Mister Roberts (B or 3/4 stars)
'Mister Roberts' (directed John Ford, Mervyn LeRoy & Joshua Logan and based on a hit play) was a box office smash back in 1955 and deftly blended comedy with dramatic elements. It was nominated for 3 Academy Awards including Best Picture and, it rightfully won Jack Lemmon the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. I believe it missed Best Director because support was spread across 3 different directors who each had to tackle this film for varying reasons; most notably, Ford's midway exit due to supposed, ahem, illness {rumored issues with Fonda}. As for me, I enjoyed the film, while not thinking it was anything truly exceptional.
Set in the Pacific near the end of WWII, this film takes place on a cargo ship known as the 'Bucket'. It is run by tyrannical Capt. Morton (James Cagney), a stickler for minor details & someone hell bent on getting a promotion. Our main protagonist is cargo officer Lt. Roberts (Henry Fonda), who craves war action. His letters for a transfer request are invariably turned down by Morton. William Powell {in his final film role} plays the ship's oddball doctor. Jack Lemmon plays Ensign Pulver, who is in charge of laundry, but also keeps up the ship's morale as a sort of jokester. The crew is bored, they loathe their imperious captain, & are soothed by Lt. Roberts' presence. Morton once received a palm tree from an admiral as an award, which has become his pride & joy. In a climactic act of defiance, Roberts throws it overboard. This comes after the crew questions his loyalty to them when they note his change of demeanor after an incident when the men get ... too wild.
The best attribute of the film is its cast, which also includes the likes of Betsy Palmer, Ward Bond, Phil Carey, Patrick Wayne, et al. The color cinematography is pretty to look at, thanks mostly to the shockingly blue ocean that we see so much of. I also liked the sound design here and, Frank Waxman's music score. There are some great moments sprinkled throughout. i.e., when Jack Lemmon's Pulver brings some nurses onboard the ship. But yeah, something holds me back from outright loving the film; perhaps, that the script adaptation feels a bit uninspired. Good-ish movie with rousing character moments, but that's as far as it goes, for me.
Set in the Pacific near the end of WWII, this film takes place on a cargo ship known as the 'Bucket'. It is run by tyrannical Capt. Morton (James Cagney), a stickler for minor details & someone hell bent on getting a promotion. Our main protagonist is cargo officer Lt. Roberts (Henry Fonda), who craves war action. His letters for a transfer request are invariably turned down by Morton. William Powell {in his final film role} plays the ship's oddball doctor. Jack Lemmon plays Ensign Pulver, who is in charge of laundry, but also keeps up the ship's morale as a sort of jokester. The crew is bored, they loathe their imperious captain, & are soothed by Lt. Roberts' presence. Morton once received a palm tree from an admiral as an award, which has become his pride & joy. In a climactic act of defiance, Roberts throws it overboard. This comes after the crew questions his loyalty to them when they note his change of demeanor after an incident when the men get ... too wild.
The best attribute of the film is its cast, which also includes the likes of Betsy Palmer, Ward Bond, Phil Carey, Patrick Wayne, et al. The color cinematography is pretty to look at, thanks mostly to the shockingly blue ocean that we see so much of. I also liked the sound design here and, Frank Waxman's music score. There are some great moments sprinkled throughout. i.e., when Jack Lemmon's Pulver brings some nurses onboard the ship. But yeah, something holds me back from outright loving the film; perhaps, that the script adaptation feels a bit uninspired. Good-ish movie with rousing character moments, but that's as far as it goes, for me.