I remember seeing Up In Arms on TV when I was a young boy and found it thoroughly entertaining. I remember so much of it as if I'd just seen it and now it's been at least ten years.The story concerns a hypochondriac (Danny) who gets drafted despite his terrible perceived problems. Along the way he hitches up with his friend Joe(Dana Andrews), Dinah Shore in one of her better roles and Constance Cummings. I'll not tell you which girl Danny gets but this is the movie that has his famous spoof on the movies of the time. It's his incredible "Lobby Number" which precedes to get him and his friends "escorted" out of the movie theater before the show even starts.There is also a great Technicolor musical number towards the end of the film "Tess's Torch Song" with Danny and Dinah. It's a swingy, torchy, blues of a thing that has always left me smiling. Sure it's a fluff of a movie but that's what many pictures were in those days.So if you wish to escape reality and go along for a tuneful and comedic ride, just get Up In Arms. Personally I'd jump at a box set of Danny Kaye DVD's. I don't understand why the Inspector General gets a release but Up In Arms, Knock On Wood and the Kid From Brooklyn are left in VHS form. These are some enjoyable movies and truly highlight Danny Kaye's knock out entertaining.

A colossal Danny Kaye bomb.It's amazing that Danny's film career went anywhere after a film as miserable as this. This was not the film to showcase his talents.Dana Andrews was not for musicals. It was as simple as that. He played his sidekick in this and was Jeanne Crain's love interest in "State Fair." Andrews hit his stride in "The Best Years of Our Lives."Danny is a severe hypochondriac in this film. He gets drafted and loves Constance Dowling who doesn't have the heart to tell him that it's Andrews who is her love interest. Dinah Shore, as Virginia, loves Danny but he can't see it.General mayhem develops when all 4 of the characters are on the ship and Dowling becomes a castaway by accident.Look for Margaret Dumont in 2 brief scenes. I guess she was taking a respite from the Marx Brothers. She is not even at her gawky best here.Also miscast are Louie Calhern and Lyle Talbot, both wonderful character actors, who have little to do here and are wasted.Dinah sings nicely and I guess that she and Kaye make a nice Jewish couple. That's about it.

As a general Rule, I hate Hollywood musicals - Certain Musicals. This is just my personal taste and no offense to those who love musicals. Mostly because, and I bet a lot of people will agree with me, the music is just badly written. Always there are exceptions to the rule, and one of those being Danny Kaye (Another being Kay Kaiser).The Technicolor on this is just fantastic and the music and lyrics are of the best of the Danny Kaye films. It is a great comedy on it's own having a pretty hilarious premise and several incidents that have you howling in laughter even after 60 years or so. Danny Kaye is a dailectition of superb talent, and his fake Scottish in this movie is hilarious.Finally, Danny Kaye was a Musical genius, and I do not know any other entertainer who could use his flapper and a musical instrument as well. I have laughed Long Hours due to this guy all through my life, even if I have seen the film several times! Hahaha! Dinah Shore has a real swell number as well- Kind of in the middle of the film. I like Dinah Shore as his "leading lady" - I like how she is dressed, I love the sharp shoulders on her costumes, she was about as odd as he was. And this oddity is what made this film so classic. His most beautiful leading lady was always Virginia Mayo, but Shore is really funny and so it is a good match up.Of course there is the Danny Kaye­™ "Dream Sequence" and this one is fantastic. I love the flaming Women Torches- Goldwyn always made a little mini production out of those sequences. I don't know if Danny himself suggested these, but several of his movies have them and "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" Practically consists of them. Wonder Man is another. So of course "Up in Arms" has a couple very good imagination sequences like that, including the ending.But nothing is as good as Kaye standing in front of a full Orchestra, dementing the music. This film has one scene in particular, where you can certainly say, that music, used as a comedy tool, works very well.

This is only the second Danny Kaye film I've had the pleasure of watching, and he certainly didn't disappoint. The scene at the beginning of the film is fantastic, and Kaye's outstanding ability to tongue-twist in a song mixed in a conversation is hilarious! It has a lovely plot and Kaye steals every scene, from his serious romantic side, to his outrageous physical comedy. There are loads of brilliant one liners in there from Kaye, and his character being a hypochondriac just adds to the enjoyment! If you haven't seen this film yet, then what are you waiting for?!