Sailor Beware (1952)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Hal Walker

Writers:

Kenyon Nicholson (play) and
Charles Robinson (play) ...

Release Date:

9 February 1952 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

Plot:

Although allergic to kissing girls, Seaman Melvin Jones, through a fluke TV appearance, gets the undeserved reputation of a great kisser dubbed "Mr. Temptation" and is pursued by amorous young females.

Plot Keywords:

Kissing | Lipstick | Submarine | Harbor | Nightclub

Cast

Dean Martin	...	Al Crowthers
Jerry Lewis	...	Melvin Jones
Corinne Calvet	...	Corinne Calvet, herself
Marion Marshall	...	Hilda Jones
Robert Strauss	...	CPO Lardoski
Leif Erickson	...	Cmdr. Lane
Don Wilson	...	Mr. Chubby
Vince Edwards	...	Blayden (as Vincent Edwards)
Skip Homeier	...	Mac
Dan Barton	...	'Bama
Mike Mahoney	...	Tiger
Mary Treen	...	Ginger

Runtime:

108 min | West Germany:97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

West Germany:12 | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl

Filming Locations:

Naval Training Center, San Diego, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

James Dean has an uncredited part as the Boxing opponent's second in this film.

Quotes:

Melvin Jones: Why, I was fighting Gene Tierney once, and...
Al Crowthers: Wait a minute! Don't you mean Gene Tunney?
Melvin Jones: [shouts] You fight who you want, I'll fight who I want!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla (1952)

Soundtrack:

JINGLE, JANGLE, JINGLE

Lots of real Navy scenery plus some laughs

This is not especially well written. The songs are not memorable. The cast, however, squeezes a lot out of this Martin and Lewis in the Navy situation. They both look great as young sailors. They are believable. The scenes on the submarine show how cramped it must have been on those underwater missions in the 1950s and before.

Lots of sailors in many scenes. Hundreds perhaps, in a big outdoor exercise field, and again in a boxing arena.

You will see James Dean in his scene. He does stand out even though he is an extra here. In a scene where Jerry walks across a busy street we see some of his "almost accident" comedy which he would bring into play years later in The Patsy.

Dean giving Jerry boxing instructions is a good comedy skit to watch for. Jerry in the boxing ring shows his high energy that was his trademark in the late '40s and early '50s. Dean and Jerry dancing is a bit of a treat. Not great, but better than most non dancing movies.

Worth seeing if you don't mind black and white. Good ending.

Tom Willett