Wartime musical comedy about four actresses (Kay Francis, Martha Raye, Carole Landis and Mitzi Mayfair, playing themselves) touring with the USO. The film is based on the book of the same name written by Landis, based on her experiences with the USO. Some good musical numbers but the comedy (mostly Raye) is the pits.Landis is beautiful and glamorous as always. Francis seems matronly and out of place. Raye hams it up as she often did in her films. Her brand of comedy isn't to my tastes. Mayfair I was unfamiliar with prior to this film. She doesn't really leave an impression here, good or bad. She's the Zeppo of the group I guess. Support from Dick Haymes and Phil Silvers. Also features Jimmy Dorsey, Betty Grable, Alice Faye, and Carmen Miranda as themselves.

"Four Jills and a Jeep" is a film about four entertainers who leave the comfort of the United States and head overseas to do their part for the war effort. The stars are Kay Francis, Martha Raye, Carole Landis and Mitzi Mayfair (who was famous for her stage work).When I watched "Four Jills and a Jeep", a assumed that this film was pure fiction. While I know some actresses DID go to the front lines during WWII, I assume Twentieth Century-Fox chose the four featured actresses purely according to who was available. However, after watching one of the special features on the DVD for this film, I watched "The Real Four Jills" and learned much about the background for the film. It turns out that the story was based on a book by Kay Francis about her and the other three women in the film and their experiences traveling together to entertain the US troops in North Africa and England! So, the story is ESSENTIALLY true. What I mean by that is that the four stars were correct but the film was made here in the States AND liberties were taken with their story. So, while the film is pretty good, it's even better knowing the background for their story. Overall, it's enjoyable and worth your time. Plus, while I usually don't like cameos, I really liked seeing and hearing Alice Faye (in a tiny scene) sing her signature song, "You'll Never Know"--a tune that always gets me. And, that jitterbug sequence....WOW! By the way, I was just curious and read through the five stars' biographies on IMDb for Kay Francis, Carole Landis, Mitzi Mayfair, Martha Raye and Dick Haymes and found that between them, they had 24 marriages! And, while I already knew this, Landis killed herself at age 29. Yikes...such is the Hollywood life.

This film obviously was directed mainly at homesick GIs. The Hollywood stars on this fabricated USO tour are mostly among the secondary ranks. However, cameos of Fox's 3 reigning female musical-comedy divas during the war are also included. Betty Grable, Alice Faye and Carmen Miranda sing their signature love songs over the radio to complement the live entertainment. Phil Silvers as the official male escort for the 'girls' is definitely a plus. He was consistently under-appreciated by Fox as a comedian, being mainly used to liven up some of their second rate films. Martha Raye serves well as his female counterpart. Actually, she began her Hollywood career as more of a singer than a comedian, and she does a bit of both in this one. Mitzi Mayfaire, mostly a Broadway dancer, supplies nearly all the dancing for the group. She was cute, flirtaceous and vivacious: definitely a plus. Too bad she didn't get more film roles. Carol Landis mainly filled the desire for a classy-looking blonde. Her USO tours were the highlight of her short life. Although she had a variety of marriages and other romantic relationships in her short life, apparently she was unable to find any lasting romantic or professional relationship. Kay Francis essentially served as the 'girls' chaparone. Dick Haymes was boring in his usual slow forgettable romantic ballads. Otherwise, the film chronicles some of the hardships that USO stars likely encountered. It doesn't include the severe health problems that Carol Landis suffered as a result. This film is included in one of the DVD compendiums of Alice Faye films, much to the displeasure of most reviewers.

Four Jills In A Jeep in based loosely on the true story of a USO unit which went overseas. Headed by Kay Francis, it also included Martha Raye, Carole Landis, and Mitzi Mayfair. In the movie version, there are romances which didn't really take place, plus all-too-frequent appearances by Phil Silvers as an Army sargeant who is their escort. This film also marked the first "official" appearance of Dick Haymes in a movie, although he actually appeared in a film earlier. As with USO type musicals of this period, there are specialty numbers by guest stars including Jimmy Dorsey and his band (in top form here), Betty Grable, Carmen Miranda, and Alice Faye, in one of her last films. She sings a heart rending version of "You'll Never Know" which make one realize what a beautiful song this really is, how much it meant to service men and women far from home, and what a jerk Englebert Humperdinck is for the way he sings it. The movie was also the last high water mark for the four leading actresses. Mitzi Mayfair never made another movie. Kay Francis made only two or three more before retiring. Carole Landis would suffer personal problems and die a few years later. Martha Raye moved on to a successful career in 1950's television, and twenty years later would entertain troops in Viet Nam in much the same way as she does here.