It's hard for us to imagine form our viewpoint today just how exotic and alien Hawaii seemed in 1942. Before Pearl Harbor, many Americans had no idea where Hawaii was or even exactly WHAT it was! Thus the fad for Hawaiian music and culture was brought to the fore as the islands were mentioned in the news so often.
This is a well-done ad, highlighting the Hawaiian music aspects without hitting one over the head with them. The lovely Betty Grable's WWII pin-up status assured her popularity in wartime musicals despite her--admit it--rather modest acting and singing skills. Victor Mature seems an odd choice here for leading man but then one realizes that they seem to be trying to make him look like Bogart here and Bogart was, in 1942, at the early peak of his popularity! Jack Oakie always made a great sidekick.
Further down in the cast, one sees the names Harry Owens and Hilo Hattie. The former was perhaps the biggest proponent of Hawaiian music on the mainland and the latter was his discovery and protégée who went on to a unique iconic status in the Islands.
Would I see it? Hard to say. If I were a contemporary filmgoer, I would be more likely to be intrigued by the setting and thus more likely to say yes. As it is now, I'd pass.
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