“Mister Roberts” is the story of a supply officer aboard a cargo ship in World War II who yearns for a transfer to a battle zone but is thwarted by the mean-spirited captain. Mister Roberts acts as a buffer between him and the crew. This classic story was adapted from the 1946 novel of the same name by Thomas Heggen, and the 1948 Broadway play written by Heggen and Joshua Logan. The screenplay was written Frank S. Nugent and Logan.
“Mister Roberts” had two directors, the first being the legendary John Ford (“The Grapes of Wrath” 1940), who was replaced partly due to personality conflicts with stars Henry Fonda and James Cagney. He also required emergency surgery for gall bladder problems. Ford was replaced by Mervyn LeRoy (“Million Dollar Mermaid” 1952), with Joshua Logan performing some uncredited directorial duties.
Henry Fonda heads the cast as Lt. Douglas Roberts, the popular supply officer. He played the same role in the Broadway play. James Cagney is excellent as the lacking in magnanimity Captain Morton. William Powell appears as the ship’s doctor, his final movie role in a career that began in 1922 in “Sherlock Holmes.” Jack Lemmon plays Ensign Frank Pulver, winning the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, the film’s sole winner with nominations for Best Picture and Best Sound.
The supporting cast includes many familiar faces such as Betsy Palmer, Ward Bond, Ken Curtis, Phil Carey, Nick Adams, Perry Lopez, Harry Carey Jr., Patrick Wayne, Frank Aletter, Tige Andrews, Martin Milner, Robert Roark, Harry Tenbrook, Kathleen O’Malley, Gregory Walcott, James Flavin, Jack Pennick, and Duke Kahanamoku as the island native chief.
“Mister Roberts” was a huge hit at the box office for producer Leland Hayward and Warner Bros. Pictures. It was the second highest-grossing picture of 1955, after “Cinerama Holiday.” A sequel with a completely different cast was released in 1964, with Robert Walker Jr. as “Ensign Pulver,” co-starring Burl Ives, Walter Matthau, Larry Hagman, and Jack Nicholson.
Mister Roberts (1955)
cinema
My Review
“Mister Roberts” is the story of a supply officer aboard a cargo ship in World War II who yearns for a transfer to a battle zone but is thwarted by the mean-spirited captain. Mister Roberts acts as a buffer between him and the crew. This classic story was adapted from the 1946 novel of the same name by Thomas Heggen, and the 1948 Broadway play written by Heggen and Joshua Logan. The screenplay was written Frank S. Nugent and Logan.
“Mister Roberts” had two directors, the first being the legendary John Ford (“The Grapes of Wrath” 1940), who was replaced partly due to personality conflicts with stars Henry Fonda and James Cagney. He also required emergency surgery for gall bladder problems. Ford was replaced by Mervyn LeRoy (“Million Dollar Mermaid” 1952), with Joshua Logan performing some uncredited directorial duties.
Henry Fonda heads the cast as Lt. Douglas Roberts, the popular supply officer. He played the same role in the Broadway play. James Cagney is excellent as the lacking in magnanimity Captain Morton. William Powell appears as the ship’s doctor, his final movie role in a career that began in 1922 in “Sherlock Holmes.” Jack Lemmon plays Ensign Frank Pulver, winning the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, the film’s sole winner with nominations for Best Picture and Best Sound.
The supporting cast includes many familiar faces such as Betsy Palmer, Ward Bond, Ken Curtis, Phil Carey, Nick Adams, Perry Lopez, Harry Carey Jr., Patrick Wayne, Frank Aletter, Tige Andrews, Martin Milner, Robert Roark, Harry Tenbrook, Kathleen O’Malley, Gregory Walcott, James Flavin, Jack Pennick, and Duke Kahanamoku as the island native chief.
“Mister Roberts” was a huge hit at the box office for producer Leland Hayward and Warner Bros. Pictures. It was the second highest-grossing picture of 1955, after “Cinerama Holiday.” A sequel with a completely different cast was released in 1964, with Robert Walker Jr. as “Ensign Pulver,” co-starring Burl Ives, Walter Matthau, Larry Hagman, and Jack Nicholson.