Mister Roberts (1955)

Director: John Ford, Mervyn LeRoy
Starring: Henry Fonda, James Cagney, William Powell

Synopsis:
The cargo officer of a supply ship longs for a transfer to a frontline warship while clashing with his petty and tyrannical captain.

Impressions:
I find it interesting that both Henry Fonda and the director of the Broadway version were dissatisfied with the film. It had a bit of a troubled production, but I personally don't see much harm done to the finished product. Henry Fonda is a known quantity and he's solid in the title role, but I found James Cagney to be the most entertaining as Captain Morton. This movie served as Jack Lemmon's star-making role and he has some good moments, especially his first confrontation with the captain. It's also worth noting that this was William Powell's final film performance. Not a bad way to go out, honestly. It's mostly a comedy—which can at times be a little too broad and simplistic—, but it has its dramatic moments as well. It's one of the few high-profile WWII films to primarily feature the tedium of the day-to-day routine. It's an entertaining film and well worth watching.

Rating:
Own It