''Caught in the Draft'' is a 1941

comedy Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...

war film War film is a film genre concerned with warfare, typically about navy, naval, air force, air, or army, land battles, with combat scenes central to the drama. It has been strongly associated with the 20th century. The fateful nature of battle s ...

with

Bob Hope Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was a British-American comedian, vaudevillian, actor, singer and dancer. With a career that spanned nearly 80 years, Hope appeared in Bob Hope filmography, more than 70 short and ...

directed by David Butler.

Plot

Famous Hollywood actor Don Bolton (Hope) is a vain movie star whose biggest fear is to be drafted into the US Army. He definitely lacks the qualities of a good soldier; he is so terrified of loud noise, he cannot cope with hearing a single 'gunshot' when he is on set shooting a war film. There is great doubt that he could last even a day in the service. Colonel Peter Fairbanks (

Clarence Kolb Clarence William Kolb (July 31, 1874 – November 25, 1964) was an American vaudeville performer and actor known for his comedy routines that featured a Dutch dialect. Biography Kolb started out as one half of a vaudeville comedy team, Kol ...

) visits the studio set as a consultant for the war film, and with him he has brought his beautiful daughter Antoinette, known as "Tony" (

Dorothy Lamour Dorothy Lamour (born Mary Leta Dorothy Slaton; December 10, 1914 – September 22, 1996) was an American actress and singer. She is best remembered for having appeared in the '' Road to...'' movies, a series of successful comedies starring Bing ...

). Don is smitten by Tony, and also realizes that his ticket out of the Army is to marry the colonel's daughter to avoid the draft. Don manages to gravely insult the colonel when he mistakes him for an actor and treats him disrespectfully. Even so, Don manages to go on a date with Tony, and even proposes to her before hearing on the radio that the draft age eligibility ends at age 31. As Don is 32 he retracts his proposal; Tony deduces his angle and is disgusted with him and cowardly behavior. A few weeks later, Don realizes he truly is in love with Tony. He wants to impress her, so he decides to pretend to join the Army, using an actor as a fake enlistment officer. But at the draft centre the actor does not have the anticipated opportunity to replace the real officer, therefore Don, his assistant Bert (

Eddie Bracken Edward Vincent Bracken (February 7, 1915 – November 14, 2002) was an American actor. Bracken became a Hollywood comedy legend with lead performances in the films '' Hail the Conquering Hero'' and '' The Miracle of Morgan's Creek'' both from ...

), and his manager Steve (

Lynne Overman Lynne may refer to: * Lynne (surname) * Lynne (given name) * Lynne, Florida, an unincorporated community * Lynne, Wisconsin, a town in Oneida County, Wisconsin, United States {{Disambig ...

), all get enlisted for real. They are taken to a training camp, where Fairbanks is in charge. Fairbanks tells Don that if he can make it up to corporal rank, he gets to marry Tony. At first, this proves to be more than Don and his unfortunate brothers in arms can handle. As punishment for their shortcomings, they are frequently on kitchen duty. Tony eventually falls in love with Don. When Don and his two companions are sent to a distant post during a camp war game, Bert comes up with the idea to help their team by altering the signposts in the field. The result is disastrous, as the men on the opposing team are now following a route that will lead them into the artillery range, which is active. Don is forced to overcome his fear of noise (and death) to rescue Tony who, believing that Don is still too cowardly to go warn the men, sets out on horseback to do that herself. He accomplishes the rescue and continues, with Steve, through the artillery bombardment to warn the men. Don sustains an arm wound. After their success, the three are promoted to the rank of corporal and Don is free to marry Tony.

Cast

– Don Bolton *

– Antoinette 'Tony' Fairbanks *

– Steve Riggs *

– Bert Sparks *

– Col. Peter Fairbanks * Paul Hurst – Sgt. Burns *

Ferike Boros Ferike Boros (3 August 1873 – 16 January 1951) was a Hungarian-born American stage and movie actress. Biography Ferike Weinstock was born in Nagyvárad, Austria-Hungary, in 1873, Boros was on stage starting in 1893. She moved to London in 19 ...

– Yetta * Phyllis Ruth – Margie * Irving Bacon – Cogswell * Arthur Loft – Movie director *

Edgar Dearing Edgar Dearing (May 4, 1893 – August 17, 1974) was an American actor who became heavily type cast as a motorcycle cop in Hollywood films. Biography Born in 1893, Dearing started in silent comedy shorts for Hal Roach, including several with La ...

– Recruiting sergeant

Reception

The film was a big hit and became Paramount's second most successful release of 1941 after ''

Louisiana Purchase The Louisiana Purchase (french: Vente de la Louisiane, translation=Sale of Louisiana) was the acquisition of the territory of Louisiana by the United States from the French First Republic in 1803. In return for fifteen million dollars, or app ...

''.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Caught In The Draft 1941 films American World War II films American black-and-white films Films scored by Victor Young Films directed by David Butler 1940s war comedy films Military humor in film Paramount Pictures films Films about the United States Army American war comedy films 1941 comedy films 1940s American films