Swing Shift (1984)

A woman finds romance when she takes a job at an aircraft plant to help make ends meet after her husband goes off to war.

Director:

Jonathan Demme

Writer:

Nancy Dowd (as Rob Morton)

Stars:

Goldie Hawn, Kurt Russell, Christine Lahti

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Goldie Hawn	...	Kay Walsh
Kurt Russell	...	Lucky Lockhart
Christine Lahti	...	Hazel Zanussi
Fred Ward	...	Biscuits Toohey
Ed Harris	...	Jack Walsh
Sudie Bond	...	Annie
Holly Hunter	...	Jeannie Sherman
Patty Maloney	...	Laverne
Lisa Pelikan	...	Violet Mulligan
Susan Peretz	...	Edith Castle
Joey Aresco	...	Johnny Bonnaro
Morris 'Tex' Biggs	...	Clarence
Reid Cruickshanks	...	Spike
Danny Darst	...	Deacon (as Daniel Dean Darst)
Dennis Fimple	...	Rupert George

Storyline

Jack and Kay Walsh are typical of many couples of the 1940s, where he is the breadwinner and she the housewife dependent upon him to do the man's duties around the house. Jack believes one of their neighbors in the housing complex in which they live in Los Angeles is white trash - he letting her know so at every opportunity, while Kay is quietly curious about her. That neighbor is streetwise Hazel Zanussi, an aspiring singer who does get a chance to sing on occasion at the club managed by her casual boyfriend, Biscuits Toohey, although he relegates her to being one of the taxi dancers more often against her wants, while he cheats on her behind her back despite truly having feelings for her. Hazel just wants to make an honest living. Their worlds are turned upside down on December 7, 1941 when the US enters WWII with the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor. Jack immediately enlists in the Navy, and while he will send money home, his decision leaves Kay largely to fend for herself. Against...

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Plot Keywords:

lifting up dress | 1940s | panties | blonde | year 1941 | 

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Taglines:

When America marched off to war the women marched into the factory. From then on...nothing was the same.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance | War

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 April 1984 (USA)

Also Known As:

Tjejen som jobbade skift

Filming Locations:

Santa Monica, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$15,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$2,270,136, 15 April 1984

Gross USA:

$6,650,206

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$6,650,206

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros., Lantana, Hawn / Sylbert Movie Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Bruce Springsteen was considered for the role of Lucky Lockhart.

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Goofs

When the service men are boarding the bus, and Kay is saying goodbye to her husband, a man appears with a megaphone to announce the bus is departing. His megaphone is a self-contained transistor one which was not available in 1941.

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Quotes

Hazel: Hey, buddy, who do you think you are?
Moon Willis: I'm gonna' tell you who I am: I'm Moon Willis, and I've been workin' in this damn place for 12 long years, this is *my* parking space and I ain't about to lose it to a bunch of fly-by-night women like you! Huh-uhh... You don't belong here! None of ya'!

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Crazy Credits

Opening credits are shown over old, black and white photos.

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Alternate Versions

CBS edited 5 minutes from this film for its 1987 network television premiere.

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: Unlawful Entry/Pinocchio/A League of Their Own/Highway 61/The Adjuster (1992)

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Soundtracks

But Not For Me
(uncredited)
Music by George Gershwin

User Reviews

Doesn't swing quite enough

Nice period feeling and an interesting premise that doesn't get a lot of attention, women's role in the workplace during WWII. They should have focused on that and left the weak love story out and would had a better film. The problem is that Goldie's and Russell's characters are not really people you can feel much empathy for, she's spoiled and selfish and he's really rather a jerk whereas the more interesting and relatable characters played by Ed Harris and Christine Lahti are kept too much in the background. Christine Lahti however steals every second she's on screen apparently pre-release tinkering cut some of her best work to throw the spotlight more Goldie's way, perhaps costing her a best supporting actress Oscar although she was nominated. You'll spot Holly Hunter early in her career as one of the factory girls. Not without its merits and attractions but less than it could have been.