Very Cool!!!

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

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

Mostly, the movie is committed to the value of a good time.

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.

Jack Lemmon is a lieutenant given command of a small and decrepit sailing schooner. He initially tries to refuse this command, but after quite a bit of cajoling and intrigue, he finally accepts. And why does the Navy want him so badly to do it? As a civilian, he was a racer of sailing ships-and people in the Navy knew nothing about how to operate one, not even the crew assigned to this ship. And why is the Navy even using a sailing schooner to begin with? To reach a port in Japanese waters that neither a regular ship nor a submarine could access.A good potential idea, perhaps, but this comedy has few laughs in it. There were a couple of good scenes, such as a sailor crossing a big ship by being taken up in a crane standing on a hook, then moving to the hook of a second crane to be taken to the ship's opposite side, and there was a scene of the schooner fighting not to get crushed between two bigger boats coming alongside them. But most of the movie is insipid and unfunny, and we were too bored to make it to the end.

Classic example of a film that looked better on paper. "The Wackiest Ship in the Army" begins by failing as it was obviously promoted; to be brief, it isn't very "wacky". With the comedy ship sinking, the film becomes more dramatic; and, much more enjoyable. Jack Lemmon (as Rip Crandall), an expert at comedy-drama, tries his best. Ricky Nelson (as Tommy Hanson), an expert at quip delivery, is given almost nothing to do. Promoted as a "team", Mr. Lemmon and Mr. Nelson have no chemistry; and, to be fair, are given no discernible direction to that end.Nelson sings one song, "Do You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans?" Although sweet, it isn't one of his better, or representative, songs; but, it did fit the film's World War II setting. The scene with Lemmon accompanying Nelson's singing, on piano, is interesting. Lemmon tickles the ivories, clearly uncomfortable in a "Bob Hope" role, while Nelson sings to the recording as if it were an "Ozzie and Harriet" TV bonus song. Still, the stars, supporting cast, and colorful photography (by Charles Lawton Jr.) are never less than pleasant.**** The Wackiest Ship in the Army (12/29/60) Richard Murphy ~ Jack Lemmon, Ricky Nelson, Richard Anderson

It's too bad Hollywood stopped making war flicks like this one. They were much more enjoyable than the kind of hand-wringing performances you see nowadays. Lemmon took a break from chewing the scenery in the classics "Some Like It Hot" and "The Great Race" and returned to a more straight-man character of the kind he played in Mister Roberts. Although Lemmon is, as usual, great, the movie suffers somewhat from a bland supporting cast and the insufferable Ricky Nelson, whose acting is as wooden as it was in "Rio Bravo." Although slow to get going, the movie eventually takes off and maintains a robust pace to the conclusion. Note that TV showings tend to trim this one heavily, so if you see it sitting in the bargain bin, be sure to pick it up!For fans of Lemmon or the genre only!