Copyright 1957. A Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer picture. New York opening at the Radio City Music Hall: 14 November 1957. U.K. release: 17 March 1958. Australian release: 23 December 1957. 109 minutes.
SYNOPSIS: Armed only with typewriters and vivid imaginations, public relations men tell the world about the U.S. Navy during WW2. Unfortunately, their plans to present a genuine naval hero to the public hit a snag when they discover he is a foul-mouthed idiot.
NOTES: Despite the best efforts of a talented roster of players, William Brinkley's best-selling autobiography is neither as funny nor as convincing on-screen as it was in print. Partly to blame is the studio's decision to abandon the autobiographical slant of the book and even give Brinkley himself a new name. Another boner was to supply a tepid love interest.
COMMENT: This is the film that catapulted minor character player Mickey Shaughnessy to a brief period of super-stardom opposite such lights as Elvis Presley and Cornel Wilde. Certainly his scenes are by far the funniest and most cleverly handled in the whole movie. The rest of this otherwise mild curry was given another brief dash of spice by Eva Gabor (though not enough to outshine Mr. Shaughnessy). Gia Scala, alas, makes a somewhat colorless heroine. Flat direction from Charles Walters doesn't help either.
SYNOPSIS: Armed only with typewriters and vivid imaginations, public relations men tell the world about the U.S. Navy during WW2. Unfortunately, their plans to present a genuine naval hero to the public hit a snag when they discover he is a foul-mouthed idiot.
NOTES: Despite the best efforts of a talented roster of players, William Brinkley's best-selling autobiography is neither as funny nor as convincing on-screen as it was in print. Partly to blame is the studio's decision to abandon the autobiographical slant of the book and even give Brinkley himself a new name. Another boner was to supply a tepid love interest.
COMMENT: This is the film that catapulted minor character player Mickey Shaughnessy to a brief period of super-stardom opposite such lights as Elvis Presley and Cornel Wilde. Certainly his scenes are by far the funniest and most cleverly handled in the whole movie. The rest of this otherwise mild curry was given another brief dash of spice by Eva Gabor (though not enough to outshine Mr. Shaughnessy). Gia Scala, alas, makes a somewhat colorless heroine. Flat direction from Charles Walters doesn't help either.