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Irving Berlin sends Ronald Reagan off to fight World War II
On the 4th of July in 1942, "This Is the Army" opened on Broadway with book, lyrics and music by Irving Berlin, who persuaded the War Department to let him have 300 service men to do the show and thereby raise $10 million for Army Relief. The 1943 movie version, directed by Michael Curtiz for Warner Brothers, starred a pair of future California politicians, (Senator) George Murphy and (Governor) Ronald Reagan, as the father and son of Jerry and Johnny Jones (think of it as the "Predator" of its generation). Reagan had just entered the military and was assigned to making "This Is the Army" before moving on to military training films.

Scenarists Casey Robinson and Claude Binjoy came up with a story lined that worked in material from Berlin's legendary 1917 soldier show "Yip, Yip, Yiphank." Set during World War I, Murphy plays a Broadway song and dance man who is drafted and put in charge of an army show. Murphy sings and dances to "Alexander's Ragtime Band," "My Sweetie" and "We're On Our Way to France." After the final performance the cast marches off to war, where Jerry Jones receives a leg wound. Then we jump to the start of World War II, Jerry is now a Broadway producer and son Johnny is his assistant. History repeats itself, this time with Johnny enlisting and taking time to marry his sweetheart, Eileen Dibble (Joan Leslie), before marching off to the swelling strains of "This Time We Will All Make Certain."

The film offers Kate Smith singing "God Bless America" and Berlin himself singing "Oh, How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning." This show also includes "This is the Army, Mr. Jones," which is probably the only other song contemporary audiences might still recognize, if you are old enough. Certainly "This Is the Army" is dated, but if you remember the time and place it does its duty well as a patriotic film, although the difference between sending the troops out to fight that war and the one currently being waged is rather dramatic. The film won the Oscar for Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture for "Ray Heindorf."

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Irving Berlin sends Ronald Reagan off to fight World War II
On the 4th of July in 1942, "This Is the Army" opened on Broadway with book, lyrics and music by Irving Berlin, who persuaded the War Department to let him have 300 service men to do the musical and raise $10 million for Army Relief. The 1943 movie version, directed by Michael Curtiz for Warner Brothers, starred a pair of future California politicians, (Senator) George Murphy and (Governor) Ronald Reagan, as the father and son of Jerry and Johnny Jones. Reagan, who had just earnedd the best notices of his career for his work in "King's Row," entered the military and was assigned to making "This Is the Army" and then military training films. Scenarists Casey Robinson and Claude Binjoy came up with a story lined that worked in material from Berlin's celebrated 1917 soldier show "Yip, Yip, Yiphank." Set during World War I, Murphy plays a Broadway song and dance man who is drafted and put in charge of an army show. After the final performance the cast marches off to war, where Jerry Jones receives a leg wound. Then we jump to the start of World War II, Jerry is now a Broadway producer and son Johnny is his assistant. History repeats itself, this time with Johnny enlisting and taking time to hurry up and marry his sweetheart, Eileen Dibble (Joan Leslie), before marching off. The film offers Kate Smith singing "God Bless America" and the special treat of Berlin himself singing "Oh, How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning." This show also includes "This is the Army, Mr. Jones," which is probably the only other song contemporary audiences might still recognize, if you are old enough. Certainly "This Is the Army" is dated, but if you remember the time and place it does its duty well as a patriotic film.

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Special Version on Original Release.
I recall screening this movie to packed audiences in 1944, so much so that the police had to control the box office. Every performance (3 times daily) played to capacity audiences, so I know all the songs especially MY BRITISH BUDDY, which no doubt U.S. Viewers have never even heard off.
In 1943, BRITISH versions included an Irving Berlin song, sung by Irving called MY BRITISH BUDDY, (We are as different as can be, he thinks he's winning the war and I think its ME! But we are in this to the finish, and on one thing we agree, when the war is won, and the job is done, we'll be joining hands across the sea)
I have yet to see this section on American TV versions, and wonder if it is included in American VHS versions. (which I doubt) It does demonstrate however just how close the Bros; Warner worked with the State Department, and orther Government agencies. perhaps they had a special version for France as well?

Will we ever know?
Ah Well
JD. July 2002