This Is the Army (1943) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The movie takes place in two main settings: the trenches of France during World War I, and various locations on the American home front including Washington, D.C. The story follows a theatrical troupe of soldiers who perform morale-boosting revues for troops, shifting between battle zones and civilian performances.

• france
• world war i
• home front
• washington dc
• settings
• trenches

The narrative spans two major conflicts. It begins in the 1910s during World War I when Jerry Jones stages the Broadway revue Yip Yip Yaphank. Twenty-five years later, it shifts to World War II after Pearl Harbor, following his son Johnny as he creates a new production called This Is the Army. The film shows how war affects two generations.

• world war i
• world war ii
• 1910s
• 1940s
• time period
• era

The film explores several interconnected themes: duty to country and fellow soldiers, family bonds across generations, the role of art as resilience during wartime, and trauma leading to resilience. These themes weave through the story of the Jones family and their contributions to wartime morale through musical performances.

• duty
• family
• art
• war
• resilience
• themes
• trauma

Jerry Jones, played by George Murphy, is a celebrated song-and-dance man who leads the World War I revue Yip Yip Yaphank. After being wounded in the trenches and walking with a cane, he transitions from performer to mentor, channeling his talent into building morale for troops. He becomes a guiding figure for both his family and the soldiers.

• george murphy
• jerry jones
• wwi
• soldier
• mentor
• cane

Johnny Jones, played by Ronald Reagan, is Jerry and Ethel Jones' son who follows in his father's footsteps by enlisting in World War II. He takes on the responsibility of creating the new wartime production This Is the Army, continuing the family tradition of using performance to support the war effort. He represents the next generation carrying on the legacy.

• ronald reagan
• johnny jones
• son
• legacy
• enlist
• wwii

Duty is portrayed through the characters' commitment to country and fellow soldiers. Jerry sacrifices his dancing career after being wounded, choosing to contribute in ways that help others endure the war. The soldiers' camaraderie and discipline sustain the troupe through hardship, showing duty as both a personal and collective responsibility.

• duty
• sacrifice
• soldiers
• camaraderie
• country
• commitment

The musical revue becomes a lifeline for troops and a symbol of resilience. Performances bridge personal longing and national purpose, with staging on tour and even a Washington, D.C. venue in front of President Roosevelt. The film shows how art transforms from entertainment to pragmatic wartime morale-building, with the show's pivot from finale to convoy departure underscoring its practical importance.

• music
• revue
• performances
• art
• morale
• theatre
• entertainment

The war leaves visible scars on characters, Jerry's leg wound forces him to walk with a cane, symbolizing the cost of service. However, his resolve to contribute anew demonstrates resilience as he transforms his experience into purpose. The film shows how trauma can be channeled into continuity for the next generation rather than being a stopping point.

• trauma
• wound
• injury
• resilience
• recovery
• cane
• generation

The main characters include Jerry Jones (George Murphy) and his wife Ethel Jones (Rosemary DeCamp), their son Johnny Jones (Ronald Reagan), Johnny's sweetheart Eileen Dibble who joins the Red Cross (Joan Leslie), bugler Eddie Dibble (Charles Butterworth), Eileen's mother Rose Dibble (Una Merkel), and Sgt. McGee (Alan Hale) who leads the troupe. These characters represent both the performing troupe and the home front.

• characters
• cast
• george murphy
• ronald reagan
• joan leslie
• ensemble

The narrative centers on intergenerational bonds between father and son, and husband and wife, whose lives are shaped by warfare. Johnny's desire to marry Eileen is tempered by the realities of war, and their later marriage is celebrated with both fathers as witnesses. The legacy of the Jones and Dibble families becomes a continuous thread connecting both wars.

• family
• marriage
• legacy
• jones
• dibble
• father son
• generations

The film contrasts the two worlds by following soldiers from the trenches of France to performances in Washington, D.C. The home front is represented by characters like Ethel Jones and Rose Dibble, who maintain normalcy while supporting the war effort. The battlefront shows the harsh realities of trench warfare and combat, while the performances create a bridge between these two worlds.

• home front
• battlefront
• trenches
• washington dc
• contrast
• support