Series: Streamliner Director: Kurt Neumann Producer: Fred Guiol, Hal Roach Screenplay: Eugene Conrad, Edward E. Seabrook Photography: Paul Ivano Editor: Bert Jordan Music: Edward Ward Art director: Charles D. Hall Sound: William Randall Stars: William Tracy, Joe Sawyer, Jean Porter, Marjorie Lord, Margaret Dumont, Veda Ann Borg Company: United Artists Released: 17 April 1942 Length: 5 reels Production No.: F-44 Filming dates: Rating: 4/10

About Face

Available on DVD:

We're back at Camp Carver as Sgt. Ames leads his platoon on a march around the camp ground. But his instructions are overlooked when Sgt. Doubleday, who is reading from a book, calls conflicting orders from the barracks to which the men respond, causing confusion all around. When Ames discovers this he drags Doubleday out of the window and gives him a bollocking. Colonel Gunning comes by and introduces his beautiful niece Betty and ugly officer Mrs. Culpepper to Doubleday. Naturally Doubleday is focused on Betty throughout the scene as they invite him to their meeting later that afternoon. All the soliders head off into town except Ames, who can't afford to go despite practically begging every officer to lend him money. However, when Ames sees that Doubleday has come into $100 from a competition he has won, he immediately turns on the charm and offers to take Doubleday out for a good time. Ames leads Doubleday to a bar and orders drinks for them both, without a care in the world. As Ames chats up a blonde girl, Doubleday becomes involved with Sally, a young girl whom he dances with until she breaks the heel on her shoe. Doubleday leaves the bar to get the shoe fixed as a barfly enters and takes up his position at the bar, leaving Ames to foot the bill for all the drinks. Outside Doubleday bumps into Betty and reiterates he will be attending their meeting later. Meanwhile Ames is thrown out of the bar, followed closely by the barfly for non-payment of their drinks. Still, Ames isn't mad at Doubleday - and especially after Doubleday invites him to the Bellamy home for the all-female audience meeting to which Doubleday was already heading to. As soon as they arrive Ames is in his element with so many girls to talk to!

At the gathering Doubleday spots the girl from the bar and freaks out, especially after he had just promised Betty he would not see the girl again. Ames is disappointed with the punch drink and lets everybody know it before dancing around the room with a young lady until Mrs. Culpepper makes her entrance. She commands the attention of everybody in the room as she demonstrates her vocational therapy theory wih the differences between the two sergeants. Culpepper completely trashes Ames but praises Doubleday, causing Ames to storm out insulted. He even manages to talk Doubleday into lending him twenty dollars which he uses to take out the blonde girl from the bar. Ames hires a car with the twenty bucks but knows his date is going to be expensive so goes back to the house to pick up Doubleday with the excuse he is needed urgently. Things get complicated for Doubleday when Ames forces him into the car where Sally is sitting and they drive past a shocked Culpepper and Betty. Ames drives around town but the blonde girl gets frustrated with a slow car in front and honks the horn at him. The driver stops, rips out the horn and continues on with his journey, while a truck smashes the door off the rental car. It gets worse. As Ames tries to park the car he bashes into a parked car in front of him. It quickly escalates with several incidents where his rental car gradually becomes stipped, smashed and wrecked by others who have taken exception to Ames' behaviour. It becomes a virtual tit-for-tat in the car park with everyone ripping parts off all the cars until the rental manager has seen enough and gives Ames the bill for all the damages. The police are called and Doubleday is arrested but he refuses to name Ames as the real culprit. But Ames is exposed by the girls and he is arrested instead. Doubleday thinks he's got away with it until the final scene where he has some explaining to do to Betty when he kisses the wrong girl during a temporary blackout!

Favourite bit The carnage in the car park near the end of the film.

Trivia • Copyrighted May 11, 1942. • This was the third of six films to be released as part of the 'streamliner' series by the studio which featured William Tracy and Joe Sawyer in the lead roles. The other five were "Tanks A Million", "Hay Foot", "Fall In", "Yanks Ahoy" and "Here Comes Trouble". • The opening shot of the film showing the entrance to Camp Carver is identical to the opening of "Hay Foot". • The cheque that Doubleday receives for winning the Rice-Puffies Radio Quiz Contest is for $100 and is dated March 8th, 1942. • There is a running gag where Ames keeps running into - and knocking over superior officers. He does this here, and in the previous two films in the series. • Is it just me or does anyone else think that Sgt. Doubleday's lusting over Betty is justy a bit too bloody sickly?! My opinion • Definitely an improvement over "Hay Foot"! The relationship between Ames and Doubleday is more comfortable here and there is more storyline to savour. Not by any means a masterpiece but certainly watchable.

	William Tracy Sgt. Dorian 'Dodo' Doubleday
	Joe Sawyer Sgt. William Ames
	Jean Porter Sally
	Marjorie Lord Betty Marlowe
	Margaret Dumont Mrs. Culpepper
	Veda Ann Borg Daisy, blonde hustler
	Joe Cunningham Colonel Gunning
	Harold Goodwin Captain Caldwell
	Frank Faylen Bartender Jerry
	Dick Wessel Bartender Charlie
	Charles Lane Rental car manager
	John Berkes Barfly
	Ralph Dunn Marine
	Mike Mazurki Tough sailor
	Marjorie Riordan Girl at party
	James Westerfield Soldier with Daisy
	Matt Willis Soldier with Daisy
	Eddie Gribbon Policeman
	Pat Flaherty Sailor
	Ethelreda Leopold Lady passenger

CREDITS (click image to enlarge)

POSTER (click any image to enlarge)

LOBBY CARDS (click any image to enlarge)

STILLS (click any image to enlarge)

Acknowledgements: Gene Sorkin (help) Richard Finnegan (stills) Jesse Brisson (identification of Marjorie Riordan) This page was last updated on: 17 April 2023