NAVY BLUES (1937) Dick Purcell, Mary Brian & Warren Hymer | Comedy, Drama, Romance | B&W

Navy Blues is a 1937 American film directed by Ralph Staub.

SYNOPSIS
A sailor bets his friends he can date any woman he wants to. They pick out a librarian with a reputation as a "cold fish", and when he pursues her he discovers that he has competition—and his rival has much more sinister intentions than he does.

When Navy shipmates Russell J. "Rusty" Gibbs, Gerald "Biff" Jones, Chips and Gateleg go on shore leave, lady-killer Rusty is challenged by his friends to take dowdy librarian Doris Kimbell to the Crow's Nest Cafe, a popular Navy hangout. Accepting the bet, Rusty is soon at the library trying to romance an unimpressed Doris. As a cover, Rusty checks out a book on algebra in which Doris' beau, Julian Everett, is unusually interested. The two men escort Doris home, where Rusty receives a chilly reception from Doris' aunt, Beulah Wayne, who disapproves of common sailors. Rusty lies to them, saying that he is a candidate for Annapolis, although actually he is too old, and Doris is impressed enough to go walking on the beach with him the next day. He makes another date with her, but Chips and Gateleg tell the family the truth about Rusty not really being an Annapolis candidate. When Rusty goes to pick up Doris, she gives him the cold shoulder, but he lies to her again, telling her that he is in Naval Intelligence. Doris believes him and goes with him to the Crow's Nest, where Chips, Gateleg and Biff are stunned by the transformation Rusty has worked on the now beautiful Doris. Rusty wins his bet and leaves the cafe with Doris, but not before Julian, who really is a spy, overhears that Rusty is in intelligence. The next day, Julian and his cohorts, Dr. Crowley and Lawson, discuss their fear that Rusty may have solved their secret code, which is contained in the algebra book he borrowed from Doris' library. Meanwhile, on board the ship, Rusty's commanding officer asks the Washington, D.C. branch of Naval Intelligence to investigate Rusty, after which a real intelligence officer searches Rusty's locker and finds the secret code. Rusty keeps a date with Doris, during which he tries to tell her the truth about himself and that he loves her, but when Biff tells her about the bet, she runs away. While Rusty is trying to make up with Doris, Naval officers search for him, as they now suspect him of being involved in a plot to murder an important foreign nobleman. Rusty is kidnapped by Lawson and taken to Crowley's office, where he is interrogated about the book. After learning nothing from Rusty, Julian kidnaps Doris and then her uncle Andrew. Crowley receives another code book and deciphers a telegram about the nobleman's arrival, then leaves with Lawson to assassinate him, after which Rusty uses a lamp to signal his ship's officers to protect the nobleman. Rusty frees himself, struggles with Julian and then goes to the airport with Doris, Andrew and his pals.

CAST & CREW
Mary Brian as Doris Kimbell
Dick Purcell as Russell J. 'Rusty' Gibbs
Warren Hymer as Gerald 'Biff' Jones
Joe Sawyer as Chips
Edward Woods as Julian Everett
Horace McMahon as Gateleg
Chester Clute as Uncle Andrew Wayne
Lucile Gleason as Aunt Beulah Wayne
Ruth Fallows as Goldie
Alonzo Price as Dr. Crowley
Mel Ruick as Lawson
Carleton Young as Spencer, of Naval Intelligence

Directed by Ralph Staub
Written by Gordon Kahn, Eric Taylor
Produced by Burt Kelly
Cinematography Jack A. Marta
Edited by Murray Seldeen
Music by Harry Grey
Distributed by Republic Pictures
Release date March 29, 1937
Running time 67 minutes
Country United States
Language English