''Let's Face It'' is a 1943 American

musical comedy Musical theatre is a form of theatre, theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, ...

film directed by

Sidney Lanfield Sidney Ivanovich Lanfield (April 20, 1898 – June 20, 1972) was an American film director known for directing romances and light comedy films and later television programs. The one-time jazz musician and vaudevillian star started his first di ...

and written by Harry Tugend, adapted from the musical of the same name. The film stars

Bob Hope Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was an American comedian, actor, entertainer and producer with a career that spanned nearly 80 years and achievements in vaudeville, network radio, television, and USO Tours. He appeared ...

Betty Hutton Betty Hutton (born Elizabeth June Thornburg; February 26, 1921 – March 12, 2007) was an American stage, film, and television actress, comedian, dancer, and singer. She rose to fame in the 1940s as a contract player for Paramount Pictures, appea ...

ZaSu Pitts ZaSu Pitts (; January 3, 1894 – June 7, 1963) was an American actress who, in a career spanning nearly five decades, starred in many silent film drama film, dramas, such as Erich von Stroheim's 1924 epic ''Greed (1924 film), Greed'', along wi ...

, Phyllis Povah, Dave Willock,

Eve Arden Eve Arden (born Eunice Mary Quedens, April 30, 1908 – November 12, 1990) was an American film, radio, stage and television actress. She performed in leading and supporting roles for nearly six decades. Beginning her film career in 1929 an ...

, and

Cully Richards Cully Richards (October 31, 1908–June 17, 1978) was an American singer, and film and television actor. He had a recurring role as First Sergeant Stanley Wozniak on the 1962–1963 situation comedy ''Don't Call Me Charlie!''. Death Richa ...

. The film was released on August 5, 1943, by

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation, commonly known as Paramount Pictures or simply Paramount, is an American film production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the flagship namesake subsidiary of Paramount ...

. A ''New York Times'' critic at the time of its release wrote, "Strictly as hot-weather fare, ''Let's Face It'', now at the Paramount, is an acceptable bit of monkeyshines, but not much more. As a vehicle for Bob Hope it is a rather feeble and outdated contraption, and if it weren't for Mr. Hope himself ''Let's Face It'' would be a very sad affair indeed."Briefly, but well-discussed in Hal Erickson, ''Military Comedy Films: A Critical Survey and Filmography of Hollywood Releases Since 1918'' (Jefferson NC: McFarland, 2012), 60-61. ; and James Neibaur, ''The Bob Hope Films'' (Jefferson NC: McFarland, 2005), 55-57.

Plot

U.S. Army private Jerry Walker is in hot water with his sweetheart, Winnie Porter, for putting off their wedding, and with his superiors on the base after crashing a

Jeep Jeep is an American automobile brand, now owned by multi-national corporation Stellantis. Jeep has been part of Chrysler since 1987, when Chrysler acquired the Jeep brand, along with other assets, from its previous owner, American Motors Co ...

. To raise money to pay for the damages and avoid six months of guard duty, Jerry accepts a $300 proposal from three matronly women, Cornelia, Nancy and Maggie, to arrange dates for them with young soldiers. Jerry ropes his pals Barney and Frankie into it, then scrambles when they try to squirm out of it. Winnie, meantime, figures out Jerry is up to something. She shows up with the girlfriends of Barney and Frankie, after which everybody takes turns trying to make the others jealous. Jerry finally flees, only to end up hooked by a German submarine. He ends up in the brig. A year later, Winnie, now his wife, comes to visit with their baby.

Cast

as Jerry Walker *

as Winnie Porter *

as Cornelia Figeson * Phyllis Povah as Nancy Collister * Dave Willock as Barney Hilliard *

as Maggie Watson *

as Frankie Burns * Marjorie Weaver as Jean Blanchard * Dona Drake as Muriel *

Raymond Walburn Raymond Walburn (September 9, 1887 – July 26, 1969) was an American character actor of stage and screen who appeared in dozens of Hollywood movie comedies and an occasional dramatic role during the 1930s and 1940s. Life and career Born ...

as Julian Watson * Andrew Tombes as Judge Henry Clay Pigeon * Arthur Loft as George Collister *

Joe Sawyer Joe Sawyer (born Joseph Sauers; August 29, 1906 – April 21, 1982) was a Canadian film actor. He appeared in more than 200 films between 1927 and 1962, and was sometimes billed under his birth name. Early life Sawyer was born August 29, 1 ...

as Sergeant Wiggins *

Grace Hayle Grace Hayle (July 24, 1888 – March 20, 1963) was an American actress who appeared in more than 300 films. In the fall of 1917, Hayle was the "new leading woman" with the Knickerbocker Players at the Knickerbocker Theatre in Philadelphia. She ...

as Mrs. Wigglesworth *Evelyn Dockson as Mrs. Taylor *

Emory Parnell Emory Parnell (December 29, 1892 – June 22, 1979) was an American vaudeville performer and actor who appeared in over 250 films in his 36-year career. Early years Parnell was born in St. Paul, Minnesota. He spent eight months in the Arct ...

as Colonel

References

External links

* 1943 films 1943 musical comedy films American black-and-white films American films based on plays American musical comedy films 1940s English-language films Films based on musicals Films directed by Sidney Lanfield Films scored by Robert Emmett Dolan Films set on the United States home front during World War II Paramount Pictures films 1940s American films English-language musical comedy films {{musical-comedy-film-stub