Carolina Blues (1944)

81 mins | Musical comedy | 26 September 1944

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HISTORY

The working title of this film was Battleship Blues. According to a HR news item, the Metropolitan Opera House set used in the picture was located at the old Vitagraph Studios. Kay Kyser and Georgia Carroll were married at the time of this production. ...

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The working title of this film was Battleship Blues. According to a HR news item, the Metropolitan Opera House set used in the picture was located at the old Vitagraph Studios. Kay Kyser and Georgia Carroll were married at the time of this production.

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SOURCE CITATIONS
SOURCE
DATE
PAGE
Box Office
30 Sep 1944
---
Daily Variety
13 Nov 1944
p. 3
Film Daily
20 Dec 1944
p. 4
Hollywood Reporter
5 May 1944
p. 20
Hollywood Reporter
16 May 1944
p. 4
Hollywood Reporter
13 Nov 1944
p. 3
Motion Picture Herald Product Digest
20 May 1944
p. 1894
Motion Picture Herald Product Digest
18 Nov 1944
p. 2181
New York Times
8 Dec 1944
p. 26
Variety
13 Dec 1944
p. 8
CAST
PRODUCTION CREDITS
NAME
PARENT COMPANY
PRODUCTION COMPANY
DISTRIBUTION COMPANY
NAME
CREDITED AS
CREDIT
DIRECTORS
Asst dir
Dial dir
PRODUCER
WRITERS
Scr
Story
Addl dial
PHOTOGRAPHY
Franz F. Planer
Dir of photog
Cam op
ART DIRECTORS
Art dir
Edward Jewell
Art dir
FILM EDITOR
Film ed
SET DECORATOR
Set dec
COSTUMES
Gowns
Jewels
MUSIC
Mus dir
Orch arr
Vocal arr
SOUND
Mus rec
Sd eng
DANCE
Dances staged by
SOURCES
SONGS
"You Make Me Dream Too Much," "Thanks a Lot" and "Poor Little Rhode Island," music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Sammy Cahn; "Mister Beebe," music and lyrics by Jule Styne, Sammy Cahn and Dudley Brooks; "Thinkin' About the Wabash," music and lyrics by Jule Styne, Sammy Cahn and Walter Bullock; "Jeannie with the Light Brown Hair," music and lyrics by Stephen Foster; "There Goes That Song Again," words and music by Allie Wrubel.
SONGWRITERS/COMPOSERS
+
DETAILS
Alternate Title:
Battleship Blues
Release Date:
26 September 1944
Production Date:
6 Apr--27 May 1944
Copyright Info
Claimant
Date
Copyright Number
Columbia Pictures Corp.
11 December 1944
LP13087
Physical Properties:
Sound
Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording
Black and White
Duration(in mins):
81
Length(in feet):
7,344
Country:
United States
PCA No:
10228
SYNOPSIS

When Kay Kyser and his band, including singer Georgia Carroll, return from a long USO tour, the exhausted musicians look forward to their vacation, while Georgia plans her upcoming wedding to an Army officer. Their publicist, Charlotte Barton, does not give them time to rest, however, for she immediately takes them to the Carver shipyards. Despite the band's grumbling, they put on a good show, and Kay is entranced by the singing of Julie Carver, the daughter of Phineas J. Carver, whom Kay mistakenly assumes is the owner of the shipyard. Anxious to be married, Georgia urges Kay to replace her with Julie, but Kay mysteriously declines. On his way back to the hotel, Kay meets an old chum, Tom Gordon, the newspaper editor in Kay's hometown of Rocky Mount, North Carolina. Tom asks Kay to return home to put on a bond rally, so that Rocky Mount can buy a destroyer. Carver suggests holding the show in New York, where they can raise enough money for a cruiser, not just a destroyer, and Kay tries to trick the band members into agreeing. They see through his scheme, but as they are stuck in New York due to transportation shortages, acquiesce. Georgia is annoyed at having to postpone her wedding, however, and during the show, arranges for Julie to substitute for her. Julie is a big hit, much to the delight of her father and the chagrin of her wealthy, snobbish relatives. Kay is furious about the trick and yells at Julie for trying to ruin the show. When Georgia questions him about why he is refusing to hire Julie, he states that ...

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When Kay Kyser and his band, including singer Georgia Carroll, return from a long USO tour, the exhausted musicians look forward to their vacation, while Georgia plans her upcoming wedding to an Army officer. Their publicist, Charlotte Barton, does not give them time to rest, however, for she immediately takes them to the Carver shipyards. Despite the band's grumbling, they put on a good show, and Kay is entranced by the singing of Julie Carver, the daughter of Phineas J. Carver, whom Kay mistakenly assumes is the owner of the shipyard. Anxious to be married, Georgia urges Kay to replace her with Julie, but Kay mysteriously declines. On his way back to the hotel, Kay meets an old chum, Tom Gordon, the newspaper editor in Kay's hometown of Rocky Mount, North Carolina. Tom asks Kay to return home to put on a bond rally, so that Rocky Mount can buy a destroyer. Carver suggests holding the show in New York, where they can raise enough money for a cruiser, not just a destroyer, and Kay tries to trick the band members into agreeing. They see through his scheme, but as they are stuck in New York due to transportation shortages, acquiesce. Georgia is annoyed at having to postpone her wedding, however, and during the show, arranges for Julie to substitute for her. Julie is a big hit, much to the delight of her father and the chagrin of her wealthy, snobbish relatives. Kay is furious about the trick and yells at Julie for trying to ruin the show. When Georgia questions him about why he is refusing to hire Julie, he states that as a rich girl, she would have no commitment to a real career. Georgia passes on the information to Julie and Phineas, unaware that they are only pretending to be rich to make a good impression on Kay. In reality, they are the poor Carvers and are continually borrowing from their relations. Kay then travels to Rocky Mount, where the townsfolk hold a banquet in his honor. During the festivities, however, Kay learns that because the bonds from the New York show were sold in New York, they cannot be credited to Rocky Mount. Devastated by the news, Kay schemes to get the band to his hometown for another show by sending them urgent telegrams that lead them to believe that he is on his death bed. Again, they quickly see through his ruse, but agree to put on the show as they are already in Rocky Mount. The bond sales do not go well though, and it does not look as if there will be enough for a destroyer until Julie and Phineas arrive. Believing that he can get Phineas to purchase the required amount of bonds, Kay gives the singing job to Julie. She goes out with him that night in order to obtain a contract, but the moonlight works its magic and the couple fall in love. Unable to deceive him any longer, Julie tells Kay the truth about her finances and tearfully runs off with Phineas the next morning. Phineas has a plan of his own though, and summons his relatives to Rocky Mount. That night, as Kay puts on the show, Phineas blackmails his relatives into buying enough bonds so that the town can obtain its destroyer. Julie goes to the auditorium to present the check to Kay, who quickly reconciles with her and shares the good news with the crowd.

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Legend
Viewed by AFI
Partially Viewed
Offscreen Credit
Name Occurs Before Title
AFI Life Achievement Award

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