Reviews & Ratings for
Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came? More at IMDbPro »

14 out of 15 people found the following review useful:
We Shall Undercome, 1 May 2006

Author: ecapital46 from Maplewood, NJ

As a 20 year Military veteran, I was attracted to the intriguing question that is the title of this movie. Deciding whether or not to watch it becomes a no-brainer when you see the list of names that make up the ensemble of the cast: Ernie Borgnine, Ivan Dixon, Don Ameche, Art O'Connell and the great John Fiedler are all solid actors and have appeared in some of the best films in the history of American cinema. (check out their collective credits if you doubt it.)

This film is an underrated one in the canon of films dealing with the U. S. Military. The script, although not perfect, is well written, with subtle and witty commentary on the military hierarchy, prevailing social attitudes, and the precarious relationship between our Vietnam-era military and the civilian community (i.e. "community relations"). No heavy military rigidness here; the flow is free and easy as in 'Catch-22' to provide a frame of reference. Or, as Stephen Sondheim wrote around the same period in "Anyone Can Whistle," the 'laugh at the Kings, or they'll make you cry' approach.

As would be expected, Brian Keith is solid, but surprisingly even Tony Curtis manages to turn in a relatively piped-down performance from his usual fare which, to quote America's best known homemaker Martha Stewart, 'is a good thing.'

9 out of 12 people found the following review useful:
Frequently surprising and well written, 9 January 2000

Author: John Seal from Oakland CA

This comedy could easily have slipped into a Kelly's Heroes-style parody of the US military, and it's climactic chase scene teeters on the edge at times. But there's no discounting the intelligence at work here: the screenplay is unusually well written, making subtle points about the Vietnam War, racism, and sexism without alienating the audience with dogma. There are especially fine performances by Brian Keith and Ivan Dixon here, a restrained turn from Tony Curtis, and a reminder of the untapped talents of Suzanne Pleshette. A pleasant surprise.

3 out of 4 people found the following review useful:
Overlooked black comedy of the Vietnam Era, 4 May 2008

Author: michaeldouglas1 from United States

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Released around the same time as other "black" comedies like "MASH" and "Catch 22", this one was largely overlooked at the time. It's actually quite a good movie, which explores some of the problems of peace-time garrison life for soldiers during the Vietnam War. It's a comedy, but always with a dark side, shown through the eyes of three old Army buddies, Brian Keith, Tony Curtis, and Ivan Dixon.

The underrated Brian Keith is very good as a hard-bitten old combat vet struggling to master "community relations" with a town that clearly resents the presence of an army base nearby (and all the trouble the off-duty soldiers bring). Ivan Dixon (from the "Hogans Heros" TV show) also solid as a sergeant nearing retirement who just wants to own a gas station in the town; only to find the local bank won't lend him the money, considering army personnel "bad risks". And Tony Curtis is also good as the scheming hustler of the three (probably because he's fairly restrained for a change!). Suzanne Pleshette is wonderful as always; the only shame is that she disappears from the plot about half-way through the movie! Don Ameche and Bradford Dillman, among others, lend very competent support.

The movie holds it's own quite well, even when Brian Keith and Ivan Dixon "borrow" an old M-7 Priest self-propelled gun (tank) to spring Curtis from the local jail (run by sadistic sheriff Ernest Borgnine). Unfortunately, as with so many comedies of the era, it just can't seem to sustain itself to the end. The movie sinks into silliness in the last reel, when the local "patriotic" militia (led by a very hammy Tom Ewell) tries to stop the tank. Just one look at Ewell's ridiculous uniform and you know the filmmakers have gone for the "cop out" of slapstick humor. Jarringly out of place in a black comedy. It was for this reason I couldn't justify a "10" rating. Still, it IS enjoyable watching the tank crush various old junker cars used by the militia ("I think I'll eat some more cars!" Brian Keith says as he drives the tank). The 1984 James Garner movie "Tank" was loosely inspired by this movie, but wasn't half as good!

5 out of 8 people found the following review useful:
Actually quite enjoyable!, 17 November 2004
Author: Barry (imdb-2378) from Glasgow, Scotland

Bought this in a discount store so had low expectations from it. Actually really good - a simple and enjoyable film. Easy to watch and fun. Some of the characters (esp Nace and Ramona) were good to watch - nicely scripted and acted. Apart from that the story is great if taken with a relaxed view.

I recommend it and am glad to have it in the collection. The tank chase scene is comical and almost up there in Smokey and the Bandit or even comic James Bond style. The film is almost in Kelly's Heroes territory but is its own story.

0 out of 2 people found the following review useful:
Cheap, Exploitive and Shallow. Fake Antiwar Message Title & All, 27 February 2011

Author: Jakealope from Albany, NY

It's hard to sink low in Hollywood, but one way is to lead people on that you are making some sort of "profound" anti-war, anti-racism message movie, only to produce a really shallow, laughable at, not with, military comedy. Since they used a then popular antiwar slogan as the title and had a "long haired" soldier walk down the road with a peace sign painted on his duffel bag, it is really insulting that this movie, made during the height of the Vietnam War and protests, DIDN'T EVEN mention the war. OK, they DID, sort of, when Brian Keith told a story about one his men who got shot their in 1956??(Did he transfer from the French Army?) It acted like this was just a peacetime military base with a minor social, public relations problem with their local redneck civilian community. It was set in the South, but the architecture and landscape suggested, guess, Southern California.

It also tried to play up the racial angle, which it did a tad more successfully than the anti-war angle, only to submerge it into the townies versus the garrison plot element. It had a pretty good cast, except for some sloppy brat pack boozy acting by Tony Curtis. Even some of the dialog was good. But when you add the childish mash up scene at the end along with the cheap pseudo messaging in the movie's theme, it is a real dud. It is like an (almost) adult version of McHale's Navy, except McHale is playing one of Captain Binghampton's enforcers; the stock redneck Southern sheriff.

0 out of 2 people found the following review useful:
Very funny-the Civil War fought all over again, 5 August 2007

Author: roblanious from United States

I remember watching this as a child at the theater and then on TV (called "War Games") and have not seen it since the mid 70s and miss it. What appealed to me most was the recreation of the Civil War, where again, the American Yankees are forced into war and have to confront bigoted anti-American Southerners. The movie seems to poke fun at the sore losers of a war fought in the 1860s. You cannot help but cheer as a few Yankees take on a half-witted army of a Southern Sheriff as they plow into town riding an old World War 2 M-7 self-propelled artillery gun to liberate a friend from the jail. Compusive actions, however, must not go without consequences. What a funny movie with a good cast.

6 out of 19 people found the following review useful:
Horrible!, 15 June 2001

Author: nemman from US

All you need to do is listen to the dreadful theme song at the end of the movie to realize what a complete, moronic, hack job this movie was. Free isn't enough. Someone pay me for the time this movie consumed!!

Cartoonish military stereotypes vs. Cartoonish small town stereotypes. Poor Brian Keith seemed to really want to do something with his role, but with this script that was just about impossible. I will give him an A for his effort, though wasted it was.

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