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The image is an upturned helmet filled with streamers and confetti, varied by Edwards in What Did You Do in the War, Daddy? "The maddest mad ball in the history of the United States Army," nothing less to celebrate the end of World War II for the forces stationed in Normandy. Personnel mingling is verboten, "do you realize that when you go out with a nurse, you put yourselves in danger of violating 37 articles of war," something of a hindrance to the conniving private organizing the festivities (Jack Lemmon). His nemesis is the killjoy captain (Ernie Kovacs) who sniffs every tent for irregularities, his inamorata is the comely lieutenant (Kathryn Grant) who pumps him full of dairy upon learning of the counterfeit ulcer he used to get close to her. A ruined hotel houses the bash, to the concierge's chagrin: "I don't think, monsieur, France can survive another liberation." Richard Quine's Mister Roberts, Lemmon and all, just the farcical campaign needed to locate a swinging spot amid barracks. Shenanigans featuring dense German POWs evoke a fleeting reversal of Stalag 17, one of them gets mummified at the mortuary to replace a missing stiff in a bit of gallows slapstick involving a dripping Coke bottle. The colonel (Arthur O'Connell) likes his Benny Goodman with fiddles and ocarinas, the secret weapon is a sergeant (Mickey Rooney) who turns his every moment into a bebop jam session. "Sharps and flats, play like dogs, go on in there and get those cats!" It comes to a close with the gown beneath the uniform and the joint jumpin' with balloons, an open path to Altman's own "goddamn Army" and no mistake. With Dick York, James Darren, Roger Smith, William Leslie, Sheridan Comerate, L.Q. Jones, Jeanne Manet, Dick Crockett, and William Hickey. In black and white.
--- Fernando F. Croce |