Cathardincu Surprisingly incoherent and boring

SincereFinest disgusting, overrated, pointless

Doomtomylo a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

Asad Almond A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

mfrmd An enjoyable if slightly sappy movie with a fairly standard plot line. Notably, the song from this film "Shipmates Stand Together" is still performed as part of a medley by the US Naval Academy Men's Glee Club.Speaking about the music from the film, the US Military Academy's Alma Mater (that's Navy's gridiron rival West Point!) is used as background music at least three times, including in the closing scene. Interesting goof, possibly intentional?The scenes dealing with the upperclassmen "rating" the Plebes are fun; they are different in detail but not in quality from what goes on at the Academy even today.Of the movies available on VHS or DVD about the Naval Academy, I would rank this about in the middle:1. Navy Blue and Gold (1937) 2. Midshipman Jack (1933) 3. Shipmates Forever 4. An Annapolis Story (1955) - pretty bad. 5. Annapolis (2006) - truly dreadful.

dbdumonteil Frank Borzage is my favorite American director of the thirties (and of the twenties).His movies have worn so well ,his heroes are so endearing that I'm deeply moved every time I watch one of them.But this one....It may be "flirtation walk 2" but it has nothing of the greatness that shows in almost every work of the director:is it the same man who made "the mortal storm" ,"three comrades " (a paean to friendship which is far superior to "Shipmates forever") "Little man,what now?" "man's castle" ?It seems the negation of such works as "no greater glory" or " a farewell to arms" .Borzage 's heroes have to fight against an hostile world ("seventh Heaven" "street angel" "little man what now?") they are sweet rebels whose weapon is love and only love.Borzage's girls are not bimbos ,they are sometimes stronger than their male co-stars (see "the river" or "stranded" or "After tomorrow").Dick Powell's Richard is terribly bourgeois ,terribly conformist.Either he is stupid not to follow his dream (crooning) or he is the worthy (Hollywoodian) son from the start .Even more unpleasant is Ruby Keeler's June :not only she lost her father and her brother (in the navy) but she would not accept to marry Richard if he gave up the academy;an user smartly pointed out that it was exactly the subject of Taylor Hackford's "an officer and a gentleman" (1981),but it does not make "shipmates forever" a movie ahead of its time.Sorry to write this ,but this well-meaning jingoistic couple has nothing to do with most of all Borzage's lovers.Since it's a musical,Dick Powell sings four or five songs (depending on the version you're watching,the restored one lasting 2 hours+).Borzage's touch can be felt in one short sequence: the shipmate who failed his exams in the officer's office and his harsh words to the hero (who gets what he deserves anyway).To make a movie about the navy just after another one called "stranded " (in the figurative ,of course) is it a bit ironical on the director's part?In spite of its title,in "stranded" ,the heroine is not a passive sluggish navy girl "who comes second" like June who is nothing but a human medal.

Neil Doyle There's a lot to like in SHIPMATES FOREVER, but it's really a treat for DICK POWELL's fans with him singing a batch of songs (only a couple are really catchy), with generous close-ups of pert and pretty RUBY KEELER as the gal who can't make up her mind about the sailor she loves.Keeler is only given a couple of tapping moments, which is fine with me. I have to agree with the book "Warner Bros. Presents" which describes her as "conspicuously untalented" but managing to be "endearing" nevertheless.It's the formula story about a young man whose father is a Navy veteran (LEWIS STONE) and thinks his son should follow in his footsteps. The son happens to be a popular radio crooner who only half-heartedly joins the service just to prove that he can pass the officer's exam. The predictable plot follows a standard course with the boy winning the love of the girl by the time we reach the final reel.Powell gets to demonstrate that he had a flair for carrying a tune although his voice is nothing remarkable. He's pleasant to watch and handles the acting chores with professional ease.I can't say the same for ROSS Alexander who mugs through his role as comedy relief, but JOHN ARLEDGE does a fine job as an ill-fated sailor friend who attempts to put out a boiler room fire.Touches of drama are better than the humorous interludes, so it's an uneven film, to say the least, directed by Frank Borzage who usually does much more sentimental romances than patriotic musicals like this one.

wrp first movie i ever saw in person. i was very impressed and, although only five, i was ready to enlist in the navy. i have seen it several times since then and still think it is a good movie. although some might think it dated and anachronistic it still has a good deal to say about duty and honor. those things are in short supply today.