N'embrassez pas les WACs

"Never Wave at a WAC" is worth seeing just for one thing -- Rosalind Russell's over-the-top performance as the ultimate socialite snob of snobs. Russell could play sophisticates and prim and proper upper crust, including in comedies. But she gives this role such snobbery that her completely spoiled and selfish persona quickly makes the audience want to see her get tanked. And, when she does, of sorts, she keeps the snobbery going beyond anyone's imagination. It's a superb performance and role.

This film was made during the Korean War. It came out in January of 1953, and a truce would bring the war to an end in July. The film is first and foremost a comedy, but also is a slight patriotic film with a pat on the back for the WACs. The Women's Army Corps was established in May 1942 during WW II and lasted until 1978 when it was disbanded and all units were integrated into the regular Army with males.

The plot is silly with some very funny scenes. Wealthy Jo McBain is the daughter of prominent U. S.. Senator Tom Reynolds. She lives and glories in the limelight of Washington, D. C. During the day, she is busy making public appearances for all sorts of civic things. In the evenings, she is the toast and host of Washington society. She throws elaborate parties at which all the big wigs, brass and famous people are invited and attend - including a menagerie of ambassadors and other foreign diplomats. In one very funny scene, Jo cuts a ribbon for a strange looking small sculpture that resembles a water fountain. It's across the south lawn of the White House and the next scene shows Jo smiling and waving at figures in two windows of the White House. Caricatures of the President and first lady are waving back.

Jo has been divorced from Andrew McBain, played by Paul Douglas. He's a scientist and researcher who is now designing and making protecting clothing and gear for GIs. Jo is now engaged to Air Force Lt. Col. Sky Fairchild, who's just been reassigned to Paris, France. She is jealous of another attractive socialite who has a commission in the WACs. First Lt. Phyllis Turnbull, is also going to Paris, and also has an eye for Sky Fairchild. The senator thinks his daughter needs to come down off her pedestal and get her feet on the ground. So, he cons Jo into joining the WACs. She thinks she's going to get a gold-plated commission handed to her.

But when she drives her convertible with her fine clothes all packed and ready for duty at Fort Lee, Virginia, she soon finds out that she will be Pvt. McBain, not General McBain. Still, she persists in her snobbish persona, with some hilarious scenes stepping out of ranks, lighting a cigarette in formation, etc. She is so wound up in her self-importance that she's clueless of her situation and where she is for a long time. All of that plays for more humor. And, even considering that this was 10 years after the WACs had been formed and served in WW II, the handling of McBain by the WAC staff seems awfully reserved.

Well, that's all for the better comedy when who else should be at Fort Lee but ex-husband, Andrew McBain. He is conducting equipment tests for the Army. McBain has declined the offer of a field-grade commission, choosing instead to work for and with the Army in his civilian capacity. When he needs half a dozen women for special duty with the tests, he picks Jo as one of them.

This isn't a comedy of witty dialog, or antics. It's strictly situational humor. Rosalind Russell plays a part that has some physical workouts and otherwise humiliating scenes. While she wasn't among the glamorous group in Hollywood, she was a very talented woman of beauty and character who could play superb comedy, drama, mystery and anything in between and beyond.

The supporting cast are all very good. The best of these are Marie Wilson as Clara Schneiderman (aka, Danger O'Dowd), William Ching as Jo's fiancé, Lt. Col. Sky Fairchild, and Leif Erickson who plays Master Sgt. Norbert Jackson. The production quality is lacking. The screenplay could have been better, and the camera work wasn't well planned and carried out.

But, one can and should put all that aside and watch this film just for the fun of the sterling performance by Rosalind Russell. There are no great hilarious lines or antics, but lots of scenes that are sure to bring chuckles.

Here are some favorite lines from this film.

Lily Mae Gorham, "Your father wanted to invite senators Cullen and Clark, but I said 'no,' they're investigating each other."

Sen. Holbrook, "So the senator had the floor three hours, eh. What was he speaking about?" Sen. Tom Reynolds, Jo McBain's father, "He didn't say."

