From the ranks of the U.S. Army comes the story of a veteran Korean War officer who believes, soldiers made of iron, can be molded from the ranks of the very young. Charlton Heston plays Maj. Bernard R. 'Barney' Benson a hard bitten officer who has been brought to the brink of his career, by publishing his personal motto in Newsweek magazine. Repremanded by his commanding officer, Maj. Gen Wilton Ramsey (Milburn Stone,) he is given a choice, either he can resign his commission or accept an assignment at a Catholic ROTC school. Having little choice, he accepts his new assignment where he meets school doctor Kay Lambert (Julie Adams). The school has a failing score and it's his task to train the students to pass their next inspection. With William Demarest as John, Tim Hovey as Flaherty, Tim Considine as Hibler and Sal Mineo as Cadet Col. Sylvester Dusik, the school accepts their new commander, but weather he stays long remains to be seen. This comedy with Heston playing a straight lace is one which belongs in your private library as it's not too often he accepts humorous roles. The result of director Jerry Hopper, story written by Joe Connelly and Bob Mosher is the creation of a fine family movie and one which easily makes it a Classic. ****

It was shown frequently on television, in the 1960s and 1970s, usually around Christmastime, probably due to its school setting, with nuns and kids, remotely resembling "The Sound of Music" (1965) without the music, and even lead actress Julie Adams resembling Julie Andrews (both Libras to boot!). Reviewing my VHS tape of the film recently (not on DVD yet), the movie remains surprisingly enjoyable, funny, tender and clever (script nominated for Academy Award), a big hit in 1955. Charlton Heston, in only a handful of comedies throughout his career, is very good as the hard-nosed Major who is assigned to military school by his superiors to soften his image, unaware its for kids and run by nuns! Adams, in one of her best roles and films, (until her "The Last Movie" role - 1971), effectively and warmly plays the school's doctor, not nurse, as other reviewers stated, and stands firm to Heston's shenanigans, not taking a subordinate role in all the proceedings. Child actor Tim Hovey is a revelation as "Tiger" who also helps melt Heston, with capable William Demarest as a caretaker and the marvelous Nan Bryant as the Mother Superior. Good color, filmed on location, direction, nice finale.

Forget "I was a teenage Moses", this may well be Heston's magnum opus. For once women are not second fiddle, quite the contrary. Any movie with Sal Mineo is worth watching. I haven't seen them all, but those I've seen have been quite good. Tim Hovey is another estimable thespian. His end came too soon, but his life seems to have been a happy one. This is a very happy, cheerful movie which can teach movie makers a thing of three about simplicity and naturalness.

My subject line says it all. If you think of Heston only as a dour Moses or as a super-conservative NRA president, prepare to be surprised. There was not one sloppy performance in this film; and the effect is charming. I guarantee you will come away from this movie in a cheerful mood.