Give Me a Sailor (1938) User Reviews

Screwball farce finds Raye dominating proceedings.

[hitchcockthelegend · 6/10 · 30 May 2012]

Jim (Bob Hope) and Walter (Jack Whiting) are two brother sailors in the United States Navy. Walter plans to marry Nancy Larkin (Betty Grable) as soon as they get home, a problem since Jim is also in love with Nancy. So Jim hatches a plan with Nancy's more "low key" sister, Letty (Raye) to help break Walter and Nancy up. Letty agrees, only under one condition, he help her to win Walter!

And so it unfolds, a series of scattergun dialogue and scenes as Hope and Raye get into all sorts of scrapes whilst trying to alter the trajectory of Cupid's arrow. There's no prizes for guessing where that arrow will land, but in the main there's decent comedy and good comedy performances to take the picture into safe waters. An early picture for Hope, one just before he would make it big and entertain the masses with some distinction, it's actually Raye who owns the picture (she is top billed after all). Raye and Hope were paired together a number of times, their chemistry is set in stone, they worked well as a duo and played off of each other with enjoyable aplomb. As with some other screwball movies, this one comes close to overdoing it, not letting the comedy flow naturally, given over to histrionics instead of genuine character interactions. But it never sinks below average, has some truly funny scenes (Raye trying to hide under a mattress is a great moment) and the outcome puts the smile firmly on the face. 6.5/10

Pleasant characters, some good scenes

[csteidler · 6/10 · 29 February 2012]

Martha Raye and Betty Grable are sisters. Martha can cook like nobody's business; Betty mainly just wants to go dancing, and is not above stealing Martha's new dress if she thinks she will look better in it.

Meanwhile, out at sea, Bob Hope and Jack Whiting are brother sailors on their way into port to visit the sisters. It's a bit tangled but soon becomes clear that while both of the sisters have a crush on Whiting, both of the brothers think they're in love with Grable. The plot of the picture involves what happens when the boys get to town.

Martha Raye is essentially the lead here, or at least has the strongest role; she and Hope are fun as the couple who don't know they are a couple. Grable is good as the spoiled sister: the scene where she serves broiled (and I mean broiled!) fish is hilarious. Jack Whiting does a nice dance with Grable, and is adequate if not spectacular otherwise. Clarence Kolb is quite charming as the superior officer, a confirmed old bachelor who appreciates a well-cooked egg.

Favorite scene: when Martha comes into the house wearing a fur coat and pretending to be upper crust: "Have you finished dinnah?" she begins.

Moderately amusing, overall….a scattered handful of excellent scenes make this picture worthwhile if never brilliant.

Martha Raye's Legs Were the Sexiest?

[bkoganbing · 5/10 · 24 September 2007]

A few years after Give Me a Sailor was out, Betty Grable finally hit the big time over at 20th Century Fox. Those beautiful legs of her's on which perched the USA's all American girl were her stock and trade. Reportedly Lloyd's of London had them insured in seven figures.

So when part of the plot is Martha Raye winning a radio contest with a picture of her legs, it strains the credulity a lot. Of course the folks at Paramount obviously did not read into the future about Betty Grable's legs being her fortune.

Give Me a Sailor is one of the weaker of Bob Hope's early films. He was co-starred with Martha Raye a lot and note the billing where she's above him in the title and would be that way in all of their joint projects in the late Thirties.

Raye and Grable are sisters, Raye's the plain jane who's the good cook, but with apparently great legs. Grable's the beautiful sister whose gams never got noticed and she can't cook to save her life.

The sisters are being courted by two brothers, Bob Hope and Jack Whiting who are both in the Navy. Well at least both are after Betty with the other maybe doomed to settle for Martha. After a lot of crazy screwball antics which finds them at one point engaged to the wrong girl, all is right in the end. Guess who winds up with who though.

