La brune brûlante

"Rally 'Round the Flag, Boys!" may be a movie that you never get to see. As far as I know, it's not available on video or DVD; I saw it on TV one night. But anyway, here's the story: Harry Bannerman (Paul Newman) and Grace Oglethorpe (Joanne Woodward) are a typical (or not so typical) suburban couple in an idealistic 1950's small town in Connecticut. Then, when the army announces plans to build a secretive base near the town, Harry is hired to promote it, while Grace does everything possible to oppose it. In the process of everything, the townspeople begin to see things that they've never seen before - namely, when Grace catches Harry...well, I won't spoil it for you (don't worry, it's not (particularly) dirty). The whole thing ends in one wacky climax.

Anyway, this is one of those interesting movies from the late '50s starring A-list stars, that for some reason doesn't seem to be very well remembered today. Good support comes from Tuesday Weld and Dwayne Hickman as local teenagers.

Leo McCarey, whose credits were certainly nothing to be ashamed of, was a bit past his prime when he directed this minor misfire. 20th Century Fox gave it first-class production values and a cast that could have had a lot more fun had a less cautious approach to the material been allowed to prevail. Leon Shamroy's CinemaScope/DeLuxe Color lensing was, not unexpectedly, a treat for the eyes and a few minor bits (Tuesday Weld squealing with delight as a swain sings "You're My Boojum!" to her; Joan Collins and Paul Newman engaging in an inebriated slapstick sequence that involved swinging from a chandelier, no less) hit the mark. I remember being disappointed that things didn't take off, like the accidentally fired missile in a scene with Woodward and Newman. But anyone who thinks that Joan Collins' only forte is playing a ruthless bitch, as she did on the long-running TV series, "Dynasty," would probably be delighted with her witty romp as Angela Hoffa, for me this film's memorable highpoint.

when she realizes she likes boys, she just doesn't like Dwayne Hickman, it's sheer truth and delight! the rest of the cast is forced...Joanne Woodward is strident. Paul Newman is slumming, Joan Collins is adequate. Jack Carson is Carson. Dwayne Hickman deserves Weld's scorn. bad comedy, except for Weld's self-recognition. these 50's films try to be smart, but aren't. once in a while a performer can rise above the material. here it's only a young, precocious teenager who mesmerizes.

Weld was given praise by none other than Pauline Kael. in her review of Weld's classic '68, "Pretty Poison", she suggested Weld didn't have the career she deserved, "and maybe it isn't just her unlucky name...maybe she's the kind of actress who doesn't let you know she's acting, like Geraldine Page or Estelle Parsons do. how else can an actress give the kind of performances Tuesday Weld has given in "Rally 'round the Flag, Boys!", "Soldier in the Rain", "The Cincinatti Kid", and "Lord Love a Duck", and still not being taken seriously?"

You've gotta feel sorry for Harry (Paul Newman) in "Rally 'Round the Flag, Boys!". His wife (Joanne Woodward) is ALWAYS busy with committees and projects and never has time for him. No sooner does he convince her to take out some time so they can go off to a romantic hotel than she agrees to head up yet another committee--one to fight a new army base coming to town! This time, she not only agrees to be the head but volunteers Harry for it as well! All Harry wants is to be with his wife....alone! At the same time, a VERY sexy neighbor (Joan Collins) is suffering from the same problem with her husband--a man who is practically never home. However, she deals with it very differently--she decides she wants Harry! And, she'll do ANYTHING to get him--even ruin his marriage. For a 1950s film, "Rally 'Round the Flag, Boys!" is an amazingly sexual film. Think about it--the premise is that Harry is very sexually frustrated through no fault of his own! And, again and again, his libido is unfulfilled.

So is this little comedy worth seeing? Yes. However, just because it has Newman and Woodward does NOT mean it's a great film--which it isn't. The film suffers from two main problems--the unfulfilled libido and the marital problems in Harry's marriage do seem to go on a bit too long. Additionally, I found it difficult to enjoy at times because Woodward's character is really difficult to like. Plus, towards the end it all just degenerates into a bit of a mess. Still, it's a cute film and a decent way to spend 106 minutes of your life provided your expectations are not especially high.

By the way, the pageant about Pocahontas was perhaps even more insanely inaccurate than the Disney film. Imagine--Pocahontas greeting the Pilgrims lead by John Smith at Plymouth!! Firecrackers! Crazy.

Max Shulman was an absolutely brilliant comic writer/satirist ("The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis," "Anybody Got a Match?", etc.). In the mid-50s he published "Rally 'Round The Flag, Boys!" taking on everything from Madison Avenue, the New Haven Railroad, the U.S. Air Force to the space race in a hilarious farce that shows how seemingly unconnected lives, priorities and events can converge to produce a disaster of epic proportions. Even little league gets a drubbing at his hands.

This movie took the title and many of the book's characters. For some reason, the writers and producers chose to discard everything else.

Newman could have been GREAT as Harry Bannerman, harried Peter Pan-type account exec facing the prospect of fatherhood and settling down. Unfortunately, the script sabotaged him. Joanne Woodward is relegated to standing around looking hastled and confused-- probably trying to decide exactly how she's going to kill her agent for getting her into this dog. Veterans like Gale Gordon, Jack Carson and Murvyn Vye are similarly wasted.

The only cast member who doesn't disappoint, strangely enough, is Tuesday Weld as Comfort Goodpasture . . . but then, her character didn't have much to do in the book either, come to think of it.

This is what happens when Hollywood bends over backwards to avoid offending anyone . . . after having purchased the rights to a book that's guaranteed to offend just about everyone.

There is a character named Hoffa in this film. Oscar, not James. Probably the best thing that could be done with this turkey of a movie would be to take the master copy, seal it up in an empty bottle of "Newman's Own," and bury it about six feet under Hoffa. James, not Oscar.