FOR ME AND MY GAL

For Me and My Gal
MGM, 1942, B/W, 104 minutes, ***
Released November, 1942

A love story set against the backdrop of World War I. Jo Hayden (Judy Garland) is a vaudeville performer in Jimmy Metcalf's (George Murphy) troup, but when she meets "star" vaudevillian Harry Palmer (Gene Kelly in his first screen role), he offers to "hook up" with her for a double act. Although she finds him offensive at first, she accepts his proposal. Hayden and Palmer do well, and they are headed for the Palace when Harry gets his draft notice. The Palace has been such an obsession for such a long time that he intentionally injures himself to postpone the draft long enough that he can open at The Palace. Besides, Jo has agreed to marry him as soon as they play The Palace!

But before they can play the Palace, Jo's brother is killed in the war. When Jo finds out what Harry has done, she tells him she never wants to see him again. Harry wants to enlist to regain his honor, but his injury turns out to be more than he bargained for and he finds the army doesn't want him. So, he goes to France with the Y.M.C.A. to entertain the troops. He inadvertently gets involved in some action, and returns a hero just in time to see Jo playing The Palace. A joyful reunion brings them back together again onstage.

Previews of the film found audiences hissing Gene Kelly! So MGM withdrew the film and softened Harry's part some before final release. Even so, his performance as a selfish, egotistical actor was so convincing that it actually took audiences some time to accept him as a new Hollywood star.

Musical highlights include "For Me and My Gal," sung and danced by Judy and Gene; "Ballin' the Jack," sung and danced by Judy and Gene; and Judy's hearfelt "After You've Gone" and energetic "How Ya Gonna Keep 'Em Down on the Farm?" Good film!

"There is a chapter in American history which has never been amply recorded. It embraces one of America's greatest loves -- that part of show business called "Vaudeville" ... The Clown with the baggy pants, the man in the high hat, the lady who sang, and the rabbit who disappeared -- to them this picture is fondly dedicated."

The story begins in Clifton Junction, Iowa, 1916

Produced by: Arthur Freed
Directed by: Busby Berkeley
Screen Play by: Richard Sherman, Fred Finklehoffe, and Sid Silvers
Original Story by: Howard Emmett Rogers ("The Big Time")
Song: "For Me and My Gal" (by) George W. Meyer, Edgar Leslie, E. Ray Goetz
Musical Adaptation: Roger Edens
Music Direction: Georgie Stoll
Vocals and Orchestrations: Conrad Salinger, George Bassman, Leo Arnaud
Musical Presentation: Merrill Pye
Dance Direction: Bobby Connolly
Art Director: Cedric Gibbons
Associate: Gabriel Scognamillo
Set Decorations: Edwin B. Willis
Associate: Keogh Gleason
Gowns by: Kalloch
Men's Costumes by: Gile Steele
Make-Up Created by: Jack Dawn
Recording Director: Douglas Shearer
Director of Photography: William Daniels
Film Editor: Ben Lewis

Awards: Academy Award nomination for Best Score - Musical (Roger Edens and George Stoll)

Cast: Judy Garland (Jo Hayden), George Murphy (Jimmy K. Metcalfe), Gene Kelly (Harry Palmer), Marta Eggerth (Eve Minard), Ben Blue (Sid Simms), Richard Quine (Danny Hayden), Keenan Wynn (Eddie Melton), Horace (Stephen) McNally (Mr. Waring), Lucille Norman (Lily Duncan), Betty Welles, Anne Rooney (members of Jimmy's company), Ben Lessey (Dough Boy Dan), Six Hits and a Miss, The King's Men, The Sportsmen (vocals)

Musical Program: [0:00] Main Title: "For Me and My Gal" (played by Orchestra behind titles); [0:05] Vaudeville Routine (Harry Palmer's Act) (danced by Gene Kelly dressed as a clown); [0:07] The Doll Shop (performed by George Murphy and Lucille Norman) / Oh You Beautiful Doll (sung by George Murphy) / Don't Leave Me Daddy (excerpt sung by Judy Garland) / Oh You Beautiful Doll (sung by George Murphy, danced by George Murphy and Judy Garland); [0:11] Sailor's Hornpipe (danced by Ben Blue); [0:12] By the Beautiful Sea (sung and danced by George Murphy, Judy Garland, Ben Blue, Chorus Girls and the MGM Studio Chorus off-screen); [0:20] For Me and My Gal (sung and danced by Judy Garland and Gene Kelly); [0:30] When You Wore a Tulip (And I Wore a Big Red Rose) (excerpt sung and danced by Judy Garland and Gene Kelly, part of travel montage); [0:37] Do I Love You? (sung by Marta Eggerth); [0:44] After You've Gone (sung by Judy Garland); [1:03] Tell Me (sung by Lucille Norman and The Sportsmen, danced by night club patrons); [1:05] Till We Meet Again (sung by Lucille Norman and night club patrons [Chorus] and a bit by Judy Garland); [1:06] We Don't Want the Bacon, What We Want Is a Piece of the Rhine (excerpt sung by Ben Lessey); [1:07] Ballin' the Jack (sung and danced by Gene Kelly and Judy Garland); [1:22] What Are You Going to Do About the Boys? (sung by Ben Blue and The King's Men); [1:25] How Ya Gonna Keep 'em Down on the Farm (sung by Judy Garland and Chorus); [1:30] There's a Long, Long Trail (sung in background by The King's Men and the MGM Studio Chorus); [1:33] Where Do We Go from Here? (sung by Judy Garland, The King's Men and the MGM Studio Chorus); [1:34] Y.M.C.A. Montage: Over There (excerpt played by the MGM Studio Chorus) / It's a Long Long Way to Tipperary (excerpt sung by Judy Garland) / Goodbye Broadway, Hello France (sung by the MGM Studio Chorus, danced by Ben Blue and Gene Kelly) / Yankee Doodle (excerpt played by Orchestra) / Smiles (excerpt sung by Judy Garland) / Hinky Dinky Parlay Voo (excerpt sung by MGM Studio Chorus) / Oh, Frenchy (excerpt sung and danced by Gene Kelly and Ben Blue) / Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag and Smile, Smile, Smile (excerpt sung by Judy Garland); [1:41] Finale: When Johnny Comes Marching Home (excerpt sung by Judy Garland and the MGM Studio Chorus) / For Me and My Gal (excerpt sung by Judy Garland, Gene Kelly and the MGM Studio Chorus); Don't Bite the Hand That's Feeding You (Outtake: sung by Judy Garland, Abe Dinovitch and Maude Erickson)