Stage Door Canteen [Slim Case]

So many companies have issued DVDs of the public-domain "Stage Door Canteen" and if the reviewers do not disclose which DVD transfer they are reviewing, those of us looking for a decent copy of this WW2 gem won't know which version to obtain. The copy I ordered is by Reel Enterprises, and I review it briefly here. The cover can be identified by a huge "48" with the names of the stars listed in the block numbers. This is a very good transfer. The picture contrast and quality is on par with Warner Archives --- no real restoration has been done to the film, but the company chose a good print to dupe. The audio quality is fine (there are no subtitles). In fact, I was really surprised at how good of a transfer it is. I've read that some transfers have censored parts of this film, resulting in a shorter running time. This one actually has a longer running time. IMDB lists the running time at 2 hrs. 12 min. This version runs 2 hrs. 21 min., but that extra nine minutes seems to be due to two reasons. The Gypsy Rose Lee number runs about halfway, then the screen goes blank and her routine begins again from the beginning. It's almost as if you're sitting in a theater in 1943 and the film breaks. To get things started again, the projectionist has to back it up. Secondly, for some unexplained reason, there are eight minutes of blank screen at the end. So, the actual movie here runs right at 2 hrs. 12 min. As opposed to Warner Bros. "Hollywood Canteen" that would be released the following year featuring film stars in cameos, this United Artists release focuses on cameos of Broadway stars (the real Stage Door Canteen was in New York City) such as Alfred Lunt, Lynn Fontanne, Katharine Hepburn, Ethel Merman, Katherine Cornell, Ray Bolger, Helen Hayes and Tallulah Bankhead. Many more appear, and some of them are reduced to less than a minute of screen time, so keep your eyes open! The really neat thing is that most of these stars appear as themselves and aren't performing show tunes for the most part --- they just serve, visit, and intermingle with the servicemen who stop by the canteen. The musical numbers are performed by several well-known big bands of the time, including Kay Kyser, Benny Goodman, Freddy Martin, Count Basie, Xavier Cugat and Guy Lombardo. (You can see a very young Peggy Lee singing the big hit "Why Don't You Do Right?" with Benny Goodman's band!) We even hear a couple of tunes from Yehudi Menuhin (introduced as "Mr. Menuhin"), thought by some to be the greatest violinist of the 20th century (sorry, Mr. Benny). What a nifty piece of trivia that this, the only American film in which Yehudi Menuhin appears, also stars Kay Kyser, whose band had a huge novelty hit with "Who's Yehoodi?" based on the catchphrase made famous by Jerry Colonna after Menuhin was a guest on Bob Hope's radio show (on which Colonna was a regular). Colonna thought the name was funny and kept repeating throughout the program "Who's Yehudi?" If you are a fan of the 40s culture and the WW2 home front, this film will keep you thoroughly entertained. And if you like this film, go ahead and enlist "Hollywood Canteen," "Thousands Cheer" and "Star-Spangled Rhythm" --- all star-filled, tune-filled films to keep Americans engaged and patriotically supporting the war effort and Uncle Sam. What an amazing time of unity in the USA!

The Stage Door Canteen was a concept of people in Hollywood, New York and all across the country, that wanted to help servicemen and women to forget for a day what was waiting for them overseas. Everything was provided free of charge to them. Their were lovely ladies to dance with & to talk to. I love this movie. It has excellent performances by several well known movie stars of the time. Actually they are timeless for people that went through WWll. I'm not sure whether the young people of today would know them or not. It was a lovely movie. I highly recommend watching it along with the movie "Hollywood Canteen".

"Stage Door Canteen" comes up with a wartime romance to showcase the talented stars who served food to the troops and provided entertainment at the Stage Door Canteen. There are about five dozen stars in this film, from Judith Anderson to Ed Wynn, with Edgar Bergen & Charlie McCarthy, Helen Hayes and Gypsy Rose Lee, Count Basie and Benny Goodman, Harpo Marx and Johnny Weissmuller in between. At one point Katharine Cornell does the balcony scene with young Lon McCallister while standing in the serving line. For some reason most of the songs are written by Al Dubin and James Monaco, including "She's a Bombshell from Brooklyn," We Musn't Say Goodbye," and "Sleep Baby Sleep (in Your Jeep)." There is also the Rodgers & Hart song, "The Girl I Love To Leave Behind," a rather appropriate title given the situation. The romantic plot of the film has Eileen (Cheryl Walker), a junior hostess at the New York City Canteen, meeting Private Ed "Dakota" Smith (William Terry). Despite her best intentions, she falls in love with Dakota, even though this means loses her pass at the Canteen because she has broken the rule about dating service men. Katharine Hepburn, serving as the Officer of the Day, allows Eileen to wait inside for her fiance, but then word comes that the boys sailed that morning and Dakota is already gone. Hepburn then consoles Eileen and gives an inspirational speech on the importance of the Canteen's work. It is certainly interesting to have this dramatic moment pop up at the end of this film, but the cause was certainly worthwhile. Eighty percent of the profits from this 1943 film directed by Frank Borzage went to the Canteens operated by the American Theater Wing across the country. "Stage Door Canteen" is a fun little film to watch, especially if you remember who Xavier Cugat and Paul Muni were way back when. Be sure that you get the 132-minute version of the film and not the shorter 93-minute version that cuts out a lot of the performances. If you are looking for a double bill, then the obvious choice is "Hollywood Canteen," which is basically the same deal but set in Los Angeles rather than New York and offers the Andrews Sisters, Joan Crawford, Bette Davis, Roy Rogers and Trigger, Jimmy Dorsey and his Orchestra and much, much more.

