The Private Navy of Sgt. O'Farrell (1968)

During WW2, Sgt. O'Farrell's Pacific unit is demoralized when a Japanese submarine torpedoes an American supply ship containing beer.

Director:

Frank Tashlin

Writers:

Robert M. Fresco (story), John L. Greene (story)

Stars:

Bob Hope, Phyllis Diller, Jeffrey Hunter

Cast

Cast overview:
Bob Hope	...	Sgt. Dan O'Farrell
Phyllis Diller	...	Nurse Nellie Krause
Jeffrey Hunter	...	Lt. (j.g.) Lyman P. Jones
Mylène Demongeot	...	Gabby
Gina Lollobrigida	...	Maria (as Miss Gina Lollobrigida)
John Myhers	...	Lt. Cmdr. Roger Snavely
Mako	...	Calvin Coolidge Ishimura
Henry Wilcoxon	...	Rear Adm. Arthur L. Stokes
Dick Sargent	...	Capt. Elwood Prohaska
Christopher Dark	...	Pvt. George Strongbow
Michael Burns	...	Pvt. Johnny Bannon
William Wellman Jr.	...	Cpl. Kennedy
Robert Donner	...	Marine Pvt. Ogg
Jack Grinnage	...	Pvt. Roberts
William Christopher	...	Pvt. Jake Schultz

Storyline

Sgt. O'Farrell an Army soldier on an island in the South Pacific during World War II is trying to bring the two basics of life to his fellow servicemen, women and beer. The supply ship carrying the beer is torpedoed and the contingent of nurses consists of six males and ugly nurse Nellie Krause. If he could at least try to salvage the shipment of beer.

---

Plot Keywords:

nurse | supply ship | salvage | south pacific | island | 

---

Taglines:

Don't fire 'til YOU SEE THE REDS OF THEIR EYES!

---

Genres:

Comedy | War

---

Certificate:

G

Did You Know?

Goofs

As is typical of Hope's period comedies, there are many anachronistic gags in the film; e.g. references to television re-runs, a reference to Burt Lancaster in 'From Here to Eternity', the hairstyles of the women and the bathing suit worn by Gina Lollobrigida.

---

Quotes

Sgt. Dan O'Farrell: Snavely's at the Crosby double feature, so it's a cinch he's asleep.

---

Connections

Spoofs From Here to Eternity (1953)

---

Soundtracks

How Dry I Am
(uncredited) (part of the song "Near Future")
Written by Irving Berlin
Heard as a theme throughout the film

User Reviews

Not quite so mindless fun with a message

Many people cannot stand Bob Hope and his mannerisms, and, to be honest, I am one of them. Most of his films are little more than an extended stand-up routine of his with mostly rather predictable jokes.

But sometimes he pulled off a better film, like his Paleface movies, and this one here is even better - it must surely be the best film of his career, although most critics failed to notice it. Apart from having better jokes and a better cast than the usual Hope effort, this film even comes with a message. It is anti-racism and anti-war but it does not wear this attitude on its sleeves, it merely subverts it under the cover of slapstick comedy into the mind of the viewer. I'll be hard pushed to name another anti-war movie which brings across its message so effectively, and this is an amazing thing to say about a Bob Hope flick, given the stiff and famous competition in this field.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 May 1968 (USA)

Also Known As:

Operación cerveza

Filming Locations:

Puerto Rico

Company Credits

Production Co:

John Beck-Naho Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Glen Glenn Sound)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1