Jack Whiting made very few films, but he was a leading Broadway musical star and had the distinction of being Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.'s stepdad. Whiting married Anne Sully Fairbanks after her divorce from Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. was finalized. He has a long list of Broadway credits stretching almost 40 years. He had a pleasant enough singing voice, but as a film personality he was bland. Hope, Raye, and Grable just run all over him. I guess Hope needed to wait for Bing Crosby for a singer who could hold his own and more with him on screen.

Raye has some funny moments in the film, especially when she and Hope are stuck out in the woods together. She's the best one in the film by far.

Fans of Rapid Robert will like Give Me a Sailor as certainly will fans of Martha Raye and Betty Grable. If there are any Jack Whiting fans out there, this is one of the few places you'll see your man.

Legs Ahoy

[lugonian · 7/10 · 6 August 2017]

GIVE ME A SAILOR (Paramount, 1938), directed by Elliott Nugent, is a minor comedy with notable casting leads of Martha Raye, Bob Hope and Betty Grable. Based on an play by Anne Nichols, the plot sounds very much like a Cinderella story with Raye playing an ugly ducking competing with her attractive sister (Grable).

The slight plot finds sailor brothers, Jim (Bob Hope) and Walter Brewster (Jack Whiting) going on shore leave in San Francisco where Walter intends on proposing marriage to Nancy Larkin (Betty Grable), his childhood sweetheart, who's quite popular with the other fellas. It so happens that Jim wants to marry Nancy as well. For ten years Jim has plotted schemes with Nancy's unattractive sister, Letty (Martha Raye), by arranging her to marry Walter, whom she has loved since childhood. During the course of the story, Letty sneaks away to be alone with Walter in Paradise Valley by hiding in the trunk of his car, only to have her scheme backfire when Jim becomes the driver instead and ends up alone with him. Due to unexpected circumstances, Letty's accidental photographed legs were submitted by her cousin, Meryl (Emerson Treacy) to a contest that wins, turning Letty from homely household cook to a popular celebrity, much to the chagrin of Nancy, who finds Walter has changed his affections from her to Letty. As Jim's schemes to get Walter married to Letty, Letty begins to have second thoughts. Other members of the cast include: J.C. Nugent (Mr. Larkin); Clarence Kolb (Captain Tallant); Irving Bacon (The Film Processor); Eddie Kane, among others.

On the musical soundtrack by Leo Robin and Ralph Rainger, songs include: "The U.S.A. and You" (sung by sailors); "What Goes On Here in My Heart?" (sung by Betty Grable and Jack Whiting, followed by a slight dance); "A Little Kiss" (sung by Martha Raye); "A Little Kiss" (reprise by Raye); and "The U.S.A. and You" (instrumentally played by parade band). Though the songs are okay, they are mostly unmemorable and forgotten.

At first, GIVE ME A SAILOR starts off like a nautical musical in the tradition of BORN TO DANCE (MGM, 1936) with singing sailors on board ship. Once the sailor brothers (Hope and Whiting) go on shore leave to be with their gals, they spend much of the story in civilian clothes with little references about their ranks. With both Hope and Grable not major star attractions as of yet, it's most interesting seeing these two together in the same movie. Their previous film, COLLEGE SWING (1938), also with Raye, had the more apart than together. Yet, GIVE ME A SAILOR belongs very much to Martha Raye. Aside from her antics answering telephone calls for her sister, chasing Ethel May Brewster (Bonnie Jean Churchill), a bratty child, around the kitchen, getting her face trapped in a clay pack that hardens, and hiding under the bed to avoid scandal of being found inside the Inn bedroom alone with Jim (Hope), she also gets her very rare moments of sympathy when finding herself rejected, along with later becoming glamorous in fur coats, expensive clothes, jewelry and beauty parlor hairstyle. While Raye's character got much publicity about her legs here, it would be Betty Grable a few years later who would be known for having her "million dollar legs." As much as Raye would have more screen time with Hope than with other members in the cast, they have little opportunity together showing how funny they can be as a team. However, they did have better luck getting some belly laughs in their final film together of NEVER SAY DIE (1939).

