Post by artraveler on Dec 3, 2022 10:39:18 GMT -8
Mr. Roberts
This is a 1955 movie set in the last days of WWII. It is not really a war movie. It has an awesome cast, Mr. Roberts (Henry Fonda), the captain, (James Cagney) with William Powell and Jack Lemon. Directed by John Ford, Mervyn LeRoy and Josh Logan. It is intended to be a dark comedy and that task is accomplished.
The setting is one of the hundreds of liberty supply ships supporting the war in the Pacific. The duty is neither dangerous or exciting for the officers or men. Mr. Roberts is the executive officer and has been trying, without success, for two years to get duty on a fighting ship. His requests are all forwarded by the captain unapproved. Navy Personnel will not make a transfer over the captain’s objections. This is the result of stress between the captain and Mr. Roberts.
This movie was originally a play on Broadway and some of the dialogue from the play is retained as are some of the sets. Even with the cooperation of the Navy, the movie was made on a tight budget.
Mr. Roberts makes a deal with the captain; he will stop submitting requests for transfer if the captain will allow the crew liberty. The captain agrees on the condition that no one knows of the deal. Allowed liberty in port the crew goes wild. There are numerous Shore Patrol officers bringing the crew back to the ship, extreme drunkenness and the ship is kicked out of the port.
The result of the liberty is a confrontation between the captain and Mr. Roberts which is carried over the ships intercom with the entire ship listening. The captain accuses Roberts of going back on the deal to give the ship liberty.
To help Roberts the entire crew write a letter to Navy Personnel and forge the captain’s signature and Roberts transfer comes through. The last days of the war and Mr. Roberts is finely got an action billet. In which he is killed in a Kamakasi attack.
It is not just that the war chewed up thousands of good men with futures but also those who served in the rear sailing a cargo ship from nowhere to tedium and back again. Untouched by the real enemy they made the best of a bad situation. The comedy, is the comedy of life and the absurdity of war. Mr. Roberts died to give a breath of fresh air to 62 crew, desperate in need of diversion. His contribution to the war effort was no less then any who sacrificed to save the lives of others in war. Semper Fi Lt. Roberts America needs men like you today.
This is a 1955 movie set in the last days of WWII. It is not really a war movie. It has an awesome cast, Mr. Roberts (Henry Fonda), the captain, (James Cagney) with William Powell and Jack Lemon. Directed by John Ford, Mervyn LeRoy and Josh Logan. It is intended to be a dark comedy and that task is accomplished.
The setting is one of the hundreds of liberty supply ships supporting the war in the Pacific. The duty is neither dangerous or exciting for the officers or men. Mr. Roberts is the executive officer and has been trying, without success, for two years to get duty on a fighting ship. His requests are all forwarded by the captain unapproved. Navy Personnel will not make a transfer over the captain’s objections. This is the result of stress between the captain and Mr. Roberts.
This movie was originally a play on Broadway and some of the dialogue from the play is retained as are some of the sets. Even with the cooperation of the Navy, the movie was made on a tight budget.
Mr. Roberts makes a deal with the captain; he will stop submitting requests for transfer if the captain will allow the crew liberty. The captain agrees on the condition that no one knows of the deal. Allowed liberty in port the crew goes wild. There are numerous Shore Patrol officers bringing the crew back to the ship, extreme drunkenness and the ship is kicked out of the port.
The result of the liberty is a confrontation between the captain and Mr. Roberts which is carried over the ships intercom with the entire ship listening. The captain accuses Roberts of going back on the deal to give the ship liberty.
To help Roberts the entire crew write a letter to Navy Personnel and forge the captain’s signature and Roberts transfer comes through. The last days of the war and Mr. Roberts is finely got an action billet. In which he is killed in a Kamakasi attack.
It is not just that the war chewed up thousands of good men with futures but also those who served in the rear sailing a cargo ship from nowhere to tedium and back again. Untouched by the real enemy they made the best of a bad situation. The comedy, is the comedy of life and the absurdity of war. Mr. Roberts died to give a breath of fresh air to 62 crew, desperate in need of diversion. His contribution to the war effort was no less then any who sacrificed to save the lives of others in war. Semper Fi Lt. Roberts America needs men like you today.
