In gamba... marinaio!

Nobody ever considered anything about this movie worthy of an Academy Award. Nobody's life was ever changed by this story. But isn't fun worth something? Doug McClure plays a disrespectful ship's doctor (Willoughby) aboard the USS Bustard, skippered by James Whittemore at his most delightful, with an officious XO (played by Gary Vinson--remember him as the lovesick sheriff from the short-lived sitcom "Pistols and Petticoats"? Or was I really the only person in the USA who actually watched that show?). You'll love to hate him, and relish Willoughby's revenge. There's the eternally beautiful Nancy Kwan as the love interest, engaged to James Shigeta, the handsome chauvinist (Shigeta and Kwan also worked together on "Flower Drum Song". Poor, poor James. All that opportunity and he NEVER ended up with Nancy!) Don't waste money buying this, if it's available. Don't turn down a better movie (Many are). But if it's on TV some night and you're insomniacking, watch it. It's a lot of fun!

I enjoyed this comedy of a Navy con-man hijinks in Asia after World War 2. If you take any of this seriously than you are watching the wrong movie. The plot of the movie moves swiftly along, and Doug McClure, Nancy Kwan, David Hartman, James Shigeta, and James Whitmore are all fun to watch as the crew of the USS Bustard get into and out of trouble.

I enjoy watching war comedies, and I thought that this was an excellent movie just for watching. It was comical and enjoyable to watch Doug McClure and Nancy Kwan in this light hearted comedy. If I can ever find this movie I will buy it. One of my favorite scenes was when McClure when to the hospital looking for Nancy Kwan and the Head Nurse at the desk made a pass at Doug McClure, the other scene was when they when to the shop looking for a present for Harman's sister. the little jokes about the Marines and Navy in the bar room brawl were great. There were also the non spoken parts that took place in the background, for instance, when McClure, Hartman, left the ship to look for a way to get rid of the bugs. If you look at the background you would see the Japanese women trying to pick up on the Military guys on leave.