The Wackiest Ship in the Army

Modern aircraft at start. Aside from too many modern airplanes and ships (something that irritates history teachers, like me), "The Wackiest Ship in the Army" is a very good movie. However, one thing you should know is that despite the title, it's really NOT a comedy...which is also surprising since there were a LOT of military comedies around the time this was made (such as "Operation Petticoat", "See Here Corporal Hargrove" and "Mr. Roberts". I am not complaining...I liked the film and am glad it really isn't a comedy! Lieutenant Crandall (Jack Lemmon) is an officer who has ambitions of commanding his own ship. While he might command a PT boat or destroyer or sub, he's shocked to see he's given command of an old sailboat! Of course he's disappointed and wants off the ship, but he tries to make the best of it. But WHY...why would the navy want a ship such as this to be commissioned in the first place?? The film is interesting because it's actually NOT ridiculous. Occasionally, the navy did commission yachts and sailboats for special duties and the film is well worth seeing. The acting and writing are very good and it's well worth seeing...even if Ricky Nelson sings an anachronistic song that in no way fits the plot!

This is an entirely watchable World War II film. I say this with surprise, because I avoided the movie for years. I was aware of it as a kid growing up in the '60s - it showed up on "Saturday Night at the Movies" on NBC but I steered clear of it - I was probably turned off by the not-very-good TV series with the same title. Jack Lemmon is excellent here in a sort of Ensign Pulver sequel. Ricky Nelson, 20 years old (strongly resembling the young Mel Gibson) is pretty good. Nelson was at the height of his fame in 1960, with a multimedia thing going on, consisting of his daddy's TV show, movies, and, most prominently, hit records. (The man had 17 Top Ten hits in his career!) There's a gritty authenticity to the picture - for example, the sailors sweat a LOT just like they did in the South Pacific during the war. The grit combines with some laughs; this combination works well. (See "Father Goose" and "Mr. Roberts" for additional examples of this genre, drama/comedy-during-WWII.) Mike Kellin is very effective as the chief petty officer. Tom Tully is solid and subtle as the port captain - Tully suffered a tragic fate a few years later, see his listing here at IMDb for the sad details. "Wackiest Ship" kind of falls apart toward the end when Jack Lemmon isn't around as much; it might have benefited from a few more minutes of Tom Tully. But on the whole it's 99 minutes well spent (it seems a little too short).

Jack Lemmon is a comedic gem and also a great leading man. This movie helps prove that. He has a laid back charm that could be comparable to Cary Grant. His ability to play drama and comedy whether as lead, shared lead or as supporting actor proves that as does his longevity in the craft. He has been in so many great movies and one of my favorites has been - How to murder your wife. His friendship with Ernie Kovacs is how I believe I first became aware of Jack Lemmon. The cast in this show are all nicely played and realistic - you actually believe the actors are the characters. The script is full of great easy to enjoy dialogue. The one liners blend well and are well placed in the script which includes sailing phrases. John Lund plays well in his lighter role as I remember him from High Society. The schooner is sleek and I'd have loved to sail on her. "What will they do if they all quit?" as was recited by Chief to Ricky Nelson's character is a smile. Climbing the mast to release the stuck sail a sailor is told to "don't look down". Jack's ability to go from a comedy moment here to a serious moment and back is a joy to watch and much of that takes place even before they leave the dock. I had almost forgotten this movie but it popped up on TV today and I had a wonderful couple of hours. For those who have seen the movie Up Periscope - you'll have an idea of how they altered this script for that movie. The wackiest ship in the army is a movie that should never become lost.

The Wackiest Ship In The Army is directed by Richard Murphy and written by Herbert Carlson. It stars Jack Lemmon, Ricky Nelson & Chips Rafferty. It's filmed in CinemaScope and Eastman Color on location at Pearl Harbour & Kauai (Charles Lawton Jr. director of photography). The basis for the film is to thrust the bemused Lemmon onto a past its sell by date schooner, and surround him with sea-faring characters who don't know a stern from a mast. Cue confusion with a mission that nobody is all too clear about and you get a knockabout farce launched from an Australian port in 1943. The writing unleashes the usual staples of people banging their heads on things, falling overboard and pulling exasperated looks from time to time. The last third of the picture oddly shifts to something resembling drama as the mission unfolds, but it's an awkward fit and one has to wonder what the intention of the makers was from the off. Funny in parts but dreary in others, the film is only watchable for Lemmon's gusto and Lawton Jr's lovely CinemaScope photography. 5/10

