Up In Arms (1944)

A hypochondriac (Danny Kaye) is drafted into the U.S. Army during WWII along with his best friend (Dana Andrews). But what he doesn't know is that the girl (Constance Dowling) he wants to marry is in love with his best friend, not him. Directed by Elliott Nugent (THE CAT AND THE CANARY), this was Danny Kaye's feature film debut and it's one of his weaker vehicles. The romantic subplots, which includes Dinah Shore as a nurse in love with Kaye, are rather tedious and drag the film down. Still, there are frequent episodes of hilarity as when George Mathews mistakes Danny for Veronica Lake. The film also contains several musical numbers which allow Kaye to do his amusing patter specialties but the musical highlight of the movie is a jive duet with Kaye and Dinah Shore! But the film served its purpose in introducing Kaye to movies where he rapidly became an international favorite. With Louis Calhern, Virginia Mayo (who would become Kaye's leading lady in his next film), Elisha Cook Jr, Margaret Dumont and Lyle Talbot.