The Wackiest Ship in the Army (1960)

People are voting emotionally.

best movie i've ever seen.

It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Lieutenant Rip Crandall is hoodwinked into taking command of the "Wackiest Ship in the Navy" -- a real garbage scow with a crew of misfits who do not know a jib from a jigger.Columbia Pictures acquired the rights to a story in the July 1956 issue of Argosy titled Big Fella Wash Wash, inspired by reminisces from former Echo skipper Meredith "Rip" Riddle. The story was advertised on the cover of the magazine as "The Wackiest Ship in the Army", because the naval vessel had been under Army command while in port, and Columbia used that title when purchasing the story in 1957. The movie never explained any connection between the ship and the Army, puzzling some viewers.Oddly enough, it never occurred to me that "Army" was strange, since I think of "army" as a general term for the military as well as the specific branch. But yeah, I can see how that might be confusing... now I feel foolish I had not noticed sooner.

This is an entirely watchable World War II film. I say this with surprise, because I avoided the movie for years. I was aware of it as a kid growing up in the '60s - it showed up on "Saturday Night at the Movies" on NBC but I steered clear of it - I was probably turned off by the not-very-good TV series with the same title.Jack Lemmon is excellent here in a sort of Ensign Pulver sequel. Ricky Nelson, 20 years old (strongly resembling the young Mel Gibson) is pretty good. Nelson was at the height of his fame in 1960, with a multimedia thing going on, consisting of his daddy's TV show, movies, and, most prominently, hit records. (The man had 17 Top Ten hits in his career!)There's a gritty authenticity to the picture - for example, the sailors sweat a LOT just like they did in the South Pacific during the war. The grit combines with some laughs; this combination works well. (See "Father Goose" and "Mr. Roberts" for additional examples of this genre, drama/comedy-during-WWII.) Mike Kellin is very effective as the chief petty officer. Tom Tully is solid and subtle as the port captain - Tully suffered a tragic fate a few years later, see his listing here at IMDb for the sad details."Wackiest Ship" kind of falls apart toward the end when Jack Lemmon isn't around as much; it might have benefited from a few more minutes of Tom Tully. But on the whole it's 99 minutes well spent (it seems a little too short).

I've seen this movie several times, and I can't remember really laughing one time at anything in the film, but it raises a grin here and there. Lemmon does his best to carry the film, but the title and story are ho- hum at best. The story is carried more by attitude and atmosphere generated by music and performance, and not by any real gag nor humor in the script itself.Speaking as a man who used to race yachts in his younger days, this film doesn't really hit on the short comings of novice sailors, and it could have. Instead an antiquated wooden sloop is given the ugly treatment, and the sailors try to portray their characters as being reluctant incompetents. Real novice sailors ask questions, don't know a halyard from a mainsheet, and where the jargon and equipment is briefly touched on, it's clear that the screenplay artist and director don't know much about sailing nor training sailors.Still, it's a WW2 comedy, so the movie going audience at the time probably gave it some leeway, and Lemmon's performance is a pleasure to watch. In fact all the actors hit their marks, but the script and some of the direction where accentuating the humor goes, falls short. But, if you can get my that, and you can if you let Lemmon and the supporting cast wash over you, the movie is okay. But just okay.I hadn't seen the film in years, and watching it with a more mature and educated mind, I can still appreciate it as a film experience out of nostalgia, but if I were a younger viewer being introduced to this film, I might get a little impatient with it.If you grew up with it, you'll like it. If you're new to it, then there's much to criticize. Give it a try, or watch at your own risk.p.s. there was no Air Force in WW2. It was the US Army Air Corps.

This is one of those overlooked films Lemmon made in the early years of his legendary career. It kind of became lost in the midst of such higher profile films as "Some Like it Hot" and "The Apartment", and never truly found its way out. "The Wackiest Ship in the Army" represents a list of forgotten Lemmon titles that deserve recognition. Such films include, "It Happened to Jane", "Operation Mad Ball", "The Notorious Landlady", and "Alex & the Gypsy"."Wackiest" is a one of those type of films that is perfect for a lazy afternoon. Often amusing and boasting a quintessential Lemmon performance, it's worth checking out just for pure nostalgia!*** (out of 5)