Once broadcast regularly on the late show in the seventies before shifting to public television in the 1980s. GIVE ME A SAILOR has become available on both video and DVD formats in later years. One of its known cable television showings to GIVE ME A SAILOR has turned up on Turner Classic Movies (TCM premiere: August 30, 2014). (*** Bells)

It's OK

[utgard14 · 6/10 · 12 March 2014]

Brothers Jim and Walter (Bob Hope, Jack Whiting) are both in love with the same woman, Nancy (Betty Grable). Nancy's ugly duckling sister Letty (Martha Raye) is friends with Jim and in love with Walter. So Jim and Letty conspire to get her with Walter so Jim can have Nancy. Predictably, Jim and Letty will realize they are right for each other instead of their siblings.

Decent romantic comedy is no great shakes but watchable. Hope is good, if restrained. This was before he really found his groove. Whiting is forgettable and bland. Martha Raye is OK but oddly enough I found her serious parts better than her comedy. I've never been crazy about her brand of comedy, which is mostly physical slapstick. Betty's pretty and gets to sing & dance some, but her character is wholly unlikable. Still, she's probably the best reason to recommend you see this. Oh, and I'll agree with another reviewer that Raye winning a best legs contest in a movie with Betty Grable is pretty hard to swallow.

Hip-hip hooray for Raye!

[mark.waltz · 7/10 · 13 October 2014]

The long career of Martha Raye had just begun when she starred in this Bob Hope comedy as the homely sister of glamour girl Betty Grable. She proved that homely can be gamely as an accidental picture of her legs make her rich, and in seeing her sister take her place in getting all the attention, you see a turn in the usually perky Grable that is a delight. Of course, off screen, the beautiful Betty was anything but like the character she plays here, a nice but ultimately selfish girl who wants every beau for herself. "What goes on here, in my heart dear?", she sings to a variety of dancing partners before all of a sudden turning into Ginger Rogers with half a dozen awaiting Freds willing to spin her around. All of the other dancers stop dancing, watching this sprightly young blonde take over. Poor Martha is too busy making sandwiches and cakes in the shape of battleships to even get her shot on the dance floor.

The story starts with two brothers as unlikely siblings as Raye and Grable. Bob Hope is the wise-cracking brother of the handsome Jack Whiting, and both of them have signed photos of Betty in their naval ship bunks. Hope wants a shot with Grable and convinces his brother to take Martha out. But the fates intervene and Raye and Hope spend more time together than with the ones they think they love, and as Hollywood tries to prove, if you're funny, your partner needs to be funny, and if you're glamorous, your partner needs to be glamorous too.

The theme of course is very shallow, but the story is told with such humor and heart, especially as it is made clear that Martha is really the better catch of the two sisters. After all, she can cook, even holding a giant block of ice as both the doorbell and phone rings. Then, Hope's pesky cousin drops in and plays all sorts of pranks on Martha, causing even more confusion. Martha tries to make herself all the more beautiful with some face cream, but it seems to have been replaced by plaster of Paris and Martha ends up looking like the Phantom of the Opera as she desperately tries to get the mask off before she turns into the Countess of Monte Cristo.

Unfortunately, Martha only gets to clown here, not sing as she would in most of her other films. It is ironic to see her as Grable's sister, considering that they were back-to-back Dolly Levi's on Broadway. Hope gets in his usual share of wisecracks, but the bulk of the comic moments go to Raye. Bonnie Jean Churchill adds some delightful moments with her pranks on Raye, but Martha gets the last laugh when Churchill is confronted by Raye in her plaster of Paris mask. Nana Bryant plays her flighty mother with all the selfish unknowingness of Billie Burke. Delightful 30's fun, it is one of the few moments to see Martha in command on film, and boy, does she make the most out of it.

So messy it's hard to follow...but not bad.

