In New York, popular crooner and radio star Dick Powell (as Richard "Dick" Melville) meets tap-dancer Ruby Keeler (as June Blackburn) at a Navy celebration. As you would expect, they are mutually attracted. Helping the relationship considerably is the fact that both Mr. Powell and Ms. Keeler have soured on their US Navy connections. Powell wants to continue his singing career and resists Navy admiral father Lewis Stone (as Richard Melville), who wants his boy to continue a long family tradition. Having lost both a father and brother to Navy service, Keeler agrees Powell should keep his distance...
In order to prove he can make the grade, Powell predictably applies to the Navel Academy at Annapolis. Though he intended otherwise, Powell eventually joins the Navy as a midshipman. Keeler makes a few appearances, coming to terms with her family tragedies through Powell's experience...
Director Frank Borzage and the Warner Bros. team are equipped with plenty of location and stock footage, but too much of it is padding; this film's appeal would be greater with some trimming. Helping the formulaic Delmer Daves story is a colorfully introduced trio of "Shipmates Forever" - Ross Alexander (as Lafayette "Sparks" Brown) from Arkansas, Eddie Acuff (as Lincoln "Cowboy") from Texas and John Arledge (as Johnny "Coxswain" Lawrence) from Arizona. Robert Light (as Ted Sterling) is also on board. Best supporting actor is Mr. Arledge, who gets the best-written role and sails away with the film.
****** Shipmates Forever (10/12/35) Frank Borzage ~ Dick Powell, Ruby Keeler, John Arledge, Ross Alexander