When I saw the cast, I really got my hopes up. But they were dashed and then some. I kept waiting for Gene Kelly to cut the rug, but he danced one measly scene. I like Katherine Grayson, but seriously, the material she had was nothing special. In fact, most of the songs were awful. The exception was Lena Horne's Honeysuckle Rose, but sitting through the rest of the movie was a high price to pay for one quality number. There were such great tunes written during wartime. Where were they? Compare with Irving Berlin's This is the Army. It doesn't. It was nice to see a young Gene Kelly show us he can act, as well as dance. If you like vintage musicals, there are much better ones.

Thousands Cheer (1943) starring Gene Kelly was made using the very best of MGM's actor and movie technician talent in color, and is well done in those areas. I never saw Kelly do such a good job acting, and the same is true for his co-star, Katherine Grayson. Other major actors part of the movie all do well, including Mary Astor, Mickey Rooney, and Judy Garland. It's a spectacular movie technically, and quite a showcase for good actor movie star work done well and skillfully, a credit to all who appear in front of the camera and worked on the machines behind the screen. But there is no script worth the name, and not a single good song appears in this movie, which is supposed to be (and is) a "musical." Judy Garland does her best at the end of the movie with a mediocre song, even though she's always worth seeing. One of the true saints of world cinema history. The movie is an embarrassment of riches except for the bad (non-existent) script and the lack of a single good, memorable song. And this from the then biggest and richest movie studio in the world, MGM. It's an oddity worth seeing for its display of talent, unconnected as that turns out to be with good writing and good song composition. The color especially is dazzling. It's an upbeat "crowd-pleaser" movie needed and delivered during the World War II years. But the lack of good writing and good songs makes it mediocre.

When You watch Thousands Cheer please note the plot similarities between it and the two John Ford cavalry classics Fort Apache and Rio Grande. Kathryn Grayson is an army brat whose army father John Boles and show business mother Mary Astor separated years ago as in Rio Grande. Kathryn like Shirley Temple has fallen for a man of the ranks, a recent draftee. Fortunately John Boles is a bit more understanding than Henry Fonda was.But folks, you don't watch films like Thousands Cheer for the story, thin as it is. You watch to see a whole lot of fabulous acts and a kind of film that can never be done again because we don't have all that talent under one studio roof. Gene Kelly the object of Grayson's affections was fairly new to films and is only give one dance number, an impromptu affair with a broom. With Eleanor Powell in the same film it would have been nice had they partnered in a number. But back then MGM wasn't thinking of posterity.Just like in Paramount's Star Spangled Rhythm, the hook is a show that is being put on at the camp John Boles is in charge of. Mickey Rooney serves as one lively master of ceremonies and does some wicked impersonations of fellow MGM players Lionel Barrymore and Clark Gable.My favorite though is Lena Horne singing Honeysuckle Rose. Best thing about a very entertaining film.

Gene Kelly plays the "King of the Trapeze turned buck army private" magnificently, supplemented with the chirping of Kathryn Grayson. It shows how, even in his early years, (This is only the second year of Gene in Hollywood pictures) he was a great dancer/actor. (His dance with the mop was the best part of the movie for me) This great movie is supplemented by the great bands of Jose Iturbi and Bob Crosby, and with the great talents of silver screen greats like Red Skelton, Lucille Ball, Gloria DeHaven, June Allyson, and the spectacular Judy Garland. This movie is a must for all classic musical buffs!!!