review for Starlift on AllMovie

Trying to do for the Korean War what previous all-star revues had done for World War II, Starlift comes across as just a silly retread that doesn't seem to have its heart in its supposed goal. As in all those World War II cavalcades, there's only a slim thread of a story to this, which really exists for no reason other than to show off the studio's talent. There's undeniably talent on hand, but few of the performers are presented to their best advantage. A major exception is Gene Nelson, never a frontline performer in movie musicals but clearly deserving of better things. He and Janice Rule are captivating in a dizzyingly enthralling dance to "What is This Thing Called Love?" (sung by the golden-voiced Gordon MacRae and the lovely Lucille Norman), and they also shine as they duet to "It's Magic." MacRae sounds great in his several numbers, as does Doris Day, but the numbers for the most part don't have the "oomph" that one expects them to have. Jane Wyman is a misfire in her song, and Phil Harris, Gary Cooper and friends don't make their Texas Ranger number work. Virginia Mayo looks stunning but otherwise doesn't score in her dance. Nothing in Starlift is actually bad (except the inane story), but there's not enough that glows with genuine starlight to make the film anything special.