For Me and My Gal

Set just before World War I, this corny musical introduced 30-year-old debutant Gene Kelly in the intially unsympathetic role of an ambitious hoofer who joins up with fellow vaudevillians Garland and Murphy in the, hope of fulfilling his/their dream of playing at the famous Palace Theatre. Their plans are complicated by Kelly's selfish scheming to avoid the draft, and by a romantic triangle in which Murphy loves Garland, Garland loves Kelly, and Kelly loves, besides himself, the idea of being famous. Kelly's contrived transformation from ruthless heel to self-effacing war hero is totally unconvincing, but the excellent numbers - including the title song, 'When You Wore a Tulip' and 'Ballin' the Jack' - may help to numb the pain.