Andrew McBain, "Doesn't it strike you as rather symbolic that the Japanese beetles are destroying our elm trees?" Jo McBain, "Yes, since our marriage fell apart at the same time."

Jo McBain, "Oh, now father, I'm not greedy - you know that. I don't mind starting as a major or captain and working my way up on my own merits". Sen. Tom Reynolds, "Why, there's no telling - you might be the first woman general... even president." Jo McBain, 'Oh, I'll let you be president first."

Sergeant interviewer (Norma Busse), "Do you speak any languages fluently?" Clara Schneiderman, "Yes, ma'am - English."

Sgt. Taylor, "And now, what would you like to do?" Jo McBain, "I'd like to murder my father."

Col. Colfax (Alan Frank, uncredited), "When are you gonna talk this guy back into uniform so I can order him around?"

Clara Schneiderman, "I'm being watched." Jo McBain, "Look, Schneiderman, you better ease into this spying business gradually - mustn't' overdo, you know."

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.

Never Wave At A WAC is the apparently weird combination of Buck Privates and Woman of the Year. The odd thing about it is that it actually works and still will get a few laughs from today's audience.

This might have been a script offered to Katharine Hepburn, but Hepburn never really got as physical in her comedy films as Rosalind Russell does here. Still the part of socialite daughter of a United States Senator would normally have been something Hepburn might have done. Yet Russell makes the part all her own.

Russell's a bit of a snob and her father Charles Dingle well knows it. During a party where her ex-husband, Paul Douglas, crashes she meets another socialite friend who has just got a commission in the Woman's Army Corps. Russell's current boyfriend is another commissioned officer from public relations, William Ching, borrowed from an Ad agency. He's been assigned to NATO headquarters in Paris.

Of course dear old dad will pull some strings and make her an officer and a lady. Except Charles Dingle doesn't want to do it. He says let her in as a buck private and it takes a bit of getting used to before Russell realizes she's not a VIP on the base. And when Douglas who is a scientist doing work for the army arrives on her base the fun really starts.

Roz has some good physical scenes, check out the one where she and other WACS are part of a Douglas experiment in arctic conditions. They're not as physical as the ones in Private Benjamin, still Russell gets ample opportunity to display her comic timing.

There's also a nice subplot involving Marie Wilson, a stripper who joins the WACs and falls for Sergeant Leif Erickson.

Charles Dingle is always one of my favorite character actors and it was really nice to see him as a good guy for a change. He's either a nasty villain like in Edge of Darkness or he's a pompous horse's rear like in Welcome Stranger. He's neither in this film, just a nice down to earth man who happens to be a United States Senator and not pleased with the snobbish ways of his daughter.

Obviously because he believed in getting more women in the Armed Services, the then Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Omar N. Bradley made a guest appearance as himself. He has a moment when calls about Russell's status reach his ears and he refers them to his good friend Senator Dingle who's on a fishing trip.

Never Wave At A WAC though eclipsed somewhat for the current past two generations by Private Benjamin still has a lot of laughs. And it's a great introduction to one of the best and most versatile stars from the age of studio Hollywood, Rosalind Russell.

I stumbled across this movie one sleepness night and rarely have I ever enjoyed insomnia so much. It has to be the inspiration for Goldie Hawn's "Private Benjamin" and the innocence of the era in which this movie was made (1952) seems to add to the enjoyment.

The film quality and overall production seems to hint at a low budget affair but again this only adds to the charm. The actors work well together and you can tell that the players enjoyed working together.

Rosalind Russell, as Jo McBain comes through as a real sport by allowing her character to be put through several hilarious and humbling situations. And most of those situations are created by the doings of Paul Douglas who plays Ms. Russell's likable ex-husband Andrew. And of course there is the "third wheel" in the story, a love interest of Jo McBain's, Lt. Colonel Schuyler Fairchild who is played solidly by William Ching. Andrw McBain's actions are driven by a desire to keep his ex-wife Jo and Colonel Fairchild apart.

Adding to the pippiness is a cameo by World War II hero General Omar Bradley playing himself. Old movie buffs who have not seen this work will most certainly enjoy and appreciate it.