In the most forgettable - and largely forgotten - of his musicals, Fred Astaire is paired with Joan Leslie in a wafer-thin romance about a flying hero (Astaire) on leave in New York where, to escape adulation, he pretends to be an idle civilian. Leslie plays the news photographer who's more interested in the war effort than his attempts to woo her. The movie yielded a couple of great songs, including One for My Baby, and the dance routines staged by the star aren't bad. However, in this instance, Fred without Ginger is like flat champagne.

Flying Tiger Fred Atwell sneaks away from his famous squadron's personal appearance tour and goes incognito for several days of leave. He quickly falls for photographer Joan Manion, pursuing her in the guise of a carefree drifter.