Pin Up Girl (1944) with Betty Grable

 Wartime  Wednesday

Pin Up Girl (1944) is the movie where alluring movie star Betty Grable makes like Clark Kent and becomes unrecognizable in glasses.

Missouri canteen "it" girl, Lorry (Grable) wants to join the USO, but ends up working as a secretary in a government office in D.C. While on the town, Lorry pretends to be a famous entertainer and finds herself at the best table in town with decorated Naval hero, Tommy Dooley (John Harvey). She sings a provocative, upbeat song which everyone in the place loves, including her date. Tommy spends the rest of the film trying to meet with her again, relaying messages through a secretary that he doesn't notice is a dead ringer for the woman he's looking for because she's wearing those glasses, you see.

From www.andibgoode.com

Oh, c'mon! The woman is not a gorgon; she's just wearing spectacles!

Anyway...

As was common for war musicals, the studios would shove in as many stars and spectacular routines as they could; something to please everyone in the audience. These films were shown at home and abroad, to civilians and to the troops.

In Pin Up Girl we pause the plot for, among other numbers, a moment with the Charlie Spivak band, a roller skating number, a few songs with Martha Raye (I enjoy this comedienne in anything.) and a relentlessly impressive formation with two platoons from the Women's Army Corps.

Lorry reprises her song, this time in her glasses and pencil skirt from the office (which somehow makes the song even more provocative). Will Tommy recognize her? He still looks confused to me.