What Did You Do in the War, Daddy? (1966)

A by-the-book captain is ordered to capture a strategic village in Italy. The Italian soldiers are willing to surrender, if they can have a festival first. The lieutenant convinces the ... See full summary »

Director:

Blake Edwards

Writers:

William Peter Blatty (screenplay), Blake Edwards (story),

Stars:

James Coburn, Dick Shawn, Sergio Fantoni

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
James Coburn	...	Lieutenant Christian
Dick Shawn	...	Captain Lionel Cash
Sergio Fantoni	...	Captain Oppo
Giovanna Ralli	...	Gina Romano
Aldo Ray	...	Sergeant Rizzo
Harry Morgan	...	Major Pott
Carroll O'Connor	...	General Bolt
Leon Askin	...	Colonel Kastorp
Rico Cattani	...	Benedetto (as Henry Rico Cattani)
Jay Novello	...	Mayor Romano
Vito Scotti	...	Frederico
Johnny Seven	...	Vittorio
Art Lewis	...	Needleman
William Bryant	...	Minow
Kurt Kreuger	...	German Captain

Storyline

A by-the-book captain is ordered to capture a strategic village in Italy. The Italian soldiers are willing to surrender, if they can have a festival first. The lieutenant convinces the captain this is the only way. Because of aerial reconnaissance, they must look like they are fighting. To sort this out an intelligence officer is sent in. Meanwhile the festival gets complicated with the mayor's daughter.

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Plot Keywords:

italy | soldier | world war two | army | question mark in title | 

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Genres:

Comedy | War

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English German Italian

Release Date:

11 November 1966 (UK)

Also Known As:

Harpte ne yaptin

Box Office

Budget:

$7,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Mirisch Corporation, The, Mirisch-Geoffrey Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

116 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

At minute 70, in the scene of American armored vehicles in a grove, one of the vehicles is an M113 armored personnel carrier. M113's did not go into service in the US Army until 1960.

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Quotes

Sergeant Rizzo: Leave me alone! I'm only a kid!

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Connections

Referenced in Hudson Hawk (1991)

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Soundtracks

"In the Arms of Love"
Music by Henry Mancini
Lyrics by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans

User Reviews

laughter IS the best medicine, especially for war

Gen. Sherman said that war is hell, but if he had seen "What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?", he would have eaten his words. The movie focuses on an American platoon that captures an Italian village in WWII. The Italians are willing to surrender as long as they can have their festival. This creates a problem for the Americans, who have to look like they're fighting. Meanwhile, one of the commanding officers gets lost in the catacombs and goes crazy.

Dick Shawn displays the same type of wacky humor that he employed in "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World", and we even get to see Carroll O'Connor, pre-"All in the Family". Perfect.