JOHNNY DOESN'T LIVE HERE ANY MORE

US, 1944, 77 minutes, Black and white.
Simone Simon, James Ellison, Minna Gombell, Alan Dinehart, Robert Mitchum, Grady Sutton.
Directed by Joe May.

Johnny Doesn't Live Here Any More is a slight piece of war propaganda froth. It focuses on the difficulties of getting accommodation in the big American cities (a theme treated with much more verve and style in George Stevens' 1943 The More the Merrier). The film is a star vehicle for Simone Simon, a French star who appeared in a number of American films during the war. While the supporting cast is not well-known at all, however there is an appearance by Robert Mitchum as a navy chief (whose film name is Jeff Daniels!). This is one of the earliest of Mitchum's appearances.

The film is a touch frantic, has all the elements of farce - as well as having some animation with a gremlin who appears, animated, to try to wreck whatever is going on. Interesting as a piece of American propaganda of the time, for Mitchum's performance, and for the direction by Joe May, a well-known German director (Asphalt - which was restored in 1994) as well as American films like The House of Seven Gables.

1. Entertaining wartime comedy? Farce? Fantasy?

2. Black and white photography, the city? The American cities of the wartime '40s? The musical score?

3. The gremlin, his style of animation?

4. Katherine, the story about being an orphan, her father, travelling in the train, prospects of a job? defence works? Wanting an apartment? Meeting John, the interaction with him? The range of people who came to the apartment, her turning them away, the sailors, the young boy along the corridor? The chief wanting the apartment for his wife? At work, socialising, Johnny falling in love with him? The farcical peculiar ending with the friends arriving, and Katherine married to the judge.

5. The portrait of Johnny, going into the services, giving the keys to his friends? Mike, having a bath, friendship with Katherine? The two buddies meeting, discussions about Katherine, their clash? Katherine's friend and her boyfriend? Selling the key to the chief who wanted her to meet his wife?

6. The court case, the stickybeak woman and her testimony? The judge and his reaction? The demands that Katherine make up her mind?

7. The light touch and the style of humour of the mid-'40s - as used for morale-boosting?