Mister Roberts (1955)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Directors:

John Ford
Mervyn LeRoy
(more)

Writers:

Frank S. Nugent (screenplay) and
Joshua Logan (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

4 December 1955 (Japan)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | War

Tagline:

All the Uproarious Fun of the Smash Broadway Play!

Plot:

Comedy-drama about life on a not particularly important ship of the US Navy during WW2.

Plot Keywords:

Tyrant | US Navy | Navy | Vomit | Extortion

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 1 win & 4 nominations

Cast

Henry Fonda	...	Lt. JG Douglas A. 'Doug' Roberts
James Cagney	...	Capt. Morton
William Powell	...	Lt. 'Doc'
Jack Lemmon	...	Ens. Frank Thurlowe Pulver
Betsy Palmer	...	Lt. Ann Girard
Ward Bond	...	Chief Petty Officer Dowdy
Philip Carey	...	Mannion (as Phil Carey)
Nick Adams	...	Reber
Perry Lopez	...	Rodrigues
Ken Curtis	...	Yeoman 3rd Class Dolan
Robert Roark	...	Insigna
Harry Carey Jr.	...	Stefanowski
Patrick Wayne	...	Bookser (as Pat Wayne)
Frank Aletter	...	Gerhart
Tige Andrews	...	Wiley (as Tiger Andrews)
Fritz Ford	...	Lindstrom
Jim Moloney	...	Kennedy
Buck Kartalian	...	Mason
Denny Niles	...	Gilbert
William Henry	...	Lt. Billings
Francis Connor	...	Cochran
William Hudson	...	Olson
Shug Fisher	...	Johnson
Stubby Kruger	...	Schlemmer
Danny Borzage	...	Jonesy
Harry Tenbrook	...	Cookie
Jim Murphy	...	Taylor
Kathleen O'Malley	...	Nurse
Maura Murphy	...	Nurse
Mimi Doyle	...	Nurse
Jeanne Murray	...	Nurse
Lonnie Pierce	...	Nurse
Martin Milner	...	Shore Patrol Officer
Gregory Walcott	...	Shore Patrolman
James Flavin	...	Military Policeman
Jack Pennick	...	Marine Sergeant
Duke Kahanamoku	...	Native Chief (as Duke Kahanamoko)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
George Brangier	...	French colonial officer (uncredited)
Clarence E. Frank	...	Naval officer (uncredited)
Carolyn Tong	...	Bookser's native romance (uncredited)

Directed by
John Ford
Mervyn LeRoy
Joshua Logan		(uncredited)

Writing credits
Frank S. Nugent		(screenplay) (as Frank Nugent) and
Joshua Logan		(screenplay)
Thomas Heggen		(play) and
Joshua Logan		(play)
Thomas Heggen		(novel)

Produced by
Leland Hayward	....	producer

Original Music by
Franz Waxman

Cinematography by
Winton C. Hoch		(as Winton Hoch)

Film Editing by
Jack Murray

Art Direction by
Art Loel

Set Decoration by
William L. Kuehl

Costume Design by
Moss Mabry		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Gordon Bau	....	makeup artist
Robert J. Schiffer	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Norman A. Cook	....	production manager (as Norman Cook)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Wingate Smith	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Earl Crain Sr.	....	sound (as Earl N. Crain Sr.)
William A. Mueller	....	sound recordist (uncredited)

Stunts
Philip Crawford	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jack Lewis	....	stunt performer (uncredited)
Jack Lewis	....	motorcycle stunt (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Cliff Shirpser	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Music Department
Leonid Raab	....	orchestrator
Franz Waxman	....	conductor

Other crew
Leland Hayward	....	producer: stage play
Commander Merle MacBain	....	technical advisor (as Commander Merle MacBain, USN)
Adm. John Dale Price	....	technical advisor (as Admiral John Dale Price USN [Ret.])
Frank Coghlan Jr.	....	naval liaison (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Orange

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1955) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1956) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (19??) (USA) (VHS) (pan/scan)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Warner Bros. (1955) (France) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• United States Navy, The  grateful acknowledgment

Runtime:

123 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Warnercolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.55 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

Iceland:L | Canada:PG (Ontario) | UK:U | Australia:G | West Germany:12 (nf) | Canada:14A (video rating) | Finland:K-12 | USA:Approved (certificate #17195)

Filming Locations:

Honolulu, O'ahu, Hawaii, USA

Company:

Orange

Trivia:

The part of Doc was originally offered to Spencer Tracy, who declined.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Ensign Pulver returns to his cabin after blowing up the ship's laundry facility, the soap suds on his head and back change between shots.

Quotes:

Doug Roberts: We've got nothing to do with the war. Maybe that's why we're on this ship, cause we're not good enough to fight. Cause our glands don't secrete enough adrenaline, or our great-great- grandmothers were afraid of the dark or something.
Lt. 'Doc': What is it you want to be, Doug, a hero?
Doug Roberts: Hero? Doc, you haven't heard a word I've said. Look, Doc, the war's way out there, and I'm here. Well, I don't want to be here, I wanna be out there. I'm sick and tired of being a lousy spectator.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Muppet Show: (#1.7)" (1976)

Who did it...?

Mister Roberts is a very personal film for me. This is the first i vividly remember watching with my father. Lt Douglas Roberts is a cargo officer on a cargo ship dubbed "The Bucket". Mister Roberts feels that war in the Pacific is passing him by. An all-star cast and crew adopt this novel and play. Henry Fonda (Grapes of Wrath, On Golden Pond) reprises his role from the play as Roberts. Henry Fonda must clash heads with the captain played by the great James Cagney (Angles with Dirty Faces, Yankee Doodle Dandy). They are joined by William Powell (My Man Godfrey), Betsy Palmer, Ward Bond (It's a Wonderful Life, My Darling Clementine) and Jack Lemmon (Odd Couple, Some Like it Hot). This is Jack Lemmon's first academy award winning performance. This is a movie is filled with humor and drama. This is movie is a great enjoyment. Naturally some things are different from the play and book. This is a great movie to add to your collection.