Mister Roberts | |
---|---|
Directed by |
John Ford Mervyn LeRoy Joshua Logan (uncredited) |
Produced by | Leland Hayward |
Screenplay by |
Frank S. Nugent Joshua Logan |
Based on |
Mister Roberts (1946 novel) by Thomas Heggen; Mister Roberts (1948 play) by Thomas Heggen Joshua Logan |
Starring |
Henry Fonda James Cagney William Powell Jack Lemmon |
Music by | Franz Waxman |
Cinematography | Winton C. Hoch |
Edited by | Jack Murray |
Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
Release date
|
|
Running time
|
123 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Box office | $21.2 million |
Mister Roberts is a 1955 American Warnercolor in CinemaScope comedy-drama film directed by John Ford and Mervyn LeRoy, and features an all-star cast including Henry Fonda as Mister Roberts, James Cagney as Captain Morton, William Powell (in his final film appearance) as Doc, and Jack Lemmon as Ensign Pulver. Based on the 1946 novel and 1948 Broadway play, the film was nominated for the Best Picture and Best Sound, Recording (William A. Mueller) Oscars; Jack Lemmon received the 1955 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
In the waning days of World War II, the United States Navy cargo ship Reluctant and her crew are stationed in the "backwater" areas of the Pacific Ocean. The executive officer/cargo chief, Lieutenant Junior Grade Douglas A. "Doug" Roberts (Henry Fonda), tries to shield the dispirited crew from the harsh and unpopular captain, Lieutenant Commander Morton (James Cagney). Eager to join the fighting, Roberts repeatedly requests a transfer. Morton is forced by regulation to forward his requests, but refuses to endorse them, which means they are always rejected. Roberts shares quarters with Ensign Frank Thurlowe Pulver (Jack Lemmon). Pulver spends most of his time idling in his bunk and avoids the captain at all costs, so much so, that Morton is actually unaware Pulver is part of the crew.