Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

It is a performances centric movie

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

After the passing of "Mister Roberts" (1955) starring Henry Fonda, the surviving characters from the older film act out the closing of World War II aboard a Navy ship. Taking over the Jack Lemmon role is Robert Walker (as Frank Pulver), who gets caught smuggling several bottles of scotch in a brassiere box. Taking over for James Cagney, taskmaster Burl Ives (as Captain Morton) orders the booze thrown overboard. Too bad thirsty "Doc" Walter Matthau, taking over the role played by William Powell, couldn't convince Mr. Ives to use the alcohol for medicinal purposes...Next, Ives refuses to allow seaman Tommy Sands (as John X. Bruno) shore leave, to comfort his wife and bury their suddenly deceased daughter. That's heartless. Walker captures some of the appeal Mr. Lemmon brought to the original film, but the three leads are miscast - Ives most obviously. The supporting cast is full of faces who would later become more famous; they are fun to place. Watch for a refueling plane to arrive with "Super Gal" painted on its side; probably inviting lawsuit consideration, she is the spitting image of DC Comics' "Supergirl" without the insignia.***** Ensign Pulver (7/31/64) Joshua Logan ~ Robert Walker Jr., Burl Ives, Walter Matthau, Tommy Sands

If ever there was a great movie that did NOT cry out for a sequel, it was "Mister Roberts," with its gruff, poignant, perfect ending. A bad sequel like "Ensign Pulver" is particularly disappointing.The setting here is the same as in the earlier classic -- a scroungy old Navy vessel on the fringes of the Pacific Theater late in World War II. This movie is built around Ensign Frank Pulver, the sidekick of Mister Roberts in the original movie. Unfortunately, Robert Walker Jr., who plays Pulver here, can't match the original screen Pulver, Jack Lemmon. It's almost like they're playing different people.That's the main problem, I think, too much tinkering with familiar characters. The focus of "Mister Roberts" was the battle of wits and wills between the idealistic Roberts (Henry Fonda) and the embittered captain (James Cagney). But in this film, the captain (now played by Burl Ives) finds himself psychoanalyzed by Pulver. Cagney's captain was hard to like but easy to understand, while Ives' version is as complicated as a Tennessee Williams character.And how about Doc? In "Mister Roberts," he was portrayed by an older actor, William Powell, in one of his last roles. A counterpoint to the captain, Doc was a man who had grown wise, not cynical, with age. Walter Matthau, though a fine actor, is a much younger Doc in this one, and one who's not particularly wise. He's just another madcap guy in a madcap crew."Mister Roberts" had a lot of wonderful laughs, but ultimately it was dead serious about World War II. If you've seen it, you know what I mean. But in "Ensign Pulver," the greatest conflict in history is just an excuse for humdrum hijinks. It's really too bad.

OK, OK ! So I have heard that Ensign Pulver did not match up to Mr. Roberts. Nevertheless, I still found Ensign Pulver to be entertaining as well as funny. Ensign Pulver takes place at the near end of World War II, with a boat crew ready to throw it's captain overboard just to have some "breathing room" & some liberties. Just when the crew is about to blow a gasket, along comes Ensign Pulver with a "spiked" projectile & sling-shot with the captains name on it! As if things couldn't get worse, the captain is washed overboard during a storm....and of all persons, Ensign Pulver goes after him.....& ends up saving the crabby (later on with "frogjuice" very crocked & mellow)captains life. As I said in the beginning, there have been many things said about this movie......that it wasn't worth being a sequel to Mr. Roberts & the mediocre cast. In my opinion (for what it's worth), I found Ensign Pulver to be "more" entertaining & not as serious.....more funny & human. As of this writing, I have yet to see this movie in CinemaScope.....as it was originally released. Also, the cast in Ensign Pulver is much better & funnier. Enjoy!!

The movie is a misguided sequel to the comedy classic "Mister Roberts." I warn anyone who has seen that movie to avoid this travesty.What makes is bad? Well, all the seriousness of its predecessor has been stripped. Plus, the cast is mediocre. (Who could replace Jack Lemon and James Cagney?) This one is bad, bad, bad, though Jack Nicholson fans note that said actor has a smallish part.