Mister Roberts (1955)

Best movie ever...

This movie is always on the top of my list. If you are a fan of the military classics, this is a must-have for your collection. Henry Fonda played this role in the play before the movie was made, so, his portrayal of Mr. Roberts is flawless.

The story is both heart-wrenching & hilarious at the same time. I, personally, cannot get enough of the crew posted on "The Bucket". October 6, 2008

One Of The Greats

Wonderful showcase for all actors envolved. What a splendiferous way to say goodbye to Powell and hello to Lemon - Fonda and Cagney don't hurt either. July 28, 2008

Mister Roberts

ESSENTIAL MOVIE!!! Henry Fonda finally returned to the silver screen after an eight year absence to star in Mister Roberts. The movie is an adaption of the Broadway play in which he portrayed the same role. Mister Roberts takes place in the closing months of WWII but it's as much a comedy as it is a drama. John Ford directed some of the film & was replaced by Mervyn LeRoy who finished it.

Lt. Doug Roberts (Henry Fonda) is the chief cargo officer of the Reluctant, a supply ship in the U.S. navy, a true derelict of a ship if there ever was one. He's anxious to get transferred to another ship so that he can get combat duty. All of his requests for transfer are denied by the Captain (James Cagney) because he views it as an insult to his less than illustrious record. Cagney is absolutely superb in his role. The entire crew despises the Captain while they adore Mr. Roberts. Mr. Roberts is constantly looking out for the crew which causes the Captain to countermand every order or allowance given by Mr. Roberts.

Ensign Frank Pulver (Jack Lemmon in an Oscar winning role for Best Supporting Actor) almost steals the movie. He's served on the Reluctant for over a year & has never come face to face with the Captain. He's the laundary officer & he's done his best to avoid any & all duties & especially not ever being seen by the Captain. When they finally meet the Captain asks him who he is & what he does. Pulver tells him & the Captain can only tell him to use a little less starch.

William Powell, in his final role (best known for his Thin Man movies), is Doc, an older naval officer just trying to get to retirement. Doc is the father-figure for Mr. Roberts, the one he turns to for advice, much as thecrew does to Mr. Roberts. In one of the film's classic scenes we see Doc, Mr. Roberts & Pulver "mix" up some Scotch. After they sample is Roberts says it doesn't taste right & adds that Scotch tastes a lot like iodine. So Doc adds a dash of real iodine & the concoction is complete.

Finally, after much scheming, Mr. Roberts gets his transfer to combat duty & we never see him again. Before he leaves, the crew makes up an award, the Honor of the Palm Leaf (referring to the Captain's beloved palm tree), & bestows it on Mr. Robeets. There's an occasional letter from him which the whole crew wants to hear. Then , in one of Hollywood's greatest heart-touching scenes, comes a letter telling them of Mr. Roberts death in combat. The entire crew, except for the Captain, mourn his passing away. In a moment of sheer inspiration, Ensign Pulver deigns to be the Captain's new nemesis. He throws the palm tree overboard & the Captain now knows he has another "Mr. Roberts".

The cast is star-studded including Ward Bond, Nick Adams, Ken Curtis, Philip Carey, Patrick Wayne, Tige Andrews, Harry Carey, Jr. & Martin Milner. Mister Roberts had three Academy Award nominations: Best Movie, Best Sound & Best Supporting Actor (the only win). This is one of Hollywood's greatset productions & should be enjoyed by all generations. July 17, 2008

Henry Fonda

A movie about a supply ship with a crew that is frustrated with a potentate of a captain. A true powerhouse of casting. Great acting with a storyline that has you laughing one minute, and teary eyed the next. It really does not get any better inside this genre. Henry Fonda is Mr. Rogers, and you will love him too. July 7, 2008

Excellent transfer to DVD

In addition to "Mr. Roberts" being a great classic drama/comedy from WWII, the tranfer of this 1955 film to DVD is quite good. Presented in anamorphic widescreen (it was filmed in Cinemascope), the picture is sharp and crisp and the colors are perfect. I viewed the DVD on a large screen (46-inch) high definition TV, played on a Toshiba 1080p HD DVD player. The sound is also excellent. Highly recommended! June 30, 2008

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