Rosie the Riveter (1944)

Rosie the Riveter: Directed by Joseph Santley. With Jane Frazee, Frank Albertson, Barbara Jo Allen, Frank Jenks. In wartime 1944 in California,defense plant workers Rosalind “Rosie” Warren and her friend Vera Watson must share, on a rotating schedule, the town’s last available rental-room with Charlie Doran and Kelly Kennedy, who work the other shift at the plant. The landlady, Grandma Quill , also has her grandchildren, Buzz Prouty and Mabel Prouty , and her daughter Stella Prouty —who is on the outs with her husband Clem —living with her. Rosie doesn’t tell her fiancé, Wayne Calhoun ,about the living arrangements, and is also plotting with Vera to re-unite the Proutys. Rosie pawns the engagement ring Wayne gave her for money for Clem and Stella. Rosie and Charlie fall in love and get their picture in the paper. Wayne huffingly breaks the engagement and wants his ring returned.

“This is a breezy musical about the housing shortage in wartime America, circa 1944. As usual Jane Frazee is a delight to watch and listen to and here she is paired with the female Jerry Colonna, Vera Vague as the work/roommate. Rosie and her pal squabble with two guys over the only remaining boardinghouse room in town and Rosie, after u0026quot;working overtime on a B-19u0026quot; down at the plane factory, eventually warms up to Frank Albertson (not your typical young juvenile lead, this was wartime after all) and everything works out for the big finale sung at the work site. Three or four nice tunes and some light comedy (a couple of very funny moments – all the teenagers seem to be a lot more mature about their romantic relationships than the adults and they stay up all night doing the conga!)make this an easy hour to pass.”