The Wackiest Ship in the Army (1960)

Director:

Richard Murphy

Writers:

Herbert Carlson (story)
Herbert H. Margolis (story)
(more)

Release Date:

29 December 1960 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | War

Tagline:

RiCKY NELSON Your No. 1 Singing Star hits the high C's in...The WACKiEST SHiP in the ARMY

Plot:

Lieutenant Rip Crandall is hoodwinked into taking command of the "Wackiest Ship in the Navy" - a real...

Plot Keywords:

Navy | Army

Cast

Jack Lemmon	...	Lt. Rip Crandall
Ricky Nelson	...	Ens. Tommy J. Hanson
John Lund	...	Lt. Cmdr. Wilbur F. Vandewater
Chips Rafferty	...	Patterson (coast watcher)
Tom Tully	...	Capt. McClung
Joby Baker	...	Josh Davidson
Warren Berlinger	...	Radioman 2nd Class A.J. 'Sparks' Sparks
Patricia Driscoll	...	Maggie
Mike Kellin	...	Chief Mate Jack MacCarthy
Richard Anderson	...	Lt. Dennis M. Foster
Alvy Moore	...	Seaman J. Johnson (cook)
Joseph Gallison	...	'Cameo' (USS Echo crewman)
Teru Shimada	...	Maj. Samada
George Shibata	...	Capt. Shigetsu
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dale Ishimoto	...	Japanese pilot
Phillip Adams	...	Crewman (uncredited)
John Anderson	...	Sailor (uncredited)
Tom Anthony	...	Crewman (uncredited)
Nesdon Booth	...	Chief Petty Officer (uncredited)
Naaman Brown	...	Cpl. Goroka (native) (uncredited)
Henry Faber	...	(uncredited)
Fuji	...	Japanese sergeant (uncredited)
Clive Halliday	...	Australian Major General (uncredited)
Gavin W. Harper	...	Seaman (uncredited)
Roy Jenson	...	Shark Bait (USS Echo crewman) (uncredited)
Lloyd Kino	...	(uncredited)
Hudson Shotwell	...	Adm. Hathaway (uncredited)
Sid Tomack	...	Arthur, Bartender at Kangaroo Club (uncredited)
Richard Torrence	...	Horse (uncredited)
Russ Whiteman	...	American colonel (uncredited)
Mose Wilson	...	Sailor (uncredited)

Directed by
Richard Murphy

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Herbert Carlson		story
Herbert H. Margolis		story (as Herbert Margolis)
Richard Murphy		screenplay
William Raynor		story

Produced by
Fred Kohlmar	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
George Duning

Cinematography by
Charles Lawton Jr.

Film Editing by
Charles Nelson

Art Direction by
Carl Anderson

Set Decoration by
Louis Diage

Makeup Department
Helen Hunt	....	hair stylist
Ben Lane	....	makeup supervisor
Robert J. Schiffer	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sam Nelson	....	assistant director

Sound Department
George Cooper	....	sound
Charles J. Rice	....	recording supervisor

Stunts
Phil Adams	....	stunts (uncredited)
Joe Byrne	....	stunt double: Ricky Nelson (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Richard H. Kline	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Ralph James Hall	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Arthur Morton	....	orchestrator

Other crew
Rear Admiral Lucius H. Chappell	....	technical advisor (as Rear Admiral Lucius H. Chapple U.S.Navy, Ret.)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation (presents)

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1960) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1965) (USA) (TV) (original airing)

Other Companies

• Department of Defense, The  we wish to thank for their willing assistance in the production of this motion picture
• Panavision  photographic lenses
• Pathé  Eastman Color by
• U.S. Navy, The  we wish to thank for their willing assistance in the production of this motion picture

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastman Color)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

Australia:G | USA:Approved (certificate #19722) | UK:U | Finland:K-8

Filming Locations:

Kaua'i, Hawaii, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

The movie is loosely based upon an actual commissioned Navy ship, the USS Echo (IX-95). As in the movie, the Echo was a scow loaned to the Navy from New Zealand in 1942, but was used for carrying cargo and supplies to Army bases in the South Pacific, earning her an Army commendation. She was decommissioned in 1944 and can be seen in Picton New Zealand as a museum.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When Lt Crandall is arguing with Lcdr Vandewater in the latter's office over taking command of the Echo, a ship with hull number ARS-38 is visible through his office window. The ship in question, the USS Bolster, was not launched until 23 December 1944, while the movie is set prior to 2 March 1943, the date of the beginning of the Battle of the Bismarck Sea, described at the end of the movie.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in My Fellow Americans (1996)

Lightweight and breezy...and quintessential Jack Lemmon!!!

This is one of those overlooked films Lemmon made in the early years of his legendary career. It kind of became lost in the midst of such higher profile films as "Some Like it Hot" and "The Apartment", and never truly found its way out. "The Wackiest Ship in the Army" represents a list of forgotten Lemmon titles that deserve recognition. Such films include, "It Happened to Jane", "Operation Mad Ball", "The Notorious Landlady", and "Alex & the Gypsy".

"Wackiest" is a one of those type of films that is perfect for a lazy afternoon. Often amusing and boasting a quintessential Lemmon performance, it's worth checking out just for pure nostalgia!

*** (out of 5)