Anchors Aweigh, the classical musical comedy, starring Frank Sinatra, Kathryn Grayson, Gene Kelly – where two sailors fly in love while on shore leave …
Editorial review of Anchors Aweigh (1945) courtesy of Amazon.com
Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra teamed up for their first of three musical comedies in this frothy confection of sailors on leave in Hollywood, with gawky, shy young Sinatra tagging along with his worldly buddy Kelly, who promises to show him the ropes. Overlong at more than two hours, this meandering production is light on story, and more than a little sentimental, but full of first-rate entertainment. Sinatra croons “I Fall in Love Too Easily” and “What Makes the Sunset,” chirpy costar Kathryn Grayson sings “All of a Sudden My Heart Sings,” classical pianist Jose Iturbi provides a little highbrow interlude, and Gene Kelly dances with cartoon mouse Jerry (of Tom and Jerry fame) when not chasing dames.
Somewhere in the midst of this, little Dean Stockwell makes his film debut as a runaway orphan who melts the heart of self-centered Kelly. This big-budget Technicolor extravaganza, directed by MGM stalwart and musical specialist George Sidney (Show Boat, Kiss Me Kate), was one of the studio’s biggest hits in 1945. –Sean Axmaker
Movie quotes from Anchors Aweigh
Clarence Doolittle (Frank Sinatra): You saved my life,so you owe me something.
Joseph Brady (Gene Kelly): Oh, it was I who saved your life, so now I owe you something! Hey look, have you gone crazy?
Clarence Doolittle (Frank Sinatra): Look, I didn’t ask you to save my life, but you did. So now I feel you are responsible for me.
Joseph Brady (Gene Kelly): Well I don’t!
Clarence Doolittle (Frank Sinatra): Well, what’s the good of having a life saved when you can’t have any fun with it?
Songs
- Anchors Aweigh (1906) Music by Charles A. Zimmerman
- We Hate to Leave (1944) Music by Jule Styne, Lyrics by Sammy Cahn
- I Begged Her (1944) Lyrics by Sammy Cahn, Music by Jule Styne
- If You Knew Susie (1925) Music by Joseph Meyer, Lyrics by Buddy G. DeSylva
- Jealousy (Jalousie) (1925) Music by Jacob Gade, Lyrics by Vera Bloom
- What Makes the Sunset? (1944) Music by Jule Styne, Lyrics by Sammy Cahn
- (All of a Sudden) My Heart Sings, Music by Laurent Herpin, French lyrics by Jamblan, English lyrics by Harold Rome
- The Donkey Serenade (1923) Music by Rudolf Friml and Herbert Stothart
- The King Who Couldn’t Dance (The Worry Song) (1945) Music by Sammy Fain, Lyrics by Arthur Freed
- The Charm of You (1944) Music by Jule Styne, Lyrics by Sammy Cahn
- Jarabe Tapatío (The Mexican Hat Dance) (1933) Written by Felipe A. Partichela
- Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 (1847) Music by Franz Liszt
- I Fall In Love Too Easily (1944) Lyrics by Sammy Cahn, Music by Jule Styne
- La Cumparsita(1937) Music by Gerardo Matos Rodríguez
- Waltz from Serenade for Strings in C major, Op. 48 (1880) Music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Adapted by Earl K. Brent, Lyrics by Earl K. Brent
- Jesusita en Chihuahua (1916) Music by Quirino Mendoza
- El Relajo, Written by Jesús Castillón and L. Leyes
- Chiapanecas (While There’s Music There’s Romance) (The Celebrated Mexican ‘Clap Hands’ Song) (1938) English Lyric by Albert Gamse (1941)
- Largo al factotum della città(1816) from “Il barbiere di Siviglia”
- Cielito Lindo (Aye, Yi, Yi, Yi) (1882) Written by Quirino Mendoza
- Tonight We Love (1941) Music from “Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor, Op. 23” (1874-5), By Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Music adapted by Freddy Martin and Ray Austin, Lyrics by Bobby Worth
Cast of characters
- Frank Sinatra (High Society) … Clarence Doolittle
- Kathryn Grayson (Lovely to Look At) … Susan Abbott
- Gene Kelly (The Pirate) … Joseph Brady
- José Iturbi (Two Girls and a Sailor) … José Iturbi
- Dean Stockwell (Quantum Leap) … Donald Martin
- Pamela Britton (Watch the Birdie) … Girl from Brooklyn
- Rags Ragland (Whistling in the Dark) … Police Sergeant (as ‘Rags’ Ragland)
- Billy Gilbert (The Great Dictator) … Cafe Manager
- Henry O’Neill (The Story of Louis Pasteur) … Adm. Hammond
- Carlos Ramírez (Bathing Beauty) … Carlos
- Edgar Kennedy (Unfaithfully Yours, Duck Soup) … Police Captain
- Grady Sutton (The Bank Dick) … Bertram Kraler
- Leon Ames (Meet Me in St. Louis) … Admiral’s Aide
- Sharon McManus … Little Girl Beggar
- James Flavin … Radio Cop
- James Burke … Studio Cop
- Henry Armetta … Hamburger Man
- Chester Clute … Iturbi’s Assistant