The Wackiest Ship in the Army

One of the great comedic actors to ever star in a movie, there is very little I won't watch Jack Lemmon in.  He's funny without having to ham it up, but he is still able to do subtle, smart or physical comedy. Along with the comedy though, Lemmon was a legitimate actor, someone who could handle both comedy and drama -- sometimes at the same time. He even starred in three war comedies (some darker than others), Mister Roberts, Operation Mad Ball, and 1960's The Wackiest Ship in the Army.

Serving in the South Pacific in 1942, Lt. Rip Crandall (Lemmon) wants nothing more than a command of his own, and he gets it...sort of.  He's blackmailed, bamboozled and tricked into taking command of the Echo, a schooner relying on its sails as much as its engine. Crandall goes along with the offer when he sees that inexperienced Ensign Tommy Hanson (Ricky Nelson) would take command if he doesn't. Trying to shape up his similarly inexperienced misfit crew, Crandall finds out the mission the Echo has been assigned; deliver an Australian coast watcher to a Japanese-held island before a major Japanese offensive is unleashed. Can he get the crew working together to get the dangerous job done?

The title is clearly misleading here. There's very little "wacky" about this ship other than an experienced boatman trying to teach his inept, inexperienced crew how to be credible sailors.  If anything, the movie is better and much more enjoyable when it focuses on the actual mission assigned to the Echo.  I watched 'Wackiest' two or three years back, and then revisited it recently. Does it have some comedy? Yeah, but it's not that ridiculous slapstick comedy that dominated 1960s big budget comedies. It's not a dark movie or one with a deep message about the lunacy of war. Think instead of a lighter toned men on a mission movie. It is funny enough with some behind the lines action. Can't go wrong.

Lemmon has something going for him that is few and far between when it comes to stars. Almost completely regardless of his part, he is likable. As a viewer, you just like him. That's all.  It sounds almost stupid in its simplicity. He's a natural in front of the camera, able to handle the physical humor while also selling a line with a slow roll of the eyes or a pained drop of his head.  Playing the besieged Lt. Randall, this isn't his best work because it doesn't have to be. All Lemmon has to do is keep the story focused and pointed where it needs to get, playing a straight man to the early comedic shenanigans before turning to the more dramatic mission at hand.

Somewhat cliched and fairly predictable, I still found myself enjoying the movie. Part of that enjoyment comes from the characters, most if not all taken from War Movies 101: Stock Characters. In one his few screen roles, Nelson is solid as the inexperienced ensign, a young officer trying to prove himself. He plays the innocent, doe-eyed ensign nicely, playing well off of Lemmon, even getting a chance to sing (watch HERE). Some of the crew include Alvy Moore, Roy Jenson, Warren Berlinger, and Mike Kellin in a funny part as Chief McCarthy, a sailor with no sailing experience. Chips Rafferty brings some world-weary drama to his part as Patterson, the Australian coast watcher assigned a near-suicide mission. Tom Tully and John Lund play two Navy superiors trying to coordinate the mission with Richard Anderson as a possible replacement for Crandall on the mission. Patricia Driscoll makes an odd appearance as Maggie, a possible love interest who disappears for good once the mission arrives.

So as mentioned before, the mission is the best part of the movie, the bumbling crew learning to work together and get the job done. In the process, the Echo sails through all sorts of hellish storms, maneuvers through mined waters, and tangles with a Japanese patrol.  There is tension in these scenes, but there is never any real sense of danger. Do you think a movie titled 'Wackiest' anything is going to kill off Jack Lemmon and Ricky Nelson? I think not.  The movie was filmed in Hawaii so if desperate for a reason to watch this movie, it's hard to mess up the Hawaiian beauty. George Duning's appropriately Navy-themed score keeps things moving as well without being overbearing. 

Not too much to say about this one. It's a good, old-fashioned adventure story with solid characters -- especially the always reliable Jack Lemmon -- and a strong supporting cast that doesn't get bogged down in being anything other than entertaining. A very pleasant, enjoyable way to spend a rainy Sunday afternoon.

The Wackiest Ship in the Army (1960): ***/****