G.M.'s Revue

Half a million families in over 40 U. S. cities are seeing a free show these days because Pop and Mom punch a General Motors time clock. As it switched over from peace to war production, General Motors switched from old to new methods of talking to its workers. Instead of reviewing their role in the war effort, it revues it. It's Only the Beginning (produced by Soundmasters, Inc.) is a ginger-coated pep talk that points a moral with newsreel excerpts, talks shop in swing time, says "Thanks, boys" with dimpled knees like Peggy Moro's.

G.M. seeks to relax its audiences just enough to rouse them. It's Only the Beginning has few high jinks, never strays far from its message:

Keep your hearts right in it and plug, G.M.

Show the world who can slug, G.M.

Show the world who can slug. The professional cast of 42 boasts no big-name comedian, and the script (though written by Owen Murphy and Peter Barry, who have gagged for Joe Cook and Ed Wynn) boasts hardly a laugh. Says one spokesman: "The show's not meant to be amusing; it's very much like christening a new gun for the Navy."

The frankly corny plot concerns a likable but sloppy guy who lies down on his defense job, is siren-songed by Axis agents, collared by Uncle Sam, and finally brought to his senses by hard-bitten visions of 1776, 1865, 1943. This fable gets a lift from such catchy tunes as It's Only the Beginning, Let's Be Americans All, Swing-Shift Sam and Swing-Shift Susie:

Hip, hip, hip hooray,

We're on the front burner,

The flapjack turner,

Working on production for the U.S.A.; crashes to a finale of house-organ music:

Victory Is Our Business . . .

Business is going to be swell.

General Motors thinks It's Only the Beginning is a good idea if only because many G.M. workers and their families have never seen a show in the flesh before. Mommas & Poppas, Negro & white, turn up in Sunday clothes, bringing open-mouthed tykes and even babes-in-arms. With the family in mind, It's Only the Beginning is as proper as it is propagandist.

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