[ellaf · 7/10 · 23 December 2006]

The problem with that movie is that each scene works well separately but there's no much coherence in the end. It should have been edited some other way.

Martha Raye is featured here and, when you're able to look further than her constant face grimaces, you appreciate her genuine talent. She's a dynamo and appears here in a very sympathetic part, a homely girl being the servant to everybody, the girl-next-door longing for one man who's not interested in her. She ends up with his brother, her real soul mate.

The brother is Bob Hope, very young and good in his part, though not fully himself yet. His brother, the Walter part, is played by the handsome Jack Whiting who's got a mellifluous voice.

Betty Grable, for once well featured in one of the Thirties films, is the selfish, spoiled and unsympathetic sister of Martha Raye. It's great to see her in such a role that gives her an opportunity to act. And, as always, she's very beautiful and such a delight when she sings "What Goes On Here In My Heart?" while swirling around the dance floor in handsome Jack Whiting's arms. God Bless Betty Grable! Though hard to follow, the film is very watchable for other reasons. See it if you can.

Includes some of Raye's best scenes.

[rsoonsa · 8/10 · 11 December 2002]

A fine example of screwball farce, SAILOR showcases the unique and variegated talents of irrepressible Martha Raye as one of a pair of Larkin sisters, each of whom is after one of a pair of U. S. Navy Brewster brothers, and the question soon arises as to which of the possible pairings will ensue. Paramount, developing a Bob Hope/Raye team, casts Hope in his third feature for the studio as Jim Brewster, with Jack Whiting as brother Walter, each angling for the glamourous one of the Larkins, Nancy (Betty Grable), a competition which began when all four were youngsters. Raye portrays Nancy's sister Letty, who has agreed to assist Jim in garnering her sister's affection in return for his aid in winning the heart of Walter who is ignorant of the machinations about him, none of which is terribly complex for what is, after all, a musical comedy. Raye performs one of the five Ralph Rainger/Leo Robin songs, as does Grable (with Whiting), but it is Letty's gorgeous legs that win for her first prize in a national photo contest, ironic in light of Grable's pinup popularity, due to her own shapely stems, with American fighting men during World War II. Walter eventually notices Letty because of her new celebrity status, and the usually rather rambunctious singing comedienne has an opportunity to show him why he is mistaken in preferring her sister. Of the three films which Raye and Grable made together, this is perhaps the most blithe, and a scene wherein Letty uses overmuch facial masking which hardens to her deliciously acted consternation, draws gales of laughter wherever the picture is shown. Although we find Hope playing second lead to Raye, he plays his part with his normal aplomb and his comedic timing is impeccable as always, although his ad libbing is minimal. Leroy Prinz is responsible for the interesting choreography, and a splendid novelty scene has Grable singing "What Goes On Here In My Heart" while dancing with a collection of eager-to-please partners. Clarence Kolb, as the commanding officer of the Brewsters, is impressive as ever, and Director Elliott Nugent is able to call upon his father J.C. to perform as the Larkins' sire. Consistent with the director's customary panache and rapid pacing, SAILOR offers many treats, musical and otherwise, with the important editing function neatly handled by the generally overlooked William Shea.

Disappointing!

[JohnHowardReid · 7/10 · 6 July 2017]

I was surprised to see that this film actually runs only 80 minutes. It seems much longer than that, and I've just watched the excellent Universal DVD - and it, of course, runs only 78 minutes because of the DVD's faster speed. So my conclusion is, that despite its agreeable cast, the film tends to drag. This is not the fault of any of the players, all of whom - with the odd exception of Betty Grable - manage their lines and business - second rate though the script may be - with a decided sparkle and a fair amount of energy.

Third-billed (to Raye and Hope) Betty Grable knows her lines - that's for sure - but she is content, for the most part, to leave most of the energy and sparkle to the other players, particularly first-billed Martha Raye and second-billed Bob Hope. No doubt the director, Elliott Nugent, had other things on his mind - particularly to give his dad, J.C. Nugent, a good go at screen stealing before this area was mopped up by Martha Raye, Bob Hope and Clarence Colb.

