How sad is this?

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

This Cary Grant-Tony Curtis naval comedy falls within the typical comedy format for each. It's periodically amusing, but with few belly laughers. The caper with the stolen pig is probably the funniest. If you generally like Cary or Tony comedies, check it out. Most Cary comedies rather late in his career are too tame for me. This one is an exception. Tony is up to his usual tricks, with and without women, and Cary, as the sub skipper, is presented with an endless variety of embarrassing or critical situations. A group of women forced to live for some weeks on a submarine with very cramped quarters and no provision for the possibility of a handful of women passengers will naturally create some embarrassing situations, which is the main source of humor. The unplanned painting of the sub pink heightens the impression of a substantial feminine presence on this sub. The very flakey operational condition of the sub, with motors backfiring and barely functioning, provides part of the humor, as does Tony's imaginative methods of obtaining critical supplies and parts. Tony's inexperience with subs and shipboard operations in general, means he begins as an underdog, proving his worth with his facility for finagling supplies from warehouses, etc..According to the Wikipedia site for this film, a number of incidents are based on actual events during WWII. For example, USS Bowfin managed to torpedo a bus instead of its target. The toilet paper requisition caper is also based on an actual happening. The heat from a burning sub scorched the topcoat paint off a neighboring sub, revealing its reddish undercoat, hence rather reminiscent of the problem that led to the pink sub. There was insufficient white or red undercoat paint available to do the entire hull. Thus, it was decided to combine their supplies of each to make a pink undercoat. Unfortunately, they didn't obtain the gray overcoat before they had to leave the warehouse area. Thus, they were forced to remain conspicuous during their long trip to Australia. Tokyo Rose did broadcast a comment about the red-coated sub, suggesting that the US Navy had gone nuts.Also, I didn't get the significance of referring to their sub as a pig boat until reading a review. Apparently this was a common nickname , based on the smelly interior of many such ships, especially if the water stills weren't working at full capacity, hence not enough for showers, or if the sewage release outlet wasn't working properly.

World War II Navy commander Cary Grant (as Matt Sherman) wants to get his "Sea Tiger" submarine back in action, despite suffering serious damage during a Japanese air raid. He gets his wish, but has to take aboard some questionable crew members. Chief addition is wet-behind-the-ears Lieutenant Tony Curtis (as Nicholas "Nick" Holden), who comically clashes with Mr. Grant. When their laughs lines ebb, the ship takes on five female nurses, including shapely Joan O'Brien (as Dolores Crandall) and blonde Dina Merrill (as Barbara Duran). Then, having men and women share close quarters provides the situation comedy.Some films age well, and others don't. For evidence, consider that this one immediately followed Grant's "North by Northwest" and Curtis' "Some Like it Hot". Though directed by the accomplished Blake Edwards, most of the comedy sinks like a stone. Still, "Operation Petticoat" was huge hit - and, with Grant and Curtis on board, it couldn't miss. The promise of sexy women implicit in the title didn't hurt, either. Today, the film's main appeal isn't sex, but the supporting cast - credit familiar TV faces like Dick Sargent, Gavin McLeod, Marion Ross, and Arthur O'Connell with keeping a Cary Grant-Tony Curtis film afloat.***** Operation Petticoat (12/5/59) Blake Edwards ~ Cary Grant, Tony Curtis, Arthur O'Connell, Dick Sargent

There's not a lot wrong with this unashamedly entertaining comedy which is exactly half a century old. In terms of Sound comedy, sophisticated as opposed to slapstick there was Wilder and Lubitsch and the all the rest but Blake Edwards isn't exactly chopped liver even if he is light years away from the two Masters. In terms of 'dog-robbers' James Garner showed Curtis how it was done in The Americanization Of Emily albeit the latter was better described as comedy drama and was a much better movie anyway you look at it but here we're looking for pleasant laughs rather than cynical laffs and overall it works even if we can foresee the ending a mile away. Cary Grant is his usual brilliant self and Tony Curtis tries to be good enough to play second banana though he was never going to come close. Highly enjoyable.

Though 'Gray Lady Down' is code for a downed sub, the boat itself doesn't play as big a part in the movie as one fears.The story of a WWII submarine crew looking to survive aboard their oft damaged ship moves briskly, with style and serves as a great war themed picture.Watching the crew work against the enemy, their own and the vessel itself is just some good fun. Teaming Tony Curtis with his film idol in Grant, the two have great chemistry and play wartime officers quite well, giving this comedy a battlefront appeal.Saturday afternoon fare, bring the popcorn but only take the bathroom break in case of emergency.