The Midshipmaid (1932) Online

Early starring musical for Jessie Matthews (her 3rd talkie) has her as a politician's daughter who goes aboard a naval vessel with her father to inspect the ship. She meets some officers and ends up in a show.

Nice song "One Little Kiss from You" is sung a few times, and Matthews does another number as part of a sextette. Of course she's in disguise so her crabby father (Frederick Kerr) won't know she's in the show. Slim plot and lack of more music make this one of Matthews' weaker efforts, but she looks great and still displays that pep she was famous for.

The film is probably better remembered for the screen debut of John Mills. Others in the cast include Anthony Bushell, Nigel Bruce, A.W. Baskcomb as Pook, Claud Allister, Basil Sydney, George Zucco, and Joyce Kirby and Wilma Vanne as Dora and Cora the twins.

Jessie Matthews was a rising star when this film was made.It is clear that the director decided that the best way to film it was putting the camera down and not move it as if it was viewing proceedings from the middle of the stalls,so don't look for cinematic ingenuity here.It is clearly a star vehicle for Jessie,with many other rising actors in her wake.These have been mentioned in another review.however I was very surprised to learn that Steve Condos,one of the famous Condos brothers was one half of the stage horse.Did he do the dancing for Nigel Bruce I wonder.Nack in the days before his hair turned grey and he became Dr Watson.The last part of the film is essentially a revue withs some very strange acts,not lease the 2 prim and proper "gels" who come out with a rather wild dance.

The 24 year old John Mills made his screen debut in this film. He was quite a bland actor in the 30's and became the chosen representative of the English middle classes in the 40's. Watching him in this film was like having a sandwich with no filling in it.