Post #8 For The Boys, 1991 Director Mark Rydell

            For the Boys was directed by Mark Rydell and released in 1991. It tells a story of a 1940s actress/singer and her business partner during the war.  They would entertain the American troops together. The film basically explores their time together through the past 50 years. It is setup as an extended flashback. I actually enjoyed this film very much.  Usually, so much singing would bore me but the movie was very well put together. The cast was made up of Bette Midler, James Caan, George Segal, and Patrick O'Neal. I believe the cast played excellent roles and each character was a vital role in making this film easy to watch and enjoyable. The songs were familiar to me which is part of why I liked it so much. There was even a Beatles cover. Additionally, Bette Midler sang the songs very well. The cast was an excellent portrayal of the 40s era. The underlying romantic theme gives the audience a more emotional experience when the added drama and conflict are not so apparent. The humor alone steals the show and makes the movie. I am surprised I had never heard of this movie before. As with most flashback films though, I dislike the present day scenes. They seem too distant from the flashback characters. It takes away from the interest in the film. I could see how it should have added a certain feeling of nostalgia and almost historic sense to the film, but it did not strike it for me. Above all, the director excellently captured the time period of the 1940s and WWII. The scenes of the open war-zone arena performances made the audience feel the action. It all seemed so real as a viewer. I may look into more Bette Midler movies after seeing this one. She had such a fun and outgoing charisma about her.