Vashirdfel Simply A Masterpiece

UnowPriceless hyped garbage

Zlatica One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

Lela The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.

thinker1691 In the annals of military history are some of the most serious moments imaginable. However, with this movie, surprisingly written by William Peter Blatty that's the farthest thing from director Blake Edwards's mind. The movie is called " What did you do in the War, Daddy? " From the moment an audience sit's to watch this extraordinary movie, a roller coaster ride of hilarity begins. It's the story of Lionel Cash (Dick Shawn) a seriously dedicated West Point Captain who's been ordered to take an Italian town, by the commanding General (Carroll O'Conner). Entering the small town, he is confronted by Captain Oppo (Sergio Fantoni) the Italian commander who immediately surrenders. However, when Cash attempts to order the Italians out, they balk and demand a Festival as a condition. With a real confrontation threatening to renew the war, Cash's Lieutenant (James Coburn) asks, 'what's the harm?' Thus, this film swings into it's comedic mode and the world war turns upside down. Jovality and a festive atmosphere make this movie a fun feature to watch with almost every changing situation causing humor, hilarity and side-splitting laughter. The cast which includes Aldo Ray, Giovanna Ralli and Henry Morgan do a marvelous job to create a superb Classic. A great film recommended to anyone seeking humor in World War II. ****

inspectors71 I remember watching Blake Edward's (always beware of this word) zany service comedy on NBC 35 years ago and laughing out loud for two thirds of the film.Then, everything changed. I recollect the basic story--and the army officer losing his mind in the catacombs underneath an Italian town--but all of a sudden, the film got serious and brutal. The whole thing came to a screeching halt when, I think, the Germans arrive to spoil the on-screen party. What Did You Do in the War, Daddy? was such a disappointment. It wasn't until I got quite a bit older that I realized that Edwards was trying to make a statement of some sort with this thing, and his delivery was so heavy-handed, the movie just collapsed.Skip it.

Lee Eisenberg Gen. Sherman said that war is hell, but if he had seen "What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?", he would have eaten his words. The movie focuses on an American platoon that captures an Italian village in WWII. The Italians are willing to surrender as long as they can have their festival. This creates a problem for the Americans, who have to look like they're fighting. Meanwhile, one of the commanding officers gets lost in the catacombs and goes crazy.Dick Shawn displays the same type of wacky humor that he employed in "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World", and we even get to see Carroll O'Connor, pre-"All in the Family". Perfect.

broosr The Sixties produced a slew of funny war comedies demonstrating that WWII was basically good fun for all concerned, rather than being peopled with the kind of angst-filled, hand-wringing adolescents you see nowadays in movies like Memphis Belle and Saving Private Ryan. Edwards would go on to fantastic success with the Pink Panther series and writer Blatty is notable for his later work, The Exorcist. Edwards draws on a solid cast, including veterans Carroll O'Connor, Harry Morgan and Aldo Ray, without whom no war movie is complete. Italian star Fantoni turns in a meatball performance as Oppo but Dick Shawn steals the show with the best role of his career. Although a little slow in spots, Blake Edwards nonetheless gets where he's going and the result is a fine, though underrated, entry in the genre. The interactions between Shawn and Fantoni are worth the price of admission alone.