The Lieutenant Wore Skirts (1956)

In this hilarious romp starring Tom Ewell, Sheree North and Rita Moreno, a middle-aged ex-serviceman who plans to re-enlist (Ewell) is shocked to learn that not only did he fail his medical... See full summary »

Director:

Frank Tashlin

Writers:

Albert Beich (screenplay), Albert Beich (story)

Stars:

Tom Ewell, Sheree North, Rita Moreno

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tom Ewell	...	Gregory Whitcomb
Sheree North	...	Lt. Katy Whitcomb
Rita Moreno	...	Sandra Roberts
Rick Jason	...	Capt. Barney Sloan
Les Tremayne	...	Henry 'Hank' Gaxton
Alice Reinheart	...	Capt. Grace Briggs
Gregory Walcott	...	Lt. Sweeney
Jean Willes	...	Joan Sweeney
Edward Platt	...	Major Dunning - Psychiatrist
Jacqueline Fontaine	...	Buxom Blonde at Party
Michael Ross	...	Military Policeman
Arthur Q. Bryan	...	Mr. Curtis
Keith Vincent	...	Delivery boy
Janice Carroll	...	WAAF sergeant
Ralph Sanford	...	Gateman

Storyline

In this hilarious romp starring Tom Ewell, Sheree North and Rita Moreno, a middle-aged ex-serviceman who plans to re-enlist (Ewell) is shocked to learn that not only did he fail his medical exam, his wife (North) has enlisted - and is really making the grade in the Air Force. Unhappy to be a "house husband," he flies to Hawaii to be near her - and also to hatch a scheme to get her discharged.

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Plot Keywords:

air force | hawaii | anniversary party | sunbathing | sleepwalking | 

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 January 1956 (USA)

Also Known As:

I Lost My Wife to the Army

Filming Locations:

20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (Western Electric Recording) (magnetic prints) Mono (optical prints)

Color:

Color (Color by Deluxe)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Tom Ewell, a decorated WWII pilot, is recalled to active duty in the Air Force. He dons his uniform to report for duty, but it's 1953, and the Air Force separated from the Army in 1947. His uniform isn't "AF Blue" - it's Army Air Force GREEN!

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Connections

Referenced in Alfred Hitchcock Presents: The Case of Mr. Pelham (1955)

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Soundtracks

Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing
(uncredited)
Music by Sammy Fain
Played when Capt. Sloan asks Katy to dance

User Reviews

The Lieutenant Wore Me Down

Yes, it's a mid-20th century 20th Century Fox eyeful, in Cinemascope with eye-popping colors, sumptuous locations, and the equally sumptuous Sheree North (whose warmth and naturalness, in spite of huge odds, suggest 20th really mishandled her). But the whole comic premise -- Ewell will stoop to any means to get his wife out of the military -- just isn't that funny, and it also makes our hero a selfish, unlikable lout. Add to that Frank Tashlin's usual breast-fetishizing (including the same busty-woman-with-two-milk-bottles gag he uses in "Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?"), and gender roles so prescribed that the sight of a man in an apron is supposed to be automatically hilarious, and it's clear that this is a vehicle running on fumes. Ewell's regular-guy act hasn't aged well, and a nearly no-name supporting cast edges timidly around the Cinemascope frame, afraid to rock the leaky boat.