There isn't much to say about this. When Jim Nabors played Gomer Pyle in the Marine Corps, every plot was the same. He did something to upset the Sergeant. Here it is one thing after another with hayseed Andy Griffith causing great pain to another sergeant. No matter how bad it gets, he always lands on his feet. As a matter of fact he actually innovates, making things run smoother. He, of course, has no knowledge of how the military is supposed to work, so it's often just an accident. Griffith is really pretty funny and carries the whole show on his back. His long suffering sergeant does a pretty good slow burn as things fall apart.

Drafted into the air force, an unworldly and unintelligent young man unintentionally and obliviously causes grief for all his superiors in this lively comedy based on a play by Ira Levin. Clocking in at just under two hours, the film is noticeably on the long side. The material runs out of steam towards the end and the movie is very slow to warm up, but once Myron McCormick (as the easily irate drill sergeant) enters the picture around 20 minutes in, there is nary a boring moment to be had. Andy Griffith is decent in the lead role and Nick Adams offers some spunky support, but it is McCormick who truly makes the film come alive with all the funniest scenes working especially well due to his hilarious reactions. The funniest scene has McCormick showing off the latrines (rendered sparkling clean by Griffith) to his immediate superior, only for the situation to turn pear-shaped as Griffith opens his mouth and nonchalantly starts repeating things he has been told, including insults about the superior officer! The humour occasionally feels mean-spirited with a lot of jokes at the expense of the protagonist's lacking intelligence, but generally speaking, the laughs come from how Griffith unreservedly breaks and defies convention in an outfit (the air force) built so heavily on rules and regulations. It is a welcome reminder that a fresh perspective is sometimes necessary in life.

This is an excellent movie. Andy Griffith in the lead role as easy-going, always well- meaning Will Stockdale is a joy to behold. Having played this part on Broadway, Griffith had a long time to hone his performance. His performance is delightful. Nick Adams, who did not have the benefit of a long Broadway run to develop his performance, is well able to keep pace with Griffith, exhibiting a fine sense of comedic timing that was rarely utilized in his future choice of roles (unfortunately). Myron McCormick, another veteran of the Broadway production, delivers an equally deft comedic performance. In fact, the entire cast, down to the smallest role, delivers high-quality performances that make this film entertaining to watch over and over again. I highly recommend this well-made film as an example of the happy result of the collaboration of talented professionals.

Georgia hillbilly Andy Griffith (as Will Stockdale) joins the U.S. Air Force after years of having his father scuttle draft notices. Simple-minded but strong, Mr. Griffith befriends small bespectacled Nick Adams (as Benjamin "Ben" Whitledge). In the barracks, Griffith gets under the skin of Sergeant Myron McCormick (as Orville King). In one of the film's more amusing sequences, Mr. McCormick gives a naive Griffith "la-trine" duty. Griffith is proud to be "P.L.O." (Permanent Latrine Orderly), happily scrubbing sinks and toilet seats...Watch for Griffith's future situation comedy co-star Don Knotts in a small role. Interestingly, Griffith's "Will Stockdale" character is more like future pal "Gomer Pyle" than "Andy" of Mayberry. "No Time for Sergeants" had been a rare comedy entry of "The U.S. Steel Hour" (1955) and was adapted for Broadway the following year, both starring Griffith. For this film, some stretching and loss of intimacy is evident.****** No Time for Sergeants (5/29/58) Mervyn LeRoy ~ Andy Griffith, Nick Adams, Myron McCormick, Murray Hamilton