Mister Winkle va alla guerra

I'll watch any movie Edward G. Robinson did and i think he's a better actor than James Cagney. This one casts him as a guy who is always being told what to do and in the first scene of the movie he walks up to the manager of the bank and tells him he wants to quit, to everyone's surprise. His wife hates this idea and Robinson wants to run a business just fixing things. He then gets a letter telling him that he is drafted. He doesn't think he will be because he's 44 years old and out of shape. To his surprise and everyone else's, he is drafted. During basic training, they pull him out to have a desk job. Robinson doesn't like it and wants to be put back and be able to work as mechanic. He is sent overseas and is very close to the fighting. I've never really heard much about this movie and i didn't even see Robert Mitchum in this movie.

As this was a 1944 film this was not made to boost the moral of those getting set to go off to war, and their friends and relations moral, but those who would soon be returning from war. It made it clear that all who served were heros, which they were, and not just those coming home with a chestful of medals, they were super heroes.

An ordinary man in a menial job and looked down upon could make a real contribution to the war not by being gung ho but by doing his job to the best of his ability and taking pride in doing so.

A great film with Edward G fabulous in it and very well worth watching.

Edward G Robinson is wonderful as Wilbert Winkle. A meek and short man that has several problems. A personality that is timid. An office job in a bank that curtails any creativity. A wife that is not very supportive. No children. A man so timid that he actually asks his boss if he can quit. A man that just exists and never makes a difference in this world. Could that change?

Winkle decides to make a difference. He quits despite his boss. He wants to be "mr. fixer-upper." He has a boy by the name of Barry that he wants to help. A boy that is from a home-for-boys. Barry becomes the partner in the new business. Yes, life will be a challenge. Little did Winkle know just what was ahead in his new life.

World War II needs men. Strong, tall, able men even short, old and timid men. Poor Winkle, his business and Barry will have to wait. His wife will have to wait, but then his wife didn't have much time for him anyway. Men die, men are wounded, would this happen to Winkle?

A fine acting vehicle for Robinson to display that he can act. A film that you will enjoy!

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.

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!