Tab Hunter became a star (ish) supporting crusty older actors in Battle Cry, Sea Chase and Track of the Cat - Warners prompted him to main star with this service comedy, from the author of the books See Here Private Hargrove so it was a decent piece of IT and they team him with Natalie Wood.
The two stars are actually very well cast. The basic story idea isn't bad - rich kid grows up via army service. But it's done with remarkable ineptness.
It's not in colour. There's no jokes. No songs. It's played straight, as drama. But there's no war.
There's no real supporting characters.The only meaty part is Murray Hamilton as the sergeant, but even he's just a sergeant.
Hunter is a likable actor but his character is remarkably unlikeable. I kept waiting for him to show nice signs, turn a corner... but he sulks for most of the flm. Like, 80 minutes in, he's at some exercise and these kids run on to the field and I though oh he's going to be heroic... but no. He does nothing. Gets in trouble. David Janssen his officer suggests he be discharged. Hunter agrees. This is 85 minutes in! The one heroic thing he did is throw away a grenade.
His other soldiers don't like him. Natalie Wood dumps him - that's why he drops out of college - and they meet each other and he tries to root her. But she says no.
Hamilton fights Hunter and beats him up. Hunter is a little bit heroic at the end but that's it.
Gosh this was odd. Why did they make it? I know why... they thought Hunter plus Wood plus army was enough. But it's not.
They needed to tell the story of one or two other soldiers. Or add a war so it had a point and real stakes.
I had similar problems with Lafayette Escradille also with Hunter. That did have a war - but it felt like a film about what should've been one of three plots. Battle Cry showed how it should be done. There's not even a final kiss between Hunter and Wood.
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