Reveille with Beverly (1943) starring Ann Miller
In Reveille with Beverly, a receptionist dreams of disc jockey stardom. She befriends a millionaire and his driver.
Review
In short, Reveille with Beverly is an excuse for a lot of very memorable musical numbers. It’s wrapped around the story of a young lady named Beverly who wants to become a disc jockey.
Beverly Ross (Ann Miller) runs the switchboard at a local radio station. Her not-very-secret desire is to be a radio personality. The blustery station owner (Tim Ryan) has no interest in the “jive music” that Beverly loves. He prefers the classics. With a little bit of manipulation, she sends the early-morning radio personality (Franklin Pangborn) away for a vacation. While he’s gone, she transforms his dull classical-music program into a jive session.
She invites suggestions and requests, and is swamped by mail from soldiers. She now devotes her show to the military, and the program becomes a success as “Reveille with Beverly.” Much of the film consists of musical numbers, each representing a song she’s playing. The thin story connecting the songs concerns itself with Beverly and Lewis vying for control of the show. This results in the running joke of Beverly constantly leaving and returning to her old job at a record store.
Conclusion
Reveille with Beverly is a fun, sweet, enjoyable, patriotic comedy. Ann Miller is nevery more likeable, and the music is fast and fun. Enjoy!
Songs in Reveille with Beverly
- One O’Clock Jump
- Written by Count Basie, Played by Count Basie and His Orchestra
- Take the ‘A’ Train
Written by Billy Strayhorn, Sung by Betty Roche with Duke Ellington and the Duke Ellington Orchestra
- Big Noise from Winnetka
- Music by Ray Bauduc and Bob Haggart, Lyrics by Ben Pollack and Bob Crosby, Played by Bob Crosby and his Orchestra with vocals by Lee Wilde, Lyn Wilde, and David Street
- Cow-Cow Boogie
- Written by Benny Carter, Gene de Paul, and Don Raye, Sung by Ella Mae Morse with Freddie Slack and His Orchestra
- Cielito Lindo
- Written by Quirino Mendoza, Adapted with English lyrics by Bill Driggs, Performed by The Mills Brothers
- Sweet Lucy Brown
- Thumbs Up and V for Victory
- Music by Ted Fio Rito, Lyrics by Paul Francis Webster, Sung and Danced by Ann Miller with chorus
- Night and Day
- Written by Cole Porter, Sung by Frank Sinatra
- Wabash Moon
- Written by Dave Dreyer and Morton Downey, Performed by The Radio Rogues
- When the Moon Comes Over the Mountain
- Music by Harry M. Woods, Lyrics by Howard Johnson, Performed by The Radio Rogues
Editorial review of Reveille with Beverly courtesy of Amazon.com
Beverly Ross moderates an 5:30 am radio show with swing music, dedicated to the local servicemen. Two buddies of her brother have a chance to meet her and both fall in love. One of them is a wealthy sponsor, the other used to be his chauffeur, but before she can decide, which of them she likes more, the soldiers have their marching orders and are away to their destination.