What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?

source: What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?

I remember watching Blake Edward's (always beware of this word) zany service comedy on NBC 35 years ago and laughing out loud for two thirds of the film. Then, everything changed. I recollect the basic story--and the army officer losing his mind in the catacombs underneath an Italian town--but all of a sudden, the film got serious and brutal. The whole thing came to a screeching halt when, I think, the Germans arrive to spoil the on-screen party. What Did You Do in the War, Daddy? was such a disappointment. It wasn't until I got quite a bit older that I realized that Edwards was trying to make a statement of some sort with this thing, and his delivery was so heavy-handed, the movie just collapsed. Skip it.

A frisky troop of American soldiers take over a Sicilian town and turn it upside down, even with the yearly festival going on, and create a separate war all of its own. Fooling both a naive major and a trusting general, the confusion and chaos just increases, leading to the most absurd if international incidents. Image Hope and Crosby in "The Road to the Front Line", and that's what you've got in this sometimes juvenile anti-war farce that reeks of the zany mind of its director, Blake Edwards, often utilizing sight gags straight out of the "Pink Panther" series. Repetitive gags of soldiers falling into various locations of water dominate this, with leading players James Coburn and Dick Shawn screaming throughout. Future Archie Bunker (Carroll O'Connor) and future Colonel Potter (Harry Morgan) are the befuddled officers, Morgan coincidentally named Potts. Future "Hogan's Heroes" general Leon Askin is the head Nazi invading Sicily here, forecasting his future T.V. role. This basically is a big screen "Hogan's Heroes" with a different setting and slightly more adult humor. Still, it's rather pedestrian, although Morgan is very funny. Too bad he never went down Lloyd Bridges territory by appearing in the vast number of "Airplane!" style spoofs later in his career.

Despite Blake Edwards fine attention to detail and handsome production values, this whole thing is just a mess. Some of the opening battle scenes are nicely done, despite what appears to be some homemade battle gear. Shawn, as usual, is nervous and ineffective, but no doubt in the 60's he had some sort of appeal on a comic level. Coburn, is, well, looking as if at any minute he is going to break into the Bear Dance; bored stiff, and just walking through the entire production (something he does so well makes you wonder if this is his entire acting repertoire. And then there is old archie bunker. Yuck, yuck, and double yuck. He repeated this performance a bit more effectively in Kelly's Heroes a few years later, but his appearance on the screen just slows down the narrative. Only recommend this if there are no reruns of Green Acres to be had.

You can't watch this movie without laughing. The casting of James Colburn, Dick Shawn, Aldo Ray was perfect for this probably the best comedy of WWII. Dick Shawn really showed his comedic skill where he begins as a dedicated officer, determined to make his mark in winning the war by taking a small Italian village and winds up as the love interest of an amorous German officer when disguised in drag. It was hilarious watching him as he tries to fight off the German's "advances." The plot seems to be about the Italian's unwillingness to surrender to the Americans led by Dick Shawn unless they could first have their festival which Dick Shawn is first unwilling to agree to until James Colburn convinces Shawn it would be a wise military decision to allow them to have it in exchange for their surrender. Somehow during the festival, the Americans lose their uniforms to the Italians and the Italians lose theirs to the Americans in a card game. This sets up the fun for some hilarious moments when Colonel Potts played by TV MASH actor Harry Morgan arrives there to inspect US troops and finds what he thinks are American troops but instead are the Italian soldiers dressed as Americans who can't speak a word of English. Before he can get wise that something isn't right, he is taken prisoner by Also Ray wearing an Italian uniform pressuring him to hurry along to a waiting jeep with basic Italian: "Presto! Presto!" These are just a few of the funny scenes you will be treated to! War has never been funnier!

I like this movie for several reasons. One, is that it was made the year I was born-1966. Most movies from that year are very odd or strange- that was the height of the mod generation. One other good movie from 1966 is Fahrenheit 451. Anyway, My great Uncle is also in the movie. He plays the mayor of the town-Mayor Romano. It is ironic because although his stage name was Jay Novello, in real life his name was Michael Romano! Also Dick Shawn is hilarious and James Coburn is great as well-This was the same time period that he made his James bond spoof movies-in like Flint etc.... Definitely worth seeing again. Not quite on par with Kelly's Hero's-the best war comedy ever, but still close to that.

Maybe this is not the Great American Movie, but certainly a worthy effort. It has been over 30 (maybe 40) years since I've seen it (and not for lack of trying to find it on TV or for rent) but I can still remember how hard I laughed at Harry Morgan's antics. That's funny stuff! Worth a watch and I do wish it was available on DVD. At that time I first saw this I had no idea who Blake Edwards was, but looking back I can see the influence and similarities with works like the Pink Panther series. If you liked the Pink Panther and the Return of the Pink Panther (the only two I really cared for) you probably will like this too.

this movie was not only well written it has all the right stars. dick Shawn is hilarious and black Edwards always puts out A comedy! and the biggest plus of all was that i was there when they made the movie shot partly in thousand oaks California.if this movie was made today it would still garnish rave revue's.James coburn is one of my all time favorite actors,and of coarse harry Morgan we all know today from M.A.S.H. he adds to the strength of the comedy as Bud Abbott once did with Costello.of all the movie remakes i think this one would and should be considered by the studio executers.With a budget of todays standard it would not be a problem of set and location but that of actor costs and consideration.

Released in 1966 and directed by Blake Edwards, "What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?" chronicles amusing events at a strategic Italian hamlet during WWII. The village's citizens agree to surrender to an Allied platoon on the condition that they hold their traditional wine festival. Due to aerial reconnaissance, the platoon must look like they are fiercely fighting the Sicilians when that's hardly case; in fact, they're partying it up! Mistaking the festival for an attack, a platoon of Germans come to assist the Italians. This is a fun mid-60's war comedy, the obvious inspiration for the superior "Kelly's Heroes," which came out four years later. Carroll O'Connor even plays the same basic character. There are some dull stretches and the entire last act is weak, almost ruining the movie. But the rest is quietly amusing with good laughs here and there highlighted by Dick Shawn, James Coburn, Sergio Fantoni and Harry Morgan, not to mention the jaw-dropping beauty of Giovanna Ralli. Shawn plays the by-the-books Allied captain offset by Coburn's easy-going lieutenant. Morgan's character getting lost in the catacombs and going mad is memorable. Only watch this, however, if you have a taste for 60's war comedies in the mold of "Kelly's Heroes," 1970's "M*A*S*H" or Hogan's Heroes. The movie is overlong at 116 minutes and was shot at Lake Sherwood, California, on a thoroughly convincing Italian village set. GRADE: B-

When the obits of Harry Morgan were printed a few days ago, there was mention that one of his movie highlights was this one in which he plays a Major Pott who becomes crazy during the course of the movie. He's quite hilarious here and I found myself laughing quite a bit during much of this Blake Edwards' comedy that takes place in Italy during World War II but I have to admit that it doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Still, I liked many of the actors that appear here which besides Morgan includes Dick Shawn (especially liked his drag appearance in the later part of the film), James Coburn (acting perfectly straight while thinking crazy things), Giovanna Ralli (geogeous Italian eye candy), Carroll O'Connor (in a role that eventually convinced Norman Lear to cast him as Archie Bunker in "All in the Family"), and Leon Askin (whose Colonel Kastorp doesn't seem much different from his General Burkhalter in "Hogan's Heroes"). Like I said, not too much makes sense but What Did You Do in the War, Daddy? has its moments.