Anchors Aweigh (1945)
Anchors Aweigh is one of the first films Frank Sinatra took part in throughout his career. It is a musical film about the 4 day adventure of two sailors, Frank Siantra and Gene Kelly, in Hollywood.
Frank Sinatra is a shy guy, who has difficulties with talking with women, while Gene Kelly is the guy that knows everything about women, in the movie. During their stay in Hollywood, Gene Kelly helps Sinatra to arrange a date with a girl, and the story goes on…
Director: George Sidney
Producer: Joe Pasternak
Writers: Isobel Lennart, Natalie Marcin
Runtime: 143 min
Company: Metro Goldwyn Mayer
Stars
Frank Sinatra – Clarence Doolittle
Gene Kelly – Joseph Brady
Kathryn Grayson – Susan Abbott
José Iturbi – Himself
Pamela Britton – Girl from Brooklyn
Anchors Aweigh won the academy award for “Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture”, and was also nominated for “Best Actor in a Leading Role (Gene Kelly)”, “Best Cinematography”, “Best Music (I Fall in Love Too Easily)” and “Best Picture”.
It was Frank Sinatra that sang “I Fall in Love Too Easily” in the movie.
The song was first played during the Army–Navy football game on December 1, 1906, at Franklin Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Before a crowd in excess of 30,000 Navy won the game 10–0, their first win in the match up since 1900. The song was gradually adopted as the song of the U.S. Navy; although there is a pending proposal to make it the official song, and to incorporate protocol into Navy regulations for its performance, its status remains unofficial. Its lyrics were considered too specific to the Academy and not representative of the Navy at large, and so were rewritten by George D. Lottman (note the reference to “farewell to college joys”). Its melody was also slightly rewritten by Domenico Savino.
Anchors Aweigh is a musical that is really worth watching. Frank Sinatra sings few songs in the movie, and his performance in the movie is also fine. A good way to spend 2 hours on an evening.