Anchors Aweigh (1945)

Two sailors (Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra) on leave in Hollywood meet up with an aspiring singer (Kathryn Grayson of the heart shaped mouth) and her nephew (Dean Stockwell). In order to impress her, they tell her they've gotten her an audition with the conductor Jose Iturbi (as himself) which, in fact, they haven't. This typically bright and shiny Technicolor MGM musical has some verve and vigor when it isn't being bogged down by Grayson's high pitch shrill trills or some of the more maudlin sequences involving young Stockwell. Kelly (in his only Oscar nominated role) and Sinatra have a wonderful chemistry (they would go on to do two more films together), their song and dance duet I Begged Her is one of the film's several highlights including the classic Kelly dance with Jerry the animated mouse. Sinatra gets to introduce the standard I Fall In Love Too Easily and Grayson even manages to restrain from shrieking and does a lovely quiet rendition of All Of A Sudden My Heart Sings. The film passes the two hour mark which is way too long for a piece of fluff like this. Directed by George Sidney (BYE BYE BIRDIE). Also in the cast: Pamela Britton, Leon Ames and Rags Ragland.