The Fleet's In

The Fleet's In, released in 1942, is a romantic comedy film starring Dorothy Lamour, William Holden, and Red Skelton. The movie follows the story of Casey Kirby, a shy and awkward sailor who works on the USS Reliance. Casey longs to be seen as a fearless and confident "sea wolf," but his timid nature has made him an outcast among his fellow sailors. Casey's life takes an unexpected turn when a prominent photographer, Max Fabian, mistakenly captures a compromising photo of him with the beautiful and charming actress, Barbara Dougherty. The photo is published in a newspaper, and Casey becomes an overnight sensation. The sailors of the USS Reliance are astounded by Casey's newfound reputation and immediately begin to bet on his ability to woo the ladies. As the news of Casey's supposed charm spreads, he becomes a local celebrity on leave in San Francisco. Casey's reputation attracts the attention of Barbara Dougherty, who is intrigued by the shy sailor who supposedly captured her heart with a single glance. Barbara agrees to take Casey out for dinner as a favor to Max Fabian, who has promised to promote her next movie. Dorothy (Barbara Dougherty) is initially amused by Casey's awkwardness and is surprised to find that beneath his shy demeanor, he is kind and genuine. Casey, however, is oblivious to the extent of his fame and genuinely believes that Barbara is taking him on a date because she is interested in him. As the night progresses, Casey becomes more and more uncomfortable with the attention he receives from Barbara and her friends. He begins to realize that he is the subject of a public spectacle, with people placing bets on his ability to impress the ladies. Realizing that he has been used as a publicity stunt, Casey is crushed and decides to return to his ship. Despite his initial disappointment, Casey eventually finds himself drawn to Barbara's charming and bubbly personality. As they spend more time together, Casey begins to see beyond his celebrity status and develops genuine feelings for Barbara. Barbara, too, starts to enjoy Casey's company and begins to appreciate his shy and gentle nature. Just when things seem to be progressing smoothly for Casey and Barbara, trouble arises in the form of a high-stakes bet between two rival newspapers. The papers, keen to capitalize on the success of Casey's supposed charm, place a large bet on his ability to win Barbara's heart. The bet is contingent on Casey and Barbara getting married within a week, or else one of the newspapers will be sued by the loser. Faced with the pressure of the bet, Casey agrees to pretend to be in a relationship with Barbara. However, as the deadline for the marriage approaches, Casey and Barbara find themselves facing a dilemma. On one hand, they have genuinely developed feelings for each other, but on the other hand, they do not want to be seen as participants in a publicity stunt. In the end, Casey and Barbara realize that they cannot be coerced into getting married for the sake of a bet. They decide to expose the truth and confess to the newspapers that they have been playing along for the sake of the bet. The newspapers, realizing that they have been scammed, are outraged, and the rival papers are sued. In a bittersweet conclusion, Casey is forced to return to his ship, but not before he and Barbara share a romantic kiss. The movie ends with Casey sailing off into the sunset, his heart filled with the memories of his brief but passionate romance with the lovely actress. Despite its predictable plot, The Fleet's In is a charming romantic comedy that showcases the talents of its lead actors. William Holden delivers a standout performance as the awkward but endearing Casey Kirby, while Dorothy Lamour brings her signature sparkle to the role of Barbara Dougherty. Red Skelton provides comedic relief as Max Fabian, the photographer who inadvertently catapults Casey to fame. The movie's lighthearted tone and witty dialogue make it a delightful and entertaining watch for classic Hollywood fans.