Synopsis
All The Uproarious Fun Of the Smash Broadway Play!
Mr. Roberts is as an officer who's yearning for battle but is stuck in the backwaters of World War II on a non-commissioned Navy ship run by the bullying Captain Morton.
1955 Directed by John Ford, Mervyn LeRoy
Mr. Roberts is as an officer who's yearning for battle but is stuck in the backwaters of World War II on a non-commissioned Navy ship run by the bullying Captain Morton.
Henry Fonda James Cagney William Powell Jack Lemmon Betsy Palmer Ward Bond Philip Carey Nick Adams Perry Lopez Ken Curtis Robert Roark Harry Carey, Jr. Patrick Wayne Frank Aletter Tige Andrews Fritz Ford Jim Moloney Buck Kartalian Denny Niles William Henry Frank Connor William Hudson Shug Fisher Stubby Kruger Danny Borzage Harry Tenbrook Jimmy Murphy Kathleen O'Malley Maura Murphy Show All…
La nave matta di Mr. Roberts, Permission jusqu'à l'aube, Keine Zeit für Heldentum, Мистър Робъртс, Escala a Hawaii, Pan Roberts, Escala en Hawai, Yöloma paratiisisaarella, La nave matta di Mister Roberts, ミスタア・ロバーツ, 미스터 로버츠, Мистер Робертс, 罗伯茨先生
A harmless, quite entertaining film that probably just overstays its welcome. There's a heap of great talent involved and while I wouldn't call it essential viewing, it wouldn't do anyone any harm to do so.
Jack Lemmon in Mister Roberts is literally Dennis Reynolds from Always Sunny. Once you get a woman on a boat, she's not gonna say no, she would never say no, because of the implication.
Watch Mutiny on the Bounty instead - for the most part, Mister Roberts is a much softer version with some oddly-paced comedy bits that are supposed to make the conflict between an upright junior office (Henry Fonda) and a tyrannical captain (James Cagney) more complete and well-rounded, but instead only make the purpose of the film seem more confused. It's a good-natured film about what goes into leadership in a more everyday environment, earning the trust of those around you by bending the rules of decorum…
In a strange turn of events for The Searchers Film Podcast, we tackle another John Ford film for Veteran's Day. If there is one reason to tune in, it would be to learn (as I did) that "Ensign" is not someone's first name and is actually a Navy rank. Ben, Kevin and I talk about actors who served, common Ford traits, who the other three additional directors are, and if this film holds up to the rest of Ford's career. Henry Fonda played Mister Roberts 1,157 times previously on Broadway and we judge his most widely seen 1,158th performance. Keep an eye out for James Cagney, who said to Micky Mouse, "You dirty rat!!!"
I have fond memories of watching this as a kid with my father. It was one of his favorite movies, maybe because he spent a couple of years in the Navy aboard an inessential ship sailing “from tedium to apathy and back again, with an occasional side trip to monotony.”
Rear Admiral John Ford (reserve) may not have be the best choice to direct a satire critical Naval command. Of course, the Navy was a lot more amenable to offering the use of its ships for the movie adaptation knowing a Navy homer was at the helm. Thus, we get of lots of safe, broad comedy: Nothing-like-a-Dame antics, drunken hi-jinx, and Will-e-Coyote explosions.
I’m guessing what satire remained was directed…
I would've preferred another hour of Fonda & Powell making knock-off single-malt out of engine room still drippings, simply to get Lemmon laid.
Regardless, it's a boat movie where you don't have to hear a single gunshot. Sounds dope to me.
Young Jack Lemon seems like he must have been that insufferable theater kid who is always "on".
Here's a story of a working class boy, who was pushed around by rich assholes his whole life. So he joins the Navy and makes good. Against the odds he becomes a captain of a cargo ship. He pushes his crew to excel at their duties so that they can make through the war safely in the rear echelon. None of his boys need to die!
Then he gets a self righteous executive officer. One of those rich assholes that used to give him shit as a kid. This officer undermines his authority at every turn because the captain won't entertain his vainglorious…
6/10
Not really sure what to make out of this one. Jack Lemmon really saves the film for me, but I couldn’t quite get into it very much. It was fun seeing Willian Powell and James Cagney in these roles, although they didn’t bring anything too special.
Dass aus der aufwändigen Logan-Bühnenadaption kein ganz großer Erfolg wurde, scheint in erster Linie der holprigen Entstehungsgeschichte geschuldet zu sein. Drei Regisseure wurden verschlissen, der Krach zwischen Fonda und Ford ist beinahe legendär und das Projekt stand mehr als einmal kurz vor dem Aus. Taugt trotzdem ganz gut als leichtes Hollywood-Starkino, das dem jungen Jack Lemmon immerhin seinen ersten Oskar bescherte und sich irgendwo zwischen Fords eigenem Die Hafenkneipe von Tahiti und Blake Edwards Unternehmen Petticoat einordnen lässt.