Le combat du Capitaine Newman

Though highly entertaining at many points (largely due to the antics of Cpl. Jackson 'Jake' Leibowitz and his band of merry Italian POWs who sing semitic native American songs--don't ask, don't try to figure it out, just see the movie--and even some of the very well executed art of subtle humor carried out by Capt. Newman, MD) this movie manages to have a quite serious theme at its core . . . the intense psychological effects on a soldier's mind which can be brought upon by the reality of war. It's refreshing to see a movie from this period that touches on these more delicate, in-depth themes of war rather than portraying the glories of war as so many other films contemporary to this one do. Not to say that all other films from this era or before don't touch on these themes. One other great example would be 1949's Twelve O'Clock High, also starring Gregory Peck. The dialog is consistently fresh, and I found the pace to move along quite nicely. This movie features a superb cast who performs wonderfully throughout the film. If you like serious, thought-provoking, emotional themes, yet also enjoy lots of good laughs, then I would recommend seeing this film.

*On a side note, given the fact that this movie--from my perspective--seems to be somewhat ahead of its time in subject matter, directing style in some of the scenes, and even some concepts not too common during the 60s, it's interesting to point out that the movie still portrays the classical female role in life. There is one line that is spoken by Lt. Francie Corum that shows this perfectly. The line doesn't seem to be necessary and doesn't really fit with what the characters are discussing. I won't tell you the line, but try to find it for some fun.

Uh, Hello!? Bobby Darin was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his amazing portrayal of shell-shocked airman Jim Tompkins in this great film. (The script and sound were also nominated). And what a cast, Gregory Peck, Angie Dickenson, Tony Curtis, Robert Duvall and Eddie Albert (as the psychotic Col. Bliss), along with a great cast of fine character actors: Larry Storch, Jane Withers, Dick Sergeant and Vitto Scotti. The acting, music, casting and direction are just right. It's one of the first films to deal with we now call Traumatic Stress Disorder in a thoughtful way. Hey, if you don't like this movie…you don't know movies. Great stuff.

I enjoyed the movie very much. Of course I am one of those baby boomer's born after World War II. So I and my siblings would play war (those were the days when parents would remind their charges that movies were make believe). So being 12 years old at the time, "Captain Newman, M.D." was one of the few adult films that I as a kid that I enjoyed and understood. Even being that young I had for the most part enjoyed, Gregory Peck, Tony Curtis, Bobby Darin and Eddie Albert in their respective rolls. I felt for Eddie's character as a Colonel Norval Algate Bliss. Having sent his people out to death, it was a memory his character could not live with. To me, he played the character well, not just acting, but because he had "been there, done that" and so he had seen his share of death during World War II at Tarawa. I would recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys acting at its best.

Hot off "To Kill a Mockingbird", Gregory Peck played another really good role in David Miller's "Captain Newman, M.D.". This time he's a psychiatrist on an army base in WWII having to deal with what we now recognize as PTSD, while also dealing with the military bureaucracy. In a way, the movie almost seems like a preview of the war in which the United States was about to mire itself (the Vietnam War). Fine support comes from Tony Curtis as a streetwise corporal and Angie Dickinson as a tolerant lieutenant, along with Eddie Albert, Bobby Darin and Robert Duvall as Peck's damaged patients.

Without a doubt this is one that I recommend. Maybe it's not as good as "To Kill a Mockingbird" - a little silly at times - but still a solid look at the world with which the psychiatrist has to put up.

Also starring Bethel Leslie, James Gregory, Robert F. Simon, Dick Sargent*, Larry Storch, Jane Withers and Vito Scotti.

*Robert F. Simon and Dick Sargent played father and son on "Bewitched". Also, Vito Scotti guest-starred on an episode.

With all due respect to HAL-900, Bobby Darin's excellent portrayal as "Little Jim" HAD to be less than subtle in order to allow the also very excellent Robert Duval to play his character as subtly as he did. Gregory Peck is excellent as the stalwart Psychiatrist dealing with medical as well as bureaucratic challenges. Angie Dickinson IS pretty much just for show, but she NEVER looked better. Yes, Peck's 'drunk' is a tad corny but necessary to show that he was not invulnerable to the suffering that whirled about him. Tony Curtis and Larry Storch provide (necessary) comic relief. Modern Psychiatry was still in it's infancy when this movie is set and a long way from where it is today when the movie was produced. Gregory Peck starred in a LOT of excellent films and I number CAPTAIN NEWMAN, MD among them. It is part of TCMs library so catch it if you can.(Added 11/01/08)Huzzah! A new GREGGORY PECK DVD collection will be released November 4th, 2008 and CAPTAIN NEWMAN, MD is one of the titles included along with TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, CAPE FEAR, ARABESQUE and THE WORLD IN HIS ARMS.