John Ford was the brilliant director behind such American classics as The Searchers (1956), Stagecoach (1939) and The Grapes of Wrath (1940). Henry Fonda was the agile lead actor in such classics as 12 Angry Men (1957) Young Mr. Lincoln (1939) and On Golden Pond (1981). Put them together and add James Cagney, William Powell and Jack Lemmon and you have yourself the amiable Mister Roberts (1955), a movie whose backstage drama should have been called Clash of the Titans.Ford had always been known as a tough man to like yet he did have a stable of reliable actors willing to work with him including Fonda and the legendary John Wayne whom he called the "big idiot". James Cagney recalled meeting him for the first time and immediately knowing there would be personality concerns saying "He told me we would tangle asses". The set of Mister Roberts was made infamous when Ford punched Fonda in the face after an argument. That and an emergency gallbladder operation led Ford to leave Mister Roberts, being replaced by Mervyn LeRoy of Quo Vadis (1951) fame. After LeRoy had finished putting his mark on the film, Fonda brought original play author Joshua Logan in to re-shoot key scenes.What results after all this horse trading is done is a movie that is surprisingly good. Not South Pacific (1958) good but decent enough to pass for nostalgic WWII fare. Fonda stars as Roberts, an under-appreciated junior lieutenant onboard a cargo ship in the middle of the Pacific. He yens to fight with his brethren but is refused multiple transfers by Captain Morton (James Cagney) who sees him as the key to his success in the Navy. Only the wise ship doctor (William Powell) and careless Ensign Pulver (Jack Lemmon) know his motivation to fight the good fight and aspire to help their friend make it to the front.It's hard to tell which director did what to make Mister Roberts the sum of its parts. LeRoy wanted to shoot things how Ford would have and hides his style well. Likewise there is only a handful of interior scenes with drifting camera movements that has Logan's name all over them (Ford used to avoid tracking shots and close-ups).Still the film has the overall feel of having too many chefs in the kitchen. The energy between scenes is jerky overall, most evident when the ship lands ashore for liberty. Actors seem to talk past each other while attempting to convey they're having a good time. Minutes later the scene ends with Roberts standing triumphantly under a warm morning light; then the Captain reestablishes authority. The scenes are cut correctly but lack an overarching theme. We know what Roberts wants yet at this point we should know how he's going to get it. Unfortunately this isn't so. Is Roberts supposed to be pensive, worried or celebratory throughout? Did he feel he won a victory against the Captain for allowing liberty? How does all this relate to his goal? Henry Fonda had always said he was proud of the film but thought seeing the play live was much better. Fonda had been playing the main character for years on the stage and due to being absent from the screen for eight years, likely wanted a surefire triumph to reinstall his box-office appeal. Yet his insistence in adapting the play with only minor changes I feel stifled Ford's attempts to breathe air into the picture.Regardless Mister Roberts is still an interesting film with much to say about the wartime doldrums. Eager soldiers and sailors poise for deliverance and absolution yet are met with a mind-numbing wait. "I'm tired of being a lousy spectator," remarks Roberts. Yet while most military men in WWII eventually saw battle, the crew of the U.S.S. Reluctant never got to be on the frontlines staying listless in the safe area of the Pacific. Still Roberts becomes a hero of a different sort and for that we thank the multiple hands it took to put Mister Roberts to the screen.https://www.theyservepopcorninhell.blogspot.com

William Powell is, as always, wonderful. His acting is beautifully understated. I wish you could say the same for Henry Fonda and Jack Lemmon. Such overacting and theatrics. And they don't seem to know how to talk in a normal tone of voice. Perhaps they could have shut up for a few moments and listened to how William Powell does it. There are so many boo-boos and ridiculous set-ups in this film. For example, everyone gathers around to hear Mr. Roberts' letter to Pulver. But they continue to crouch around when he moves on to read a letter from his friend. Why would they care? Well, because the letter from the friend contains big dramatic news, so they have to be all clustered around so we can see them look shocked and grieved. So phony.And Navy enlisted personnel who break into the colonial governor's mansion and damage property would not just be escorted back to their ship. That's just silly.

A comedy-drama about life on a not particularly important ship of the US Navy during World War II...Henry Fonda makes a solid leader (I mean, gee, he played Abraham Lincoln) on board a ship with a selfish, almost hermit-like captain (played effortlessly by James Cagney -- some of his best work, albeit in a small role). Who better to be the anchor on this ship of men lost at sea (figuratively)? And Jack Lemmon... oh my. He really lets his hair down here. He has some great roles throughout his career, but here he just goes the full way to perfection. How does such a character survive on such a stressful ship? Who knows? But he is the perfect comedy relief in what is otherwise too tense of a story.

My late Father's favorite movie. Between him and my Brother, they have 50 years of Navy behind them. Neither one ever set foot on a bucket, though. They were both Navy Aviation. A movie like this is timeless. James Cagney plays such a convincing idiotic officer. I was Army Aviation and Air Defense Artillary for 3 years and I have seen my share of moronic officers. Anyone who hasn't seen it is missing out. The ending was about the last thing you would expect. I have seen the movie quite a few times over the years, going back to the early '60's and saw it again last night after a few year lull. Martin Milner as the VERY southern Shore Patrol Officer was great! I would have never guessed it was him until I saw the credits. "Festus" from Gunsmoke is also in it, though you can't recognize him. No one should miss this one.