I needn't repeat what all the other five-star reviews have said. I share their opinions, and the five stars are for the movie. This review, however, includes specific information about the disc. Since Amazon continues to lump all reviews of a particular movie together, it becomes impossible for a potential buyer to figure out what purchasers are referring to when they complain about the awful DVD quality or rave about the same unless the reviewer specifically states exactly what edition he's talking about. In this case, as with so many old movies, there are several to choose from. I chose the Critics' Choice version because a reviewer spoke highly of it. However, I have not seen any of the others, so I can't compare. As for this particular edition, it's really pretty good, considering that the movie was treated poorly for decades. However, it is not -- as the case states -- "restored". It may very well be -- and I suspect it is -- remastered from fair to good prints, but that's not restoration. There are the usual light "ticks", dirt specks, scratches and so on that one nearly always finds on old films that have not been restored (and even some that have not had a complete restoration), but they are no more distracting than they would be on any old movie that you watch on late night television. There's nothing on the disc except for the movie itself: no chapter selection, no subtitles, zip. But this is not, after all, Criterion. And don't freak when the movie opens and you see how bad the titles are. As with "And Then There Were None", they put their time and effort into bringing the movie back from the brink and left the title sequence as it was. The movie is in considerably better condition than the title sequence.

I rejoice to say that this version of Stage Door Canteen (Critic's Choice Edition) is the real thing, uncut, with all the vaudeville and band performances intact. I'll bet I've bought this movie, either in VHS or DVD formats, 4 or 5 times at least. Each version would be missing at least one segment, usually more. And each time it'd be different segments! Now all the bands (Xavier Cugat, Kay Kyser, Count Basie with Ethel Waters, Benny Goodman with Peggy Lee, Freddy Martin and Guy Lombardo) are here, as well as all the comic and musical bits I've seen over the years. If you've never seen the movie, it ain't no great shakes in the drama department, but it is an unforgettable look at both a galaxy of Hollywood, stage and radio stars and at the kind of American culture and attitude that won World War Two. If you're a fan of the 30s-40s pop culture, love old radio, swing music, or if you have a sentimental love for this time in American history, give it a look. Just make sure it's this version!

This very old movie is excellent. Obviously a propaganda movie at war time but nonetheless, excellent entertainment. The only really stupid segment in it is by Ray Bolger....and I do mean stupid. But that would not prevent my giving this movie a very high rating. so very many old stars that it's worth watching just to get a glimpse of who was famous in early early Hollywood.

My fault. Ordered wrong item. Meant to get Hollywood Canteen. Better production.

"Stage Door Canteen," like its companion, "Hollywood Canteen," are two examples of a very big part of World War Two culture. Canteens gave service people a comfortable place to just be and make some good memories before going off to do what was extremely unpleasant but necessary. There are so many cameos that I won't list them all, but it's fun to see people like Ray Bolger and Lynn Fontanne kibitzing with the servicepeople. The plot is incidental, but quite honestly, I think they only meant it to be window dressing anyway. The film reminded me that there are vast differences between the War on Terror and World War Two. For one thing, it's pretty easy today to go through an entire day without thinking that there are men and women fighting to protect this nation. Civilians aren't asked to contribute all that much--no rationing, no war jobs, no posters everywhere reminding us to zip our lips and buy War Bonds. That's why movies such as "Stage Door Canteen" are so interesting and valuable, because they were not only morale-builders for audiences of their day, but they can help viewers today to be grateful for what the Armed Forces do for us, and maybe get us thinking of ways we can show our appreciation.

満点でないのは、このテープ、3倍速で録画されているからです。 このシリーズは、他のものも3倍速でした。海外では意外に3倍速のセル・ビデオがあります。 とはいうものの、白黒の映画だし、それほど気にならないといえるでしょう。 私の評価が高いのは、とにかくスターが勢揃いしていること。これでしか見る事の出来ない演技や歌が随所に見られるのです。 内容は、戦時下の兵隊さんを励ますための慰安所とそこでのショーという、実際にも行なわれていたものを映画用にした話です。そこに、恋愛が絡む仕掛け。 これ以上は、言わないでおきます。低価格ですし、ご覧になってみて下さい。日本で有名でない人もたくさんいますが。。。

loved it

Excellent. Excellent. I would have no hesitation recommending these to both family and friends. Gorgeous. Amazing. Spectacular. I love it. Good.

Twice I have bought European zoned products from U.S. sellers and found them to be Zone 2 rather than Zone 1 playable in North America on a quality, standard DVD player. If you are buying this DVD look carefully at the visual image and if it says Cine-Club with an accent over the e you will not be able to play it on your DVD Player. To send it back would cost as much, or more, as the original product.

poor quality, but to be expected I guess from age of film