Thousands Cheer

While sporting an avalanche of Hollywood stars from the period, the movie itself is just fluff...and rightly so! Produced at the height of the Second World War, the film was intended as a morale booster for American troops and their families.The first half follows an actual storyline, however all pretenses of a storyline are effectively abandoned for the second half as the film instead becomes a variety showcase of comedy, song, and dance, with all of the performers.Gene Kelly is always great to watch as he dances and leaps with athletic grace!(I will say I was surprised to learn the film was nominated for three Academy Awards: Best Cinematography, Best Score and Best Art Direction)

When MGM reigned, it was always a joy to see so many stars in one picture. " Everybody works"

This is quite a splendid Gene Kelly film. It may be a WW2 propaganda film, but it's funny and entertaining. Gene Kelly, a soldier, and Kathryn Grayson, daughter of Kelly's commanding officer fall in love. This plot may seem predictable and flimsy, but never mind that, it's still entertaining. The plot is easily solved at the end, but you get to watch Gene Kelly dance and sing, Kathryn Greyson also sings, Jose Iturbe leads his orchestra, and several other performers appear in this film. Among them, Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney, and Eleanor Powell. It is a very simple film, but given its objective (this is not going to appear on an AFI top ten list), it is quite an honest one and delivers a good feeling at the end.

I love this movie and it arrived on time and in perfect condition. If people like musicals, this one is a must.

I saw THOUSANDS CHEER in Montevideo, Uruguay, back in 1953, when MGM was reprising most of Gene Kelly's musicals after his big success in AN AMERICAN IN PARIS and SINGIN' IN THE RAIN. The same year I could see those two films and ANCHORS AWEIGH too, and I was only ten years old. I became a big fan of Gene Kelly and now, when I'm over sixty, I haven't change a bit. So, is very touching to watch THOUSANDS CHEER again (I've seen the others over fifty times each) and place the film in the year it was made, 1943, with all that war climax, the studios trying to entertain the troops (and ALL of them were making the same kind of picture: Warners, Fox, RKO, Universal, Paramount) with a big parade of all their major stars singing and dancing, in musical numbers or comedy sketches (like Frank Morgan, Red Skelton and Mickey Rooney here) with Jose Iturbi directing the orchestra and making faces all the time. Gene Kelly has only one number (and a good one) and Kathryn Grayson sings a lot, but this Joe Pasternak production is very entertaining, colorful and well directed by George Sidney with his flying cameras. This film has something special that the years can't erase: an enormous and powerful description of an era, not only Hollywood in his golden years but the fabulous forties at their peak, with the charm, the rhythm (just listen the Kay Kyser and Bob Crosby orchestras), the songs and the dances that describes more than words a whole great american pastime. And we must not forget the personalities (not only Judy Garland, but Eleanor Powell, Lena Horne and all the others) that make THOUSANDS CHEER a real document of an era. Of course, the war was not that funny and amusing like it's shown here, but the film was made with the only commitment of cheering-up the spirits of the men overseas, where things weren't that funny. It must be seen now with that historical background, and that's its principal attraction nowadays.

My wife enjoyed very much watching this movie yet again after so many years.

With stars such as Gene Kelly, Mary Astor, and Kathryn Grayson, and a long list of guest stars, including Judy Garland, Lena Horne, Red Skelton, Ann Sothern, Lucille Ball, Frank Morgan, Virginia O'Brien, Eleanor Powell, Marilyn Maxwell, June Allyson, Gloria DeHaven, Donna Reed, Margaret O'Brien, pianist-conductor José Iturbi, and the big bands of Kay Kyser, Bob Crosby, and Benny Carter, this 1943 movie could have been one of the finest MGM musicals. Unfortunately, it is not.The film is dull and plodding through most of the first hour, despite some nice classical musical numbers by Iturbi and Grayson, and really doesn't pick up the pace until Kelly's mop dance number, at about 1:06 into the picture. When the all-star show for the troops, hosted by Mickey Rooney, begins, things get a lot better, particularly Eleanor Powell's solo tap number, her first filmed in color.If the folks at MGM had spent a little more time in the editing room, they could have made a really outstanding film of about 1 1/2 hours or less. Instead, we get a movie with a boring first half, with some outstanding highlights in the second hour. If you purchase or watch this film, fast-forward to the Kelly dance number, and then skip to the all-star show; you'll enjoy those portions much more.

This is another Gene Kelly movie I HAD NEVER SEEN, only because, it had not been available on dvd. Thanks again AMAZON. You will love the dancing, the songs, and best of all , I loved it! The film has so many other stars, you will wonder why the studio didn't call it, ALL OUR STARS ON PARADE. Good price for a first time out movie. Wonderful picture quality and sound. Buy it, they don't make movies like that any more! Thousands Cheer

Kathryn Grayson is lovely she plays a colonels daughter who falls in love with a soldier Gene Kelly.and puts on a show for the troops with an all star extravaganza.theres some great numbers. like Jose Iturbi playing boogie woogie,Gene Kelly dance with a mop,Judy Garland sings the joint is realy jumpin,Eleanor Powell does a tap dance, and Kathryn Grayson sings some good songs and a millatry band song United Nations On The March with orchestra and choir is wonderfull. and theres lots more stars singin and dancing, some comedy sketches are a bit dated but its still a good entertaining film.great picture and sound quality.no extras

This product doesn't play, seller doesn't reply to your messages, not going to use again!

Great to see Gene Kelly at his best with Kathryn Grayson, not one of the most popular films to buy which makes it more enjoyable

very dated and colour not brilliant

Wow! Saw this one 1946.Just terrific.