But whatever the problems were, the movie itself is more than a shade disappointing - no matter which of the players you are rooting for. A second-rate script that only occasionally comes to life (despite all the efforts of Raye and Hope) doesn't help.

Mediocre given the talent involved

[ofumalow · 5/10 · 28 June 2020]

This screwball musical doesn't have many songs, and the comedy isn't very good, despite the talented cast. I was psyched to see Raye top-billed, but she plays a sad-sack Cinderella here, the sweet if homely and put-upon sister to manipulative, shallow and vain Grable-so the former is less funny and the latter less appealing than usual. Bob Hope is in his snarky comfort zone, but with so many other characters (including his brother/rival Jack Whiting) also being disagreeable and self-absorbed, he comes off as just another jerk rather than a likable wiseguy.

Raye gets a couple chances to show off her surprisingly pretty voice on non-comedic numbers, but her usual brass is an awkward fit for a role that needed a more winsome ingenue-slash-comedienne. The best thing in the movie is arguably the beginning when a quartet of never-seen-again sea dogs sing below deck. But otherwise it's a film without real production numbers, no romantic dynamics worth rooting for, a lack of good comic lines or situations, and a general "B" feel. A disappointment.

Stick with this one....

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 1 May 2017]

I found "Give Me a Sailor" difficult to like at first because three of the four leads played rather despicable characters. Bob Hope and Jack Whiting play Jim and Walter Brewster, two brothers who are sailors serving on the same ship. Both are obsessed with Nancy Larkin (Betty Grable) and often try to trick or outwit the other. Nancy is a beautiful but thoroughly selfish woman who uses people. She plays up to both Jim AND Walter...as well as other men. She tells them what they want to hear but the bottom line is that she is out for herself...period. Nancy's sister, Letty (Martha Raye), is a less attractive girl who is used by everyone throughout the film and is the only one I didn't want to slap silly...you just feel sorry for her. This film is all about them and who will end up with who by the end of the picture.

What helps to redeem this picture, is that through the course of the picture you see Nancy for who she is. You also see Letty finally recognized as a nice catch despite not being a traditional beauty. And, in a switch, suddenly Jim and Walter are fighting over her! Perhaps she would make a good wife after all. I was surprised because this really is NOT a comedy. In fact, if anything, it's a romance...and a darned good one at that.

Not the Best Hope Film - Give Me A Sailor

[arthur_tafero · 5/10 · 25 March 2022]

This is one of Bob Hope's weaker efforts. Martha Raye saves what is left of the film after the script writers tried to ruin it with their infantile plot. Betty Grable is not one of the better actresses as well; especially in this film. The rest of the cast is OK, but there is no chemistry between Hope and his brother? Fortunately for Hope, Bing Crosby will come along soon to rescue him and provide the perfect foil for his talents. Until then, watch this one only if nothing of any value is available at the same time.

Bob Hope's First Real Starring Film, Raye and Gable are Fine

[jayraskin1 · 8/10 · 16 January 2010]

In 1938, when this film was made, Bob Hope was 35 years and while he had been a star in vaudeville and Broadway for 15 years, he had just gotten his first radio show. While he had been in films for a few years, this was the first time he was the real star of a film.

It was also the first time that Martha Raye had star billing in a film. She had co-starred in films with Bing Crosby and Jack Benny before this, but at age 22, she was at the peak of her short film career, which had started just two years before. While she would have top billing in two more films, by 1941, three years later, her film starring career was largely over. She did do a wonderful bit part in Chaplin's "Monsieur Verdoux" in 1947, but for the most part, she starred on television here and there from the 1950's to the 1980's.

Betty Grable was also 22. Although she started her movie career well before Raye, she had done a lot of bit parts and hadn't become famous yet. This supporting actress role was one of her meatier ones. Three years later, just when Raye's film career was spiraling downward, she was becoming a superstar.

