Mr. Winkle Goes to War

Mr. Winkle Goes to War (1944)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Edward G. Robinson plays Mr. Winkle, an elderly, out of shape man who gets drafted for the war and shocks everyone when he passes everyone's expectations. I really wasn't sure what to expect from this war comedy but it turned out to be a fairly delightful little film. The story is as thin as a sheet of paper but its heart is in the right place and Robinson is great as usual. It was a lot of fun seeing Robinson playing a weak soul and watching him turn into the hero was very believable due to the actor. The supporting cast includes good work from Bob Stanton, Robert Armstrong and Richard Lane. Robert Mitchum has a very small part and I only noticed him during one scene. The war time scenes are rather cheap but look pretty good and the ending is predictable but nice.

You really didn't see Edward G Robinson in too many touchy-feely films in the 30s and 40s. But in this Hollywood fantasy, he plays a middle-aged man of 44 who is drafted in the Army. Eddie G is a henpecked, timid, gentle soul, who likes to work with his hands, but is stuck working in a bank, instead.

He quits the bank one day after getting his draft notice. This is where the film veers off a bit.

You really don't get to go to AIT - (Advanced Infantry Training) or any other school, until you finish basic training. The Hollywood producers of this film decided to dispense with that reality and had Edward go directly to AIT. Not happening. And the idea you would be shipped out before being able to go home on a short leave of a week or two is ridiculous; the Army always gave some time before they shipped you out. The producers dispensed with that reality as well.

The war scenes were ok, but the hero scenario was a bit over the top. An interesting role and story, and watchable.

This picked on banker goes and get's drafted. He is always taking pills for some ailment, but once he goes into training with the Army, he's a changed man. The movie moves along very nicely. You see the change in him....slowly but at the right moments he emerges a stronger person and a hero. I'm sorry to say that this movie has been hidden and should be brought back. Very inspirational to say the least. Mr. Winkle is an excellent movie and should be viewed by all. His wife played by Ruth Warick, who recently passed away, plays a sympathetic wife and very loving. She feels her husband's pain while at the bank. She is extremely proud when he returns victorious and a changed man. Must see!

If you're looking for a typical Edward G. Robinson movie, you need to rent Mr. Winkle Goes to War. Yes, he got his start as a gangster, but he quickly mellowed into a likable guy always trying to improve himself, and some way or other, life spoils his plans. He just tugs at your heart, and in almost every one of his movies, I find myself opening my arms and wanting to give the television a hug.

Eddie starts the movie as a lowly banker, henpecked by his boss and his wife, who takes a bravery pill and quits his job. Following his true passion, he decides to open up a fix-it shop in his garage with Ted Donaldson, a little orphan boy he's bonded with. His wife, Ruth Warrick is livid, but Ted encourages him to follow his dreams. Then, when he gets drafted, all his dreams are put on hold.

Edward G. Robinson gives a wonderful performance, as usual, in this charming comedy-drama. One of my favorite scenes is when he goes through his physical examination. He thinks he'll be excused from the draft board, so he doesn't really take it seriously, then when he's selected, his face shows how serious the situation really is. This isn't your typical war movie, so if you're looking for one of those, you have hundreds of others to choose from. If you're just looking to "Awww!" your way through an Edward G. Robinson movie, look no further than Mr. Winkle Goes to War.

In the early 1940s, Hollywood made a lot of positive propaganda films in order to encourage Americans to get behind the war effort. Many of them were far from realistic (such as this film) but were also very entertaining and did a lot to boost spirits (again, like this film). Provided you view the film in this context, it's a dandy little picture and an interesting curio.

Edward G. Robinson plays the title character--a decent but decidedly mild-mannered man who works at a bank. One day, out of the blue, he quits his job to open a "fix-it" shop--much to the surprise of his wife and boss! However, despite these grand plans of being his own boss, shortly after this he receives his draft notice. Considering that Robinson was a dumpy middle-aged man, everyone assumed this was just a mistake. However, despite the complete improbability of it all, he does pass the physical and is taken into the army! Now of course, you MUST suspend disbelief here--as Robinson has "4-F" written all over him (in other words, he is unfit for active duty). Despite the impossibility of it all, Robinson works his butt off and actually succeeds in becoming a soldier--even though his sergeant tries to get him a desk job. Robinson wants no part of a desk job (that was why he quit his job at the bank after all).

What exactly happens next, you'll have to see for yourself. However, this is a rather silly film that still manages to be quite entertaining. Now if you think the idea of Robinson in the military, it could be a lot more ridiculous. In GREAT GUNS, Laurel and Hardy join the army! Even though they were about the same age as Robinson (in their early 50s), Ollie weighs in at about 350 pounds and Stan looks very old and worn. In MR. WINKLE, Robinson is supposed to be 43 and he is able to carry that off reasonably well.