Series: Streamliner

Director: Kurt Neumann
Producer: Fred Guiol, Hal Roach
Screenplay: Eugene Conrad, Edward E. Seabrook
Photography: Robert Pittack
Editor: Richard Currier
Music: Edward Ward
Art director: Charles D. Hall
Sound: William Randall

Stars: William Tracy, Joe Sawyer, Robert Barrat, Jean Porter, Arthur Hunnicutt, Rebel Randall, Frank Faylen, Clyde Fillmore
Company: United Artists
Released: 05 March 1943
Length: 5 reels
Production No.: F-49
Filming dates:
Rating: 3/10


Fall In

Available on DVD:
 

At Camp Carver Sgt. Doubleday is selected as one of five candidates who is recommended for promotion to lieutenant, much to the annoyance of Sgt. Ames. Ames takes the matter up with Doubleday and manages to knock over all the chairs in the room in a domino effect when he is brought to attention by Captain Gillis (Frank Faylen in his fourth consecutive appearance in these films as a completely different character). Colonel Elliott is trying to dictate a letter to one of his staff when he forgets the content and calls for the Staff Officer's Manual to help him. No need: Sgt. Doubleday is there and recites the complete verse from memory to the astounded colonel. Outside Ames continues to bitch about how Doubleday keeps getting recognition over him. Ames and Doubleday are called in to the office to receive instructions from Captain Gillis on taking charge of some new recruits that have just arrived.
Sgt. Ames is not impressed by the lazy newcomers and so hands them over into Doubleday's care for him to deal with. The recruits get up and leave but Doubleday improvises to win them back by telling them he is from their part of the world - Kentuck(y), which wins them back. After they all get brutal haircuts the colonel does an inspection on the firing range and criticizes Ames for his aggressive approach to the men while praising Doubleday for his disciplined manner in training the hillbillies... I mean new recruits (no, actually I meant hillbillies) when Doubleday takes the initiative in getting his men to shoot at moving targets (model airplanes) as opposed to static paper targets. The colonel is so impressed he gives the instruction for all officers to adopt the same methods - beginning with Sgt. Ames, who again has his nose put out of joint by being upstaged by Doubleday.
The soldiers are granted temporary leave and head into town, with Doubleday on duty and telling his men to patrol the town and not to interfere with civilians. His girlfriend Joan (Jean Porter, who plays opposite him in the previous film, About Face) pulls up in a car and invites him to spend the day with her; while Ames is at the Benedict's house, which has been turned into a soldiers' recreational centre. Arnold Benedict and his niece Lydia greet the guests with courtesy but it is revealed they are in fact spies who have rigged their house with hidden microphones to pick up information from the soldiers' conversations. As Doubleday does his patrol of the streets he telephones Joan at the house where she suddenly sees the microphones hidden in the flowers and tells him. Unfortunately for her this is overheard by the spies and one of them attacks Joan. Her screams alert the officers in the next room who rush in and overpower the spy, which leads to a large brawl.
Joan does her best to assist, wielding a vacuum cleaner loaded with pepper as the soldiers fight the spies. The spies are finally apprehended when Doubleday leads his men to the house and take over proceedings. Doubleday and Ames form an unlikely partnership in rescuing Joan from the bad guys and taking out the lead spies with physical violence. Down in the basement a radio announcement comes through from the Nazis detailing their intentions for attack. This is overheard by Doubleday who memorizes it but he is knocked out by one of the spies. As the colonel rushes in he has his soldiers arrest the spies and Doubleday taken back to the camp doctor who informs the colonel that DOubleday has concussion and amnesia as a result of him being knocked over the head. Seizing the opportunity here, Ames bashes DOubleday over the head with a gavel and throws some water on his face, which brings him round. Doubleday suddenly remembers the information and Ames begins to type it up on a conveniently placed typewriter... despite his spelling mistakes which Doubleday is quick to point out. The end.

Favourite bit
Ames plays dominoes with the chairs.

Trivia
Copyrighted October 2, 1942.
Premiered November 20, 1942.
This was the fourth of six films to be released as part of the 'streamliner' series by the studio which featured William Tracy and Joe Sawyer in the lead roles. The other five were "Tanks A Million", "Hay Foot", "About Face", "Yanks Ahoy" and "Here Comes Trouble".
The opening shot of the film showing the entrance to Camp Carver is identical to the opening of "Hay Foot" and "About Face".
The title of the film is mentioned at 12m 50s by Sgt. Ames who is addressing a bunch of recruits who are lounging about.
On 26 minutes after Doubleday addresses the soldiers on the street, what are all those people looking at behind him? Mind your own business!!!
Towards the end of the film there is a scene where Joan and Lydia exchange face-slaps. I have to confess this shocked me! See here for screenshots.
My opinion
A really messy film with minimal plot which drags for the most part. After four films the Ames/Doubleday relationship is becoming stale and repetitive and the supporting characters are left just filling up time and space throughout the film with little to do. I tried hard to like these films but they just fail miserably. Worth a look if you are casual, but don't have high expactations.

William Tracy
Sgt. Dorian 'Dodo' Doubleday
Joe Sawyer
Sgt. William Ames
Robert Barrat
Colonel Elliott
Jean Porter
Joan
Arthur Hunnicutt
Luke Hatfield
Rebel Randall
Lydia Hummock
Frank Faylen
Captain Gillis
Clyde Fillmore
Arnold Benedict
Eddie Acuff
Sgt. Topps
Gino Corrado
Barber
George DeNormand
Nazi agent in brawl at piano
Joe Devlin
Sergeant
Tom Fadden
Zeb Hatfield
Jack Gardner
Soldier reminding Ames
Eddie Hall
Pete, soldier on rollerskates
Syd Saylor
Cigar store owner
Jack Kenney
Cigar store customer
Earle Hodgins
Cigar store customer
Jack Shea
Sergeant William Tasacoscowitz
Dick Wessel
Army barber
Nancy Brinckman
Blonde canteen girl
Lois James
Canteen girl
Rosemary La Planche
Canteen girl
Bob O'Conor
Gross, spy
Chet Brandenburg
Spy
Ian Keith
Army doctor
Gregory Gaye
Karl, Nazi wiretrapper
George Barrows
Nazi agent in brawl
Cap Somers
Nazi agent in brawl
Bud Geary
Nazi agent in brawl
Jack Stoney
Nazi agent in brawl
Kermit Maynard
Soldier
Lane Bradford
Military policeman
Richard Clayton
Soldier
Wheeler Oakman
Army officer
Douglas Spencer
Military policeman

UNIDENTIFIED CAST

CREDITS (click image to enlarge)

POSTERS
(click any image to enlarge)

LOBBY CARDS
(click any image to enlarge)


STILLS
(click any image to enlarge)

Acknowledgements:
Gene Sorkin (help)
David Kawals/ClassicFlix (supplying DVD for review)
Richard Finegan (3 stills and 3 lobby cards)
Jesse Brisson (identification of George Barrows, Cap Somers and Lois James)

This page was last updated on: 12 April 2020