The movie is a rather silly screwball comedy with a lot of amusing bits, but nothing memorable or outstanding. Hope is almost the breezy, nervous, sentimental fast talker that he will portray brilliantly for the next 40 years. Raye is frenetic, but can't quite carry the film as the lead. Grable adds a nice sweet touch to the proceedings. She plays well off both Hope and Raye.

Jack Whiting, in apparently his one major role, is pretty awful as Hope's brother. He seems nervous and doesn't have much charm, although both Gable and Raye are supposed to be gaga over him.

Clarence Kolb is the one bit player who stands out. He went on to play Mr. Honeywell, the cantankerous boss in the "My Little Margie" television series in the 1950's.

The movie alternates between flat and mildly amusing dialogue and slapstick bits. It is worth watching just to see Hope and Grable at the beginning of their careers, and Raye at the too short peak of hers.

8/10 just for Betty Grable

[Warnerbrother24 · 8/10 · 27 December 2023]

Here is my first imdb review (actually this is the 2nd attempt, it didnt save the first attempt lol)

So... what do I think of this movie..

I watched "Give Me A Sailor" this morning, in bed tucked up under a duvet after a long Boxing Day the day before. So it is December 27th 2023, and why am I reviewing a almost 90 year old movie? Moreover why and how am I even watching this movie? Well, I felt like watching a movie that means nothing to me just a bit of light entertainment.

I am a classic movie fan, and as much as I love all the classics, sometimes I just like to watch a complete nonsense movie with people in that I dont particularly follow.

This movie is one of those. So, no spoilers here!! Lets give my run down on Give Me A Sailor..

Bob Hope does a pretty decent job in this one, you would never know it is one of his early movie roles. Martha Raye.. hmmm... what to say about Martha.. I find her a bit of an oddity, shes ok in this movie actually, but usually she can be quite annoying with weird facial expressions and the like (I guess in the 30s and 40s her unique style of comedy had them laughing in the aisles lol)..

Now lets move onto Jack Whiting who plays Walter Brewster, actually lets not. There really is nothing to say about him. So, Betty Grable.. a fantastic performance by Ms Grable as always, and a catchy little song and dance number too ~ what more could you want. Without Ms Grable, I would probably have given up watching before the picture was through.

Overall, a nice little light hearted comedy to pass the time whilst in bed feeling worse for wear. They dont make em like this anymore.

Darn good

[SanteeFats · 8/10 · 1 September 2014]

Martha Raye displays her versatility in this picture. She does slap stick, she sings, and she does jokes too. Two sisters and two brothers who have grown up together, the brothers are both officers in the U.S. Navy while the sisters are still living with their folks (it was shot in 1938 after all). Of course the sisters love the brothers and vice versa. And since this is a comedy and Bob Hope is in it as the number two star they don't love the one that loves them. Martha is a down home girl and Betty Grable is the other sister, she is the pretty, flirty one. Martha and Bob have formed a pact for over ten years to get her with Bob's brother, Walter, and Bob with Betty. Things are as you would expect with snafus and foul ups galore. Until that is Martha wins a legs contest, by mistake of course, and gets showered with prizes, money, fame etc. Still trying to get every body hooked up with each other things get hectic. When Walter proposes to Martha, she accepts, she now has what she and Bob have been scheming for for ten plus years. Bob and Betty are to wed after Martha's service. At the wedding but before the vows Martha and Walter kiss, no sparks, so she goes to find Bob. They kiss and there are sparks, they realize they love each other and so do Walter and Betty. So as the the end appears we are left to assume both couples finally realize that they had the right partner all along. On a closing note Clarence Kolb plays the captain and has some great lines.

"Animal, Vegetable, or Mineral?" : a Cinderella story.

