Imitation General

Though I'm not a big fan of war movies I have seen this movie over and over again when I was younger, and was one I searched high and low on Blockbuster and such to see again. Ford and Buttons are marvelous and the movie walks the line between humor and the reality of the horror of war with real class... Would SO love to see it again!!

Ford's character was a n'er do well scammer who had made rank and been busted back more times than he could keep track of when he met an honorable man, a General, who went to the front lines though it was dangerous in hopes of rallying the troops... but was killed before reaching his goal. Inspired Ford decides to take over the mission and poses as the General.

One of the best scenes I remember was the German tank heading towards the village and Ford putting up a sign on the bridge saying that the bridge was mined so that the Germans would take the tanks thru the creek bed and expose their underbelly. But NOT going to tell you what happened.

When the general is knocked off, master sergeant murphy (ford) puts on the general's helmet and takes command. But there are many obstacles... that's an arrestable offense, and one of his old enemies could recognize him at any time. And of course, his old nemesis is trying to steal a girl from him. To top it all off, there are german soldiers all around them. With german tanks coming towards their position. It's fun, in spite of the serious subject; ten years had gone by since the end of ww two, and we're caught up in the light story line as much as the military action going on. Red buttons is here as the sidekick. It's okay, if you overlook a few things. Directed by george marshall, who did some great comedies. Which probably explains why he was chosen to direct this, as it is more of a light comedy than a serious war drama. Even the director and writer have military-ish names: marshall and chamberlain. Entertaining.

Immediately after The Teahouse of the August Moon, Glenn Ford's military comedic talents were utilized again in Imitation General. The premise wasn't exactly funny, but the film took a dark comedic take on the war. It's very hard to make a total comedy in a war background, since war isn't funny, but this movie takes its best chance.

Glenn and Kent Smith, a general, are isolated together after a particularly bloody battle, and when Kent dies saving Glenn's life, he's extremely humbled. He holds the helmet of the late general, and that's when another unit finds and rescues him. They assume he's holding his own helmet, and Glenn doesn't correct them. He thinks it will inspire the troops if he pretends to be the general and tells them what a great job they're doing. However, he doesn't count on Red Buttons, the only soldier of the bunch who has met him before. Mixing situational comedy, fast timing, and the somberness of war, Imitation General does its best to make audiences laugh while they're watching soldiers. The Teahouse of the August Moon is a rarity, but keep in mind it takes place during post-war reconstruction, not during active battles.

The Korean War had been over for five years, and Vietnam was still that many years distant for U.S. combat forces. In 1958, the U.S. and most of the world were in the midst of the Cold War that itself would escalate to near nuclear catastrophe in just a few years. Only a few movies were made in the last half of the decade about WWII after it ended in 1945. Hollywood, Great Britain and other western countries began making more films about WWII in the 1950s. By the late 50s, Hollywood began to make comedy war films. In 1957, "Don't Go Near the Water" was a Navy wartime movie that starred Glenn Ford. In "Imitation General," Ford plays in an Army film as Master Sergeant Murphy Savage.

The small cast are all very good in this pleasant film that has good comedy mixed with some good action. The play and time are France in 1944. Murphy and Corporal Chan Derby, played very well by Red Buttons, are the driver and security for Gen. Charles Lane, played well by Kent Smith. When Lane is killed by German gunfire, Murphy is inadvertently assumed to be a general when a soldier sees him holding the general's steel pot (helmet). One thing leads to another and Murphy assumes the general's ID long enough to pull together some scattered troops in an area who were surrounded by Germans and cut off from their units.

Action and a little mayhem switch back and forth. Murphy's actions and leadership are sure to earn the General high honors and recognition later. The men admired and respected Lane, and Murphy does a credible job as substitute. Oh, yes. The would-be romance piece of plot is included with Taina Elg playing Simone, a young French woman who speaks no English. There is no romance, really, but she helps add some humor to the film.

This isn't a big war production. It has skirmishes with small number of troops. The GIs succeed in a trap and knock out two Panzer tanks. Murphy and Chan take on two more tanks by themselves with helmets filled with mud. You'll have to watch the movie to see how that unfolds. This is an enjoyable and light movie all around. It was a time – spaced between wars – when people could watch a film like this and not think about the German soldiers who were being killed.

It's France 1944. Brigadier General Charles Lane, Master Sergeant Murphy Savage (Glenn Ford), and Corporal Chan Derby (Red Buttons) drive up to a group of dis-spirited men. They have been cut off by the German advance. The General orders the men to organize and attempts to set up his headquarter in a bombed out farmhouse. Savage finds Frenchwoman Simone taking a bath. The General is killed. Corporal Terry Sellers suffering from battle fatigue arrives looking to go to the hospital. He mistakes Savage for the general and is convinced to re-enter the fight. Savage decides to impersonate the General to keep up morale and command the defense.

I like the concept and its inherent conflict. Ford and Buttons are fine. I like this except for Hutchmeyer. The movie leaves the past a bit too murky. He should simply be a hard nose sergeant and they fear being outed by him. All the comedy with Hutchmeyer falls flat. The suggestion of something truly dark saps away the lightness of the comedy. It gets rather tiresome. The fight against the Germans is the compelling part. The comedy doesn't really work.