-
Directors
George Sidney
-
Producers
Joe Pasternak
-
-
Composers (Music Score)
Herbert Stothart
-
-
Editors
George Boemler
-
Screen Writers
Richard Collins
Paul Jarrico
-
Set Designers
Edwin B. Willis
Jacques Mesereau
Others
Art Director - Daniel B. Cathcart
Art Director - Cedric Gibbons
Cinematographer - George Folsey
Composer (Music Score) - Herbert Stothart
Costume Designer - Irene
Makeup - Jack Dawn
Musical Direction/Supervision - Herbert Stothart
Screen Story - Richard Collins
Screen Story - Paul Jarrico
Sound/Sound Designer - Douglas Shearer
One of the better of Hollywood's all-star war revues,
Thousands Cheer at least has a somewhat more interesting plot than many similar efforts.
Gene Kelly is back in
"For Me and My Gal" territory, as a performer (aerialist, this time) who is resentful of being forced into war duty, and if MGM had really explored this conflict,
Thousands might have been a special film. Unfortunately, they used it merely as a framing device for the big show, and -- worse -- as a way of expounding an overly simplistic "teamwork is everything" moral, undercutting the potential drama. What's left, therefore, is a handful of enjoyable plot numbers and the "big show" that takes up the entire second half of the film. The score is another one of those patchwork jobs, gathered from here, there, and everywhere; for some mysterious reason, the powers-that-be decided to push the initially innocuous but increasingly annoying
"I Dug a Ditch," presenting this ditty four times throughout the film (to its best advantage when used merely as underscoring for
Kelly's marvelous mop dance).
Kelly is in great form throughout; his paramour,
Kathryn Grayson, on the other hand is merely adequate when acting, somewhat better when singing.
Mickey Rooney is insufferable as the emcee (ditto
Ben Blue as a supposedly "comic" private), but there are some marvelous contributions from the likes of
Judy Garland,
Lena Horne, and
Eleanor Powell. Add in the usual expert MGM production, and the result is an empty but entertaining film, the highs of which compensate for the occasional lows. ~ Craig Butler, Rovi
- Daniel B. Cathcart : Best Color Art Direction - Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sc, 1943
- Cedric Gibbons : Best Color Art Direction - Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sc, 1943
- Edwin B. Willis : Best Color Art Direction - Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sc, 1943
- Jacques Mesereau : Best Color Art Direction - Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sc, 1943
- George Folsey : Best Color Cinematography - Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sc, 1943
- Herbert Stothart : Best Score - Musical - Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sc, 1943