[weezeralfalfa · 8/10 · 27 June 2012]

My title refers to Walter's(Jack Whiting) query, upon being presented by fiancé Nancy(Betty Grable) with the charred remains of a trout on his dinner plate. Seems Nancy has been kept so busy going out on dates with her many male admirers that she never learned to cook. In contrast, her comparatively homely stay-at-home sister Letty(Martha Raye} is famous for her cooking, as well as dress making. Nancy even steals the fancy dress Letty made for herself to wear at a large picnic, to further impress the men. Letty was supposed to be back in time from a trip to Pradise Lake with Walter's brother Jim(Bob Hope) to cook the trout for a group of navy men, but she and Jim suffered a series of misadventures out in the woods, and have called for Walter and Betty to rescue them at a small inn out in the middle of nowhere.

This is a delightful, if very corny and very contrived, comedy, with a touch of a musical. Martha, Betty, and Hope had great chemistry, all with extensive vaudeville or minor film role experience and all with musical, as well as comedic, talent. This was still Hope's first year in full length films, and Betty was still considered a supporting musical player. Thus, Martha, despite being also a relative newcomer to full length films, is given first billing.Jack Whiting also had had a long career as a song and dance man, but only limited experience in films, and seemed to be relatively lacking in comedic talent and film charisma. This would be his last film.

Throughout the film, Betty and Martha are rivals for Walter's romantic attention, while Walter and Jim compete for Nancy's romantic acceptance. This asymmetry in romantic preferences is the root of most of the comedy and melodrama, with Jim and Martha often scheming , individually or together, ways to keep Nancy and Walter from tying the knot. All the time, these two profess no romantic interest in each other, but the audience(and Betty) know they were meant for each other. Thus, at the same time, Betty keeps scheming ways to get them together.

This film is often described as a musical comedy but, despite the fact that all 4 stars had recognized song and dance talents, there are only 2 catchy Rainger and Robin songs and one dance performed by the stars. Betty and Martha get one song each, with Martha singing "A Little Kiss at Twilight" twice, once in a somber mood and again, in a joyous mood, near the end. Betty sings and dances to "What Goes On Here in My Heart": quite a catchy tune. For about a minute, she and Whiting look rather like Astaire and Ginger on the dance floor. Also, there is an opening "The USA and You",also good, sung by a group of sailors on their ship. Thus, the music, while rather limited, is good.

Letty is characterized as being not only comparatively homely, with an unusually wide mouth, but rather clumsy and accident prone, lacking in social graces, rather scatter-brained, and slow mentally: a perfect partner for Jim, but totally inappropriate for his more socially dominant brother Walter, whom Letty pines for. Letty is making a battleship-shaped cake for Walter, and lots of food for a large picnic. She hopes to win a cooking contest with her cake, but the inexperienced photographer takes a shot of her legs, instead of the cake , when a bullfrog hops into the kitchen, causing Letty to stand on a chair. This will become quite relevant in the last part of the film when, based on this photo, Letty is judged to have the most beautiful pair of legs in the nation, and thus wins many expensive prizes. This turn of events. along with Nancy's disastrous cooking, causes Walter to change his mind about which sister he wants to marry. Now, Letty is happy, but the story isn't finished yet! I won't tell anymore.One of her prizes is a pair of expensive looking dogs,one of which she mockingly names:Nancy. Very ironically,6 years later, Martha would be the supporting actress to Betty in "Pin Up Girl", which featured the famous GI photo of Betty, emphasizing her legs.

This is one of 4 films that Martha and Hope were both in. I haven't seen the rest, so can't compare. Apparently, they were a couple in "College Swing", which also included Betty in a supporting musical role. Martha and Judy Garland seemed so similar in their talent and long childhood vaudeville careers, seems like Martha should have had an equal film career. They even shared one of their many husbands in David Rose, and both seemed emotionally unstable at times. But Martha was about 5 years older and, unlike Judy and Betty, stopped making films during the US participation in WWII, to entertain and nurse the troops in person.