out of Sydney Greenstreet, Paul Henreid and Peter Lorre popping up. The musical numbers are top notch. Garfield sets up Hutton with a kiss from Leslie, but it’s more than just a peck on the cheek.

We’ve been at war for nearly a decade. Yet there’s been nothing created that comes close to any of these three films. Why aren’t showbiz folks giving real comfort to the troops. The films don’t settle for a quickie variety show with lame jokes that were discarded from the People’s Choice Award ceremony. It’s a relief to experience three patriotic films that don’t have a single person singing that Lee Greenwood number. Warner Bros. and the Homefront Collection reminds us of a time when a major studio went all out to give relief to soldiers.

The video is 1.33:1 full frame. The transfers are excellent with little imperfections on the image. This Is the Army seems color timed to a sepia to make it a bit more nostalgic. The audio is Dolby Digital mono. The musical numbers have strong levels with no warble or scratches. This Is the Army has a commentary track from star Joan Leslie and historian Dr. Drew Casper. She shares quite a bit about the time and the production.

Edge of Darkness Trailer (2:15) shows how the Norwegian underground are fighting the Nazi soldiers. Errol Flynn leads them.

Newsreel (1:42) features “MacArthur’s Yanks Blast Salamuaua!” There’s no audio track to accompany great footage of the bombs falling from the planes.

The United States Army Band (8:40) lets us enjoy a selection of patriotic songs. The band marches in front of Lincoln Memorial. Most of the action is military newsreel footage.

Confusions of a Nutzy Spy (7:36) is a Looney Tunes cartoon directed by Norman McCabe. Porky Pig is the town cop. He has to hunt down a spying Lynx. Plenty of sight gags as Porky meets himself.

Warner at War (47:01) addresses how Jack Warner used his studio to aid the American effort in World War II. His green lighting of Confessions of a Nazi Spy set the tone for what the enemy what to do to us. Steven Spielberg narrates the documentary.

My British Buddy Outtake (2:16) has Irving Berlin sing a song that was inspired by his trip to England during the war.

This Is the Army Theatrical Trailer (2:45) declares, “It is the proudest moment in the history of Warner Bros. to announce the most important event in the history of entertainment: Irving Berlin’s ‘This Is the Army.'” Talk about hyping a musical film.

Watch the Rhine Trailer (2:12) promotes the fact that this is another masterpiece from the man who wrote Little Foxes. Bette Davis takes on the Nazis.

Newsreel (2:59) is of the actual Hollywood Canteen. This appears to be the raw camera negative since you can see the flashes from when the camera is turned on. There is no sound.

Food and Magic (9:22) is an Office of War production short about how you shouldn’t waste the heels of a bread loaf. You must conserve food during wartime.

Three Cheers for the Girls (16:23) reminds that the chorus girls in movies need a little love. They supplement the action with clips from Busby Berekley production numbers.

The United States Navy Band (9:53) is more patriotic tunes while watching how the navy is fighting for America’s freedom.

Falling Hare (8:28) is a Bugs Bunny cartoon directed by Bob Clampett. Bugs is stationed on a top secret U.S. Army Air Force base. He has to keep the gremlins from destroying our planes.

9/27/43 Lady Esther Screen Guild Theater Broadcast (29:14) is the radio version of the film. Eddie Cantor and Dinah Shore perform the best songs.

Thank Your Lucky Stars Trailer (2:13) links this production with Yankee Doodle Dandy. They swear we’ll be impressed with Errol Flynn dancing.

Hollywood Canteen Trailer (3:45) lets us know that all the stars will be there to entertain the troops.

Herr Meets Herr (7:15) is a Bugs Bunny cartoon directed by Friz Freleng. Bugs takes a wrong turn at Albuquerque on the way to Las Vegas. He ends up meeting Herman Goering in the Black Forest. Things get outrageous as Bugs spoofs Hitler.

Hollywood Canine Canteen (7:43) is a Merrie Melodies cartoon directed by Robert McKimson. The war effort go to the dogs. Dogs impersonate the stars. They put on the show for the fighting breeds.

The Doughgirls Trailer (2:32) has plenty of talented actresses singing their way into our military’s hearts. It promises a “riot of laughs.”

Newsreel (3:29) shows the troops on the move in Europe. The Americans capture Nazi officers.

I Am An American (16:00) is patriotic history lesson about why it’s great to be an American.

Proudly We Serve (17:55) was made with the U.S. Marine Corp. This is the touching story of a Marine pilot and the portrait of a woman that he takes into battle. It praises the women who train our fighting men.

Report From the Front (3:21) has Humphrey Bogart inform us of how the Red Cross needs our blood to give the injured fighting men. You get to see the third Mrs. Bogart.

Stage Door Cartoon (8:05) is a Bug Bunny cartoon directed by Friz Freleng. Elmer Fudd chases Bugs into a theater. They take their fight onto the stage. The audience thinks it’s part of the show. There’s no real wartime theme to the action.

Warner Bros. and the Homefront Collection is the perfect collection for people who enjoy wartime era music and movies. The Warner stars all came out for this trio films. The films were patriotic without being pure propaganda. Their primary goal of these movies was to entertain the troops. The numerous bonus features flesh out what Warners did during the early 1940s to support the war effort.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………


Warner Home Video presents The Homefront Collection. Starring Ronald Reagan, Irving Berlin, Kate Smith, Humphrey Bogart and Jack Benny. Boxset Contents: 3 Films on 3 DVDs. Released on DVD: November 11, 2008. Available at Amazon.

Joe Corey is the writer and director of "Danger! Health Films" currently streaming on Night Flight and Amazon Prime. He's the author of "The Seven Secrets of Great Walmart People Greeters." This is the last how to get a job book you'll ever need. He was Associate Producer of the documentary "Moving Midway." He's worked as local crew on several reality shows including Candid Camera, American's Most Wanted, Extreme Makeover Home Edition and ESPN's Gaters. He's been featured on The Today Show and CBS's 48 Hours. Dom DeLuise once said, "Joe, you look like an axe murderer." He was in charge of research and programming at the Moving Image Archive.