Papà, Ma che cosa hai fatto in guerra?

The Sixties produced a slew of funny war comedies demonstrating that WWII was basically good fun for all concerned, rather than being peopled with the kind of angst-filled, hand-wringing adolescents you see nowadays in movies like Memphis Belle and Saving Private Ryan. Edwards would go on to fantastic success with the Pink Panther series and writer Blatty is notable for his later work, The Exorcist. Edwards draws on a solid cast, including veterans Carroll O'Connor, Harry Morgan and Aldo Ray, without whom no war movie is complete. Italian star Fantoni turns in a meatball performance as Oppo but Dick Shawn steals the show with the best role of his career. Although a little slow in spots, Blake Edwards nonetheless gets where he's going and the result is a fine, though underrated, entry in the genre. The interactions between Shawn and Fantoni are worth the price of admission alone.

this movie was not only well written it has all the right stars. dick Shawn is hilarious and black Edwards always puts out A comedy! and the biggest plus of all was that i was there when they made the movie shot partly in thousand oaks California.if this movie was made today it would still garnish rave revue's.James coburn is one of my all time favorite actors,and of coarse harry Morgan we all know today from M.A.S.H. he adds to the strength of the comedy as Bud Abbott once did with Costello.of all the movie remakes i think this one would and should be considered by the studio executers.With a budget of todays standard it would not be a problem of set and location but that of actor costs and consideration.

When the obits of Harry Morgan were printed a few days ago, there was mention that one of his movie highlights was this one in which he plays a Major Pott who becomes crazy during the course of the movie. He's quite hilarious here and I found myself laughing quite a bit during much of this Blake Edwards' comedy that takes place in Italy during World War II but I have to admit that it doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Still, I liked many of the actors that appear here which besides Morgan includes Dick Shawn (especially liked his drag appearance in the later part of the film), James Coburn (acting perfectly straight while thinking crazy things), Giovanna Ralli (geogeous Italian eye candy), Carroll O'Connor (in a role that eventually convinced Norman Lear to cast him as Archie Bunker in "All in the Family"), and Leon Askin (whose Colonel Kastorp doesn't seem much different from his General Burkhalter in "Hogan's Heroes"). Like I said, not too much makes sense but What Did You Do in the War, Daddy? has its moments.

I like this movie for several reasons. One, is that it was made the year I was born-1966. Most movies from that year are very odd or strange- that was the height of the mod generation. One other good movie from 1966 is Fahrenheit 451. Anyway, My great Uncle is also in the movie. He plays the mayor of the town-Mayor Romano. It is ironic because although his stage name was Jay Novello, in real life his name was Michael Romano! Also Dick Shawn is hilarious and James Coburn is great as well-This was the same time period that he made his James bond spoof movies-in like Flint etc.... Definitely worth seeing again. Not quite on par with Kelly's Hero's-the best war comedy ever, but still close to that.

Gen. Sherman said that war is hell, but if he had seen "What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?", he would have eaten his words. The movie focuses on an American platoon that captures an Italian village in WWII. The Italians are willing to surrender as long as they can have their festival. This creates a problem for the Americans, who have to look like they're fighting. Meanwhile, one of the commanding officers gets lost in the catacombs and goes crazy.

Dick Shawn displays the same type of wacky humor that he employed in "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World", and we even get to see Carroll O'Connor, pre-"All in the Family". Perfect.