Maidgethma Wonderfully offbeat film!

Unlimitedia Sick Product of a Sick System

Murphy Howard I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

Jenni Devyn Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

tavm For quite a few years, Bette Midler-who had originally wowed audiences with her singing and joking on stage before Johnny Carson got her national exposure on TV-was in hit movie after hit movie. So she formed her own production company of which the first hit from that was Beaches. This one she really wanted to make as it cast her as a singer-comedienne paired with a hot comic during World War II. James Caan played that comic who seemed partially based on Bob Hope. The Devine Miss M's character also had a husband who's a soldier and a son who became one during Vietnam. I'll stop there and just say there's both comedy and drama and plenty of singing from Miss M. She does her best with the material which is overwrought on some places. Mr. Caan isn't bad, either. There's also a nice turn by George Segal as Miss Midler's uncle and Caan's head writer. It's too bad it didn't do well, box office-wise but of you're a Midler fan, For the Boys is highly recommended.

ascalleywagge This was a fantastic movie and the score which I have on CD is one of the best. The chemistry between Midler and Caan is electric. Bette is in her element and the songs are classic. Jimmy Caan was fabulous as Eddie. Caan can hold his own with actresses Midler in this movie and with Kathy Bates in "Misery." I wish the movie would have more airplay on cable especially given the fact that the US troops are in military op currently. Regardless of whether we should be fighting or whether we should not be, the movie has lots of heart and it's for the boys (and girls)who serve. Has anyone seen the movie on cable lately? I am quite surprised that this movie has not scored higher in the ratings. This is a movie I would pay to watch in theatres today! We could use the good wishes for our troops these days.

sallymeg5-1 I feel about the movie the same way I feel about all of the wars the US has been in since WWII. I think WWII was the last "good" war. No war is good, people dying is horrific, but at least our "Boys" died for a noble purpose. Every war since then has gotten increasingly more questionable in terms of why we were there and what we were trying to achieve. I think Bette Midler's attitude reflected that. She became increasingly disillusioned as she went off to entertain in each war. The loss of American (and the other countries) soldiers lives became more questionable. The benefits we got out of so many young men and women dying became less clear. The songs that were written about the wars are a really good reflection on how the war was perceived. As the mother of a marine officer I empathize with her loss. But I think they way she played the part really reflects all of the things that I've said above.

fwmurnau After FOR THE BOYS flopped at the box office, Bette Midler angrily told the press she would never make another musical.But the trouble was she DIDN'T make a musical. She threw a few numbers into a heavy-handed "message picture" that strikes political poses which are obvious and overly-familiar.It starts out so well, a real old-time star vehicle, perfectly showcasing Midler's musical and comedic gifts, but less than an hour in, it transforms into something much less interesting.Musical numbers disappear, replaced by pious liberal sermonettes, teaching us that blacklisting, patriotism, sexism, and the Viet Nam war are all Very Bad.FOR THE BOYS illustrates the damage done to a story when the writers refuse to be fair to a major character. Here, James Caan is painted in such broad strokes as a two-dimensional villain (sexist! adulterous! untalented! corrupt!), the whole film becomes a cartoon.By the time you see them in the worst old age make-up in Hollywood history (it looks like someone stuck pie dough on Midler and Caan's faces), what little credibility remains is swept away for good.But the first 45 minutes reminds you how great Midler can be in the right vehicle. Will someone please cast her in another musical? A REAL one this time.