Jack Lemmon is a lieutenant given command of a small and decrepit sailing schooner. He initially tries to refuse this command, but after quite a bit of cajoling and intrigue, he finally accepts. And why does the Navy want him so badly to do it? As a civilian, he was a racer of sailing ships-and people in the Navy knew nothing about how to operate one, not even the crew assigned to this ship. And why is the Navy even using a sailing schooner to begin with? To reach a port in Japanese waters that neither a regular ship nor a submarine could access. A good potential idea, perhaps, but this comedy has few laughs in it. There were a couple of good scenes, such as a sailor crossing a big ship by being taken up in a crane standing on a hook, then moving to the hook of a second crane to be taken to the ship's opposite side, and there was a scene of the schooner fighting not to get crushed between two bigger boats coming alongside them. But most of the movie is insipid and unfunny, and we were too bored to make it to the end.

Classic example of a film that looked better on paper. "The Wackiest Ship in the Army" begins by failing as it was obviously promoted; to be brief, it isn't very "wacky". With the comedy ship sinking, the film becomes more dramatic; and, much more enjoyable. Jack Lemmon (as Rip Crandall), an expert at comedy-drama, tries his best. Ricky Nelson (as Tommy Hanson), an expert at quip delivery, is given almost nothing to do. Promoted as a "team", Mr. Lemmon and Mr. Nelson have no chemistry; and, to be fair, are given no discernible direction to that end. Nelson sings one song, "Do You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans?" Although sweet, it isn't one of his better, or representative, songs; but, it did fit the film's World War II setting. The scene with Lemmon accompanying Nelson's singing, on piano, is interesting. Lemmon tickles the ivories, clearly uncomfortable in a "Bob Hope" role, while Nelson sings to the recording as if it were an "Ozzie and Harriet" TV bonus song. Still, the stars, supporting cast, and colorful photography (by Charles Lawton Jr.) are never less than pleasant. **** The Wackiest Ship in the Army (12/29/60) Richard Murphy ~ Jack Lemmon, Ricky Nelson, Richard Anderson

While it may have spawned a popular TV series, there's very little that's "wacky" about this big screen origin which doesn't seem to settle into an even pattern for either a comedy, or a light war-action film. Lemmon is the newly recruited and reluctant skipper of the Navy's laughing stock - a ragtag group of social rejects and dull blades, all affable types, just lacking the mettle required of active service. Lemmon has three days to turn them into a competent outfit, capable of piloting their lemon of a yacht on an ostensibly routine journey. Suffice to say that with the aid of inexperienced but promising young officer Ricky Nelson and no-nonsense chief mate Mike Kellin, the crew silence their detractors and unwittingly undertake a secret mission in enemy waters. The subsequent TV series with Jack Warden and Gary Collins was several years beyond its nexus, but superior in most facets, despite only lasting a couple of years. The dialogue is busy (Lemmon typically written in hyper-speed), there's plenty of slapstick humour much of it courtesy of pea-brained radioman Berlinger and some well orchestrated sea-faring action, but it never gels properly. Nelson sings (but doesn't act) while the fairer gender representation is left to Patricia Driscoll who performs an impressive down under accent. It's capable in its discreet elements, but collectively, disappointingly flat. Sort of a light-humoured marine Dirty Dozen that I'd recommend only to Lemmon fans or perhaps those who enjoy Nelson's expressionless crooning.

this is a fun, wholesome movie suitable for all ages. Lemmon is captivating, as always and Ricky Nelson does just fine. actually, this is really a tailor made role for nelson. the young handsome, slightly misguided, yet sincere officer who admits past failures and looks forward to proving himself in the eyes of his superior, Lemmon. the move has a touch of romance, a bit of action and plenty of laughs and wholesome fun. check it out. i'll bet you'll be rooting for this bunch of misfits just like i was. and Clayton Trap, i have no opinion on you as a person, though i do have a great sympathy for that stick that's stuck up your....

I think the wackiest ship in the army is a fantastic movie, I first watched this on 1st July 2004, and i thought it was a good comedy movie, jack lemmon is my favourite actor. I taped the movie even though i haven't seen it, maybe it's because it's got jack lemmon in it, i feel that happens to others, people having a favourite actor or actress or even both and taping one of their movies when they haven't seen it. I have taped quite a few films and bought films with jack lemmon in that i haven't seen. I have always loved jack lemmon's movies because he was such a great actor and a great comedian. I will always be a fan of jack lemmon because he made such great movies and did fantastic ones with Walter Matthau who i think is a good comedian actor as well as jack. Thank you jack for the great movies you have made for us all fans. I give this movie 10 out of 10.