The Wackiest Ship in the Army (1960)
Director: Richard Murphy
Starring: Jack Lemmon, Nicky Rogers, Chips Rafferty
Synopsis:
A Navy officer who was a yachtsman in his civilian life is ordered to take charge of a decrepit sailboat and a crew of misfits for a secret mission.
Impressions:
This is another of those entries in the family film canon that may not have as much play with wider audiences but that I have a particular soft spot for. It pairs well with films like Operation Petticoat, Father Goose and Mister Roberts that blend comedy and drama fairly effectively. Jack Lemmon is of course solid in the role of Lieutenant Crandall and I liked Nicky Rogers as the seemingly innocent Ensign Hanson. Of course, as with the previous year's Rio Bravo, they couldn't cast Nicky Rogers without giving him at least one song. While the comedic elements are definitely there, the film is more serious than I remember from back when I was a kid, but as I said before, the comedy and drama mesh fairly well. It's not an exceptional film, but it's a solid watch and if you're in the mood for a WWII film with a bit of a lighter touch, I think you'll enjoy it.
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