Abroad with Two Yanks

Abroad with Two Yanks
Original film poster
Directed by Allan Dwan
John E. Burch (assistant)
Produced by Edward Small
Starring William Bendix
Dennis O'Keefe
Helen Walker
Cinematography Charles Lawton
Edited by Richard V. Heermance
Grant Whytock
Production
company
Distributed by United Artists
Release date
 July 24, 1944
Running time
 86 mins (original)
80 mins.
Country United States
Language English

Abroad with Two Yanks is a 1944 American comedy film directed by Allan Dwan and starring Helen Walker, William Bendix and Dennis O'Keefe as the title characters. It was Bendix's third and final role in a film as a US Marine and the first of Dwan's three films about the United States Marine Corps.

Plot

Arriving in Australia after the Battle of Guadalcanal, two Flagg and Quirt type American Marines compete with each other by stealing the other's Australian girlfriend. Their intense rivalry leads to their arrest and escape from confinement dressed as women.[1]

Cast

William Bendix as Cpl. Biff Koraski
Helen Walker as Joyce Stuart
Dennis O'Keefe as Cpl. Jeff Reardon
John Loder as Sgt. Cyril North
George Cleveland as Roderick Stuart
Janet Lambert as Alice
James Flavin as Sgt. Wiggins
Arthur Hunnicutt as Arkie

Production

The film was originally announced as one of Hal Roach's Streamliners titled Yanks Down Under starring William Bendix. Due to Hal Roach's contract for filming training films for the American Army, the film and Bendix's commitment to it was sold to producer Edward Small with Roach employee Fred Guiol to be credited as a producer. The film was the end of Roach's arrangement with United Artists.[2]

Anna Lee was meant to play the female lead but she was replaced prior to shooting by Helen Walker.[3]

The film was also known as Waltzing Matilda prior to shooting. O'Keefe did it under a two-picture deal with Edward Small.[4]

Reception

Reviews were strong.[5][6] Response was positive enough for Edward Small to announce a sequel Two Yanks in Paris. However no film resulted.[7]

The Screen Guild Theater" broadcast a 30 minute radio adaptation of the movie on April 9, 1945, with William Bendix and Dennis O'Keefe reprising their film roles [8] with Marjorie Reynolds in Helen Walker's role.

Hedy Lamarr took a photo with Bendix and O'Keefe around the making of the film which Small subsequently issued. Lamarr then sued Small for damages.[9]

Quotes

"A bunch of Marines have been doing their stuff,
You can tell by their clothes that the going was tough;
After chasing the Japs right into the sea,
They head for Australia for crumpets and tea."

See also

References

  1. ↑ p.190 Ginibre, Jean-Louis Lithgow, John & Cady, Barbara Ladies Or Gentlemen: A Pictorial History of Male Cross-Dressing in the Movies Filipacchi Publishing, 01/11/2005
  2. ↑ p.128 Ward, Richard Lewis A History of the Hal Roach Studios SIU Press, 15/08/2006
  3. ↑ "SCREEN NEWS HERE AND IN HOLLYWOOD: Virginia Mayo Will Be Seen in Bob Hope Film -- 'Chip Off the Old Block' at Capitol". New York Times. 16 Mar 1944. p. 17.
  4. ↑ "SCREEN NEWS HERE AND IN HOLLYWOOD: Dennis O'Keefe Signed for 2 Pictures by Edward Small -- 3 Films Open Today". New York Times. 25 Nov 1943. p. 39.
  5. ↑ "At the Globe". T.M.P.. New York Times. 26 Oct 1944. p. 19.
  6. ↑ Schallert, Edwin (5 Oct 1944). "Bendix, O'Keefe Score in War Comedy". Los Angeles Times. p. A9.
  7. ↑ Schallert, Edwin (28 Aug 1944). "Comedy Yanks Plan Entry Into Paris, Too: Topical 'First Man in Tokyo' Scheduled; Marsha Hunt Joins Garson Entourage". Los Angeles Times. p. 8.
  8. ↑ "Abroad with Two Yanks (1944)". Archived from the original on 31 March 2016. Retrieved 26 April 2018 – via www.imdb.com.
  9. ↑ "Hedy Lamarr Sues Producer". The Mercury. Hobart, Tas. 24 June 1944. p. 19. Retrieved 29 May 2013 – via National Library of Australia.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.