Lovesusti The Worst Film Ever

ThedevilChoose When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

Mandeep Tyson The acting in this movie is really good.

Gary The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

JohnHowardReid Robert Walker (Marion Hargrove), Donna Reed (Carol Holiday), Robert Benchley (Holiday), Keenan Wynn (Mulvehill), Grant Mitchell (Uncle George), Ray Collins (Brody S. Griffith), Chill Wills (Sergeant Cramp), George Offerman, jr (Orrin Esty), William "Bill" Phillips (Bill Burk), Marta Linden (Mrs Holiday), Bob Crosby (Bob), Edward Fielding (General Dillon), Donald Curtis (Sergeant Heldon), Douglas Fowley (Captain R.S. Manville), Eddie Aciff (Captain Hammond), Morris Ankrum (Colonel Forbes), Louis Jean Heydt (swearing-in captain), Mantan Moreland (porter), Harry Tyler (train passenger), Connie Gilchrist (farmer's wife), Arthur Walsh (conscriptee with glasses), Ray Teal (public relations), James Warren, Dennis Moore (executive officers), Frank Faylen (military policeman at railroad terminal), Joe Devlin (garbage bin sergeant), Mary McLeod (clerk), Jack Luden (doctor), Louis Mason (farmer), Harry Strang (captain), Eddie Hall (soldier who directs Hargrove to C.O.), Steve Barclay, Ken Scott (corporals), Blake Edwards, Rod Bacon (field operators), Myron Healey, Maurice Murphy, Fred Kohler, jr (lieutenants), John Kelly (exercise sergeant), William Newell (Smith), Michael Owen (officer of the day), Mickey Rentschler (sergeant), Clarence Straight (Captain Hamilton).Director: WESLEY RUGGLES. Additional scenes directed by Tay Garnett. Screenplay: Harry Kurnitz. Based on the 1942 book by Marion Hargrove. Photography: Charles Lawton. Film editor: Frank E. Hull. Art directors: Cedric Gibbons and Stephen Goosson. Set decorators: Edwin B. Willis and Ralph S. Hurst. Music: David Snell. Song, "In My Arms" by Frank Loesser (music) and Ted Grouya (lyrics). Costumes designed under the supervision of Irene. Assistant director: Barney Glazer. Sound supervisor: Douglas Shearer. Sound recording engineer: John F. Dullam. Western Electric Sound Recording. Producer: George Haight.Copyright 14 February 1944 by Loew's Inc. A Metro-Goldwyn-Mayor picture. New York opening at the Astor: 21 March 1944. 10 reels. 100 minutes.SYNOPSIS: Marion Hargrove's adventures at an army training camp (Fort Bragg) in North Carolina, NOTES: Fact or fiction? Hargrove's depiction of himself was certainly based on fact. Indeed, by the time the movie was released, he had been promoted to sergeant.COMMENT: An amusing yet realistic account of life in a boot camp, this movie was directed with a certain amount of flair by Wesley Ruggles. It's also well acted by young Robert Walker, who receives good support all the way down the line. Although her role is small (despite her second billing), Donna Reed is also most attractively presented. Chill Wills likewise makes quite an impression as the hard-bitten sergeant. The movie was extremely successful and a follow-up, "What Next Corporal Hargrove", followed in 1945.

B24 Viewing in 2015 a topical film from 1944 is like taking a ride in a time-worn Model A Ford...fun at first but soon annoying, unless you can remember how you felt about it in 1944. For many of us belonging to that older generation, the Model A was our first cheap used car, and we loved it. The Private Hargrove movies, unlike now classic dramas and comedies of that or any other time, probably ought to be forgotten except as artifacts of ages past. Only film history students and old folks can fully understand them. The corny jokes, the earnest patriotic comments, the primer on army life, the girls of the USO...all fall nowadays into the category of trivia.Those of us who were approaching draft age at the time watched this film and other war films with genuine trepidation that we would soon be walking in a hail of bullets on a mined beachhead. A little humor took the edge off.

MartinHafer Private Hargrove (Robert Walker) is one of the most inept Privates in the US Army and much of the film consists of the Sergeants trying to somehow turn this numb-skull into a decent soldier. But it all seems hopeless and we should be awfully glad there weren't more like him in the service--or else the war might have gone the other way! Oddly, however, I did notice that almost all the soldiers were skinny little squirts--the must rugged among them being Keenan Wynn! In some ways, the film plays a bit like "No Time For Sergeants" but without the hillbilly angle--consisting of a series of screw ups and comedic situations in boot camp and very, very little evidence that an actual war is taking place! However, the film takes a romantic turn when Walker is tricked into a date with lovely Donna Reed. When the two fall in love, the joke's on the fellows who set him up with her. This part of the film is quite sweet and helps to create a more well-rounded film--not just a typical army comedy. And, because he now has some focus in his life, he improves as a soldier and actually is promoted to acting Corporal...which takes him completely by surprise. So can Hargrove get the girl AND be a success in the Army? Tune in and see.Overall, this is a very slight but pleasant film. Sure, it's a piece of fluff...but nice fluff. There is a sequel--which I have not yet seen. Considering that this was a decent and likable film, I might just give "What next, Corporal Hargrove?" a look.

dougdoepke The running gag of scrubbing garbage cans (kp) as punishment may resonate with some of us old enough, but it's a slender thread on which to hang an entire comedy. Besides, it's a thing of the past, what with the new volunteer army that doesn't sign-up to clean garbage cans. Trouble is that Hargrove (Walker) can't stay off kp since he's a perennial screw-up, and though the episodes are well-timed, they do wear pretty thin. The movie's based on the real-life Hargrove's experiences in Army Basic Training. As Hargrove, Walker is relentlessly upbeat and energetic, reminding me of a young Jack Lemmon, while the movie itself showcases his talents more than anything else.As a service comedy, the film is much tamer than the uproarious service comedies of the 50's (e.g. Mr. Roberts {1955}; Operation Mad Ball {1957}). But then, audiences of the 50's could relax and enjoy a lighter side of WWII since they didn't have to face a shooting war on the outside. I expect that accounts for this film's milder approach, which bases its humor on character instead of uproarious situations. After all, training for war might have a lighter side, but it should not be made to look too funny, even for escapist-seeking wartime audiences (1944).Anyway, I agree that as a comedy, the movie is pretty thin gruel, especially after six decades. Still, the main characters are lively and likable, while Walker is quite good at being youthfully naïve, which may be just enough for a slow evening.