Helden ohne Hosen

Advance to the Rear (1964) I love quirky romantic comedies, westerns (some with humor when it works), and fun action-adventure, but I can't stand anything about the Civil War. I DVR'd (if that's not a word, I'm making it one) this movie for two reasons. 1.) I have a newfound crush on Glenn Ford after seeing him in Dear Heart. 2.) A poster on the Dear Heart board said a good Glenn Ford comedy was coming on TCM this spring. So, when I saw this film was a Glenn Ford comedy, I just naturally assumed I'd stumbled across her recommendation and DVR'd it. All things happen for a reason. I was meant to discover a quirky romantic comedy action adventure western war movie all in one. That doesn't happen often. I'm not sure it can happen again.

Regardless, I was sort of ho-hum about the Civil War part, but I thought I'd cheer up my poor husband who was sick with food poisoning (duck from a nice restaurant, not my cooking). I was already pretty interested after Robert Osborne's introduction before the first scene played. The setup before the credits was a good teaser, and by the time the credits rolled I was hopeful. I knew I was hooked the minute Glenn Ford was taunting the rebs with talk of fried chicken. Then I was absolutely rolling when Ford and Douglas had their first scene and the first of many disagreements. They played off of each other so well. Douglas had his leading man days in his younger years, but some of my favorite roles are supporting ones. He sparred superbly with Cary Grant in Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House.

By now I'd made up my mind that this was in no way going to be a dreary Civil War film. The next test was Stella Stevens. I saw her in a cute Dean Martin film and was just so thankful she didn't have on a buxom bikini and a Swedish accent and ended up liking the movie. To my delight, she's a beautiful rebel spy that appears to still have her virtue. That's hard to find in movies now, but it really makes for a clean, fun classic film which is what I enjoy the most. Through a series of preposterous events, Ford becomes involved with Stevens and their chemistry was just perfect and their banter adorable.

The supporting cast included Joan Blondell, Alan Hale (Jr.), Jim Backus, and a lot of other familiar faces from my days of watching great TV and movies on rainy days long ago. The stunts were very creative, the horse scenes were humorous, the crazy Company Q was comprised of the most perfectly matched bunch of misfits. The only one remotely sane was Ford, the suave and charming straight man. Finally, the film actually had a plausible plot that ended up making sense and everyone happy. Other than a few over the top slapstick scenes, I enjoyed this silly treasure. It even got a few chuckles out of my sick husband before he fell back asleep.

What a great Sunday afternoon treat and one I'll want to see again! I highly recommend it to anyone who loves fun classic but totally unique quirky romantic comedy action adventure western war movies all in one.

I saw this movie in the basement movie studio of Ytterboe Hall (my freshman college dorm -- alas now only a memory) when it came out 37 years ago. After I got married and settled down, I started scanning the television listings regularly for it. After 20 years, one of the channels started showing it in the wee hours so I managed to tape it. 'Advance To The Rear' is a rare gem.

This movie was made during the short but glorious window of cultural innocence (between R & B and the Rolling Stones) when folk music was as popular as rock. The music is by Randy Sparks and sung by his New Christy Minstrals. The song 'Today' is from this movie.

Stella Stevens, as the Confederate spy, is gorgeous beyond description. Glen Ford plays the bemused hero trying to do things by the book admidst a collection of misfits ('We're a company of cowards and we've come to save the day.'). Jim Backus ('Gilligan's Island' and the voice of Mr. Magoo) leads a familiar cast of veteran supporting actors and actresses of the era. Did I mention that Stella Stevens is good looking?

'Advance To The Rear' is a B-movie masterpiece. One of those rare examples of everything coming together perfectly. For those of us who remember the era, it is also very evocative -- perhaps more so than any other movie of its time. It would be nice if whoever has the rights would release it, my VHS tape is getting a little flaky. By the way, they made an LP of the sound track. Now that be a major garage sale find.

This is one heckuva fun film. Although a pretty descriptive writeup has already been given, I gotta tip the proverbial hat to what seems to be the inspiration for the F-TROOP television series that debuted the following year. And, the use of balladeers, THE NEW CHRISTY MINSTRELS, to help set scenes for the film hearkens unto many a great "tried and true" stories of the period...including the legendary CAT BALLOU with Stubby Kaye & Nat King Cole as the Balladeers in question.

I am going to have to track this down and plant it near THE HALLELUJAH TRAIL (another good comedy set in the same time period) on my viewing shelf.

Advance to the Rear is the last of a string of films that Glenn Ford made with director George Marshall. As an actor/director combination, they don't rate as high as John Wayne/John Ford or Robert DeNiro/Martin Scorsese, but they did turn out a succession of very funny films.

Back at the beginning of Ford's career, Marshall directed him in Texas along with another young star Bill Holden. Than it was almost a decade until they worked together again in one of Ford's best and probably funniest film, The Sheepman.

Ford had not done that much comedy up till then. Marshall took great advantage of Glenn Ford's really great gift for deadpanning some fabulous lines. They did five more films after that and Ford used him in his television series Cade's County. A good director/actor team turning out some great product.

I think George Marshall's not been given his due. He was best at comedy, but could also turn out good westerns. His most noted film, Destry Rides Again is a great blend of both.

Ford is a newly assigned lieutenant in a company that bears a striking resemblance to F Troop. Possibly this film was the inspiration for same. After a major snafu, they are assigned out in the west where it is hoped they cannot do too much damage to the Union cause.

And then it's discovered they are to be protecting a major gold shipment that Confederate guerrilla James Griffith is out to steal. Ford has an additional complication in that he's fallen for Confederate spy Stella Stevens.

You'll have a lot of laughs along the way in seeing if and how all these situations are dealt with. Another performance of note here is Melvyn Douglas as the commanding officer of the company. Douglas, two years past his Oscar for Hud, gets a real change of pace and he looks like he's having a ball playing the bumbling and pompous Colonel Brackenby.

Watch this one and you're in for good afternoon's share of laughs.

Glenn Ford is solid as usual. It is the rest of the cast that make this film fun. Melvyn Douglas and Joan Blondell are at their comic best. Stella Stevens is also quite funny and at the height of her beauty and gets the full grooming treatment by MGM's William Tuttle and Sydney Guillaroff.