N'embrassez pas les WACs

Certainly can't blame the sparkling Russell if the last part of the comedic hijinks seems labored. The first part shines, especially the fancy ball where Jo (Russell) flits around like the proverbial social butterfly, while divorced husband (Andy) tries to rescue his dog without anybody noticing. Too bad Douglas is largely forgotten. He had about a ten-year period where he played the likable grouch to perfection.

It's interesting to compare this film with its male counterpart No Time for Sergeants (1958). Here Jo is a sheltered socialite who thinks joining the WACS will be a lark, plus put her closer to her colonel boyfriend (Ching). Needless to say, she's in for the proverbial rude awakening, though not too rude. In No Time…, Andy Griffith is Jo's opposite, a naïve hillbilly who gets drafted, has similarly rude adjustment problems, except his are from the other end of the social spectrum. Both movies get a load of laughs from sticking unmilitary types into training camp, strict military style.

But frankly, I thought the slapstick of putting Jo through the rigors of testing new equipment came across as labored and not very funny. It also amounts to an unfortunate stylistic break with the previous lighter mood. Nonetheless, rolling around the mud does symbolically rid Jo of her social pretensions, and make it so she and Andy can get back together on a more honest plain. So at least the testing works on a plot level.

Anyway, the film's an okay comedy, produced by Russell's husband and independently distributed, at a time when the studios were unfortunately breaking apart.

Ex-soldier's civilian job (improving uniforms) requires him to continue co-ordinating with the military. His socialite ex-wife's boyfriend is a Colonel, ordered to Paris. To be near the officer, the spoiled gal (Rosalind Russell) joins the WACS, expecting her elbow-rubbing father to smoothen her ride, but dad sees service as a means of tightening the reigns on her, so, she "starts from the bottom." To make matters worse, ex-hubby crosses paths with - and makes life more difficult for - her, although he eventually mellows toward her. Companion plot follows showgirl-turned-WAC's romance with Sergeant. But viewers of this film will discover whether Roz seeks boyfriend's or former husband's next stop. Not terribly deep but not a waste, either.

If you are a fan of Ms. Russell's, then this is one you must see. If you are looking for a nice little comedy to feel good with, then watch this. If you are a comedy snob, forget it pal.

This is a silly but fun film. It starts out that Roz is the daughter of a Washington big wig. She is in love with this major in the army and he has to go overseas for a time. No way is she going to let him leave without her to fend off the chicks, so she enlist into the Army. Thinking her Dad can pull some strings in Washington, she thinks she will get a big rank and fly off with her love, but nooooooo. Her Dad wants to teach her a thing or two. He feels she is too big for her britches. So she ends up becoming just a private and staying in the US of A. She runs into her ex (Paul Douglas) who is working with the Army with some experiments. Trouble ensues....Throw in Marie Wilson (a Marilyn copy) and get set for a little fun. I have this. For a Roz Russell film it rates a 6 of 10.

This light comedy has some entertaining characters and a few good scenes that make up for a rather slim plot. The story itself is rather silly - Rosalind Russell stars as a divorced socialite who joins the Army solely in order to be closer to her officer boyfriend. She quickly finds out that the Army plans to do a little more with her than simply give her passes whenever she wants to see him. Meanwhile, her scientific ex-husband (Paul Douglas) is working for the Army, and requests her for his project so that he can disrupt her planned romantic meetings. Since there's not a whole lot to work with, it starts to run out of steam after a while, but remains mostly pleasant to watch. While it's nothing to take seriously, it's just meant as light-hearted entertainment, and as such most of it works pretty well.

When ROSALIND RUSSELL wasn't doing heavy emoting in films like MOURNING BECOMES ELECTRA, she was doing wacky comedies like NEVER WAVE AT A WAC and proving that she had comic flair even in sub-standard material.

This is a forerunner of the "Private Benjamin" type of service story--or the "See Here Private Hargrove" type of thing, where a disgruntled serviceman (or woman) finds life in the Army rough going when given some deliberately hectic chores to do. MARIE Wilson is another unlikely recruit who's fighting off advances from an overeager sergeant, LEIF ERICKSON.

The gags are fast and furious but not too original as Russell is given some challenging assignments by PAUL DOUGLAS, as the man who eventually wins her heart. None of it is very convincing and Russell certainly had better opportunities in other smarter comedies during the '30s and '40s.

Passes the time, but not really worth watching unless you're a Russell fan.