Certainly can't blame the sparkling Russell if the last part of the comedic hijinks seems labored. The first part shines, especially the fancy ball where Jo (Russell) flits around like the proverbial social butterfly, while divorced husband (Andy) tries to rescue his dog without anybody noticing. Too bad Douglas is largely forgotten. He had about a ten-year period where he played the likable grouch to perfection.It's interesting to compare this film with its male counterpart No Time for Sergeants (1958). Here Jo is a sheltered socialite who thinks joining the WACS will be a lark, plus put her closer to her colonel boyfriend (Ching). Needless to say, she's in for the proverbial rude awakening, though not too rude. In No Time…, Andy Griffith is Jo's opposite, a naïve hillbilly who gets drafted, has similarly rude adjustment problems, except his are from the other end of the social spectrum. Both movies get a load of laughs from sticking unmilitary types into training camp, strict military style.But frankly, I thought the slapstick of putting Jo through the rigors of testing new equipment came across as labored and not very funny. It also amounts to an unfortunate stylistic break with the previous lighter mood. Nonetheless, rolling around the mud does symbolically rid Jo of her social pretensions, and make it so she and Andy can get back together on a more honest plain. So at least the testing works on a plot level.Anyway, the film's an okay comedy, produced by Russell's husband and independently distributed, at a time when the studios were unfortunately breaking apart.

Rosalind Russell is a talented comedienne, but "Never Wave At A WAC" is a mediocre vehicle for her. It has a dependable fish-out-of-water premise, but not enough gags. I think it could have been improved by focusing more on the day-to-day struggle with, and gradual acceptance of, military life by Russell's character, and by drastically reducing the role of Paul Douglas, the vengeful but still loving ex-husband. Douglas not only looks too old for his role (hard to believe he was actually the same age as Russell!), but his character does some humiliating things to Russell's character that are more mean-spirited than funny. Although he's supposed, at least at the start, to be the "sensible" one while Russell is supposed to be the "spoiled" one, she is easily the more likable character of the two. And why waste Hillary Brooke in such a small part (she appears only in the opening party sequence)? **1/2 out of 4.

I watched this movie not so much for Rosalind Russel, but for Regis Toomey ("The Big Sleep" and "Guys and Dolls"). I barely made my way through this film. It was painful to watch. And like a train wreck, I could not stop watching, hoping it would get better.Jo McBain is an incredibly stuck-up blue-blood aristocratic ..um.. twit. She spends most of the movie with her nose high in the air, all but sh*tting on her black servants. I so wanted to smack her hard several times in the film.I would think that if a recruit showed that much insolence and insubordination that she showed the WAC NCOs and officers, she'd be thrown in the brig until her attitude got adjusted.And don't get me started on Clara Schneiderman and Sgt. Norbert Jackson! She was insufferable, and he desperately needed a knee in the groin every time he said or did something patently offensive.Yes, I know the movie is a product of its time and reflects the then-mainstream sensibilities. I've seen other old (read: black and white) films that were not nearly as offensive and painful to watch. This film needs to be watched with more than just a grain of salt, you need an entire container of Morton's.

This comparatively little known film, with the extremely unlikely storyline is, nevertheless a joy to watch. It is pure escapism with more than a hint of nostalgia for those of us of a certain age. The script is good with some nice one-liners, but because the plot itself is obviously rather weak things become a little laboured. I doubt it would come over as successfully as it does, where it not for the one and only Rosalind Russell - ever able to combine excellent dramatic and comedic acting with the epitome of Hollywood glamour. And where oh where would it have been without that stalwart, always believable, and I think much underrated actor, Paul Douglas as Russell's long suffering ex husband.If you feel like some light hearted 1950s entertainment you could do a lot worse.