Wilbert Winkle, a henpecked, mild-mannered, middle-aged bank clerk and handyman, finds himself in the midst of battle in the South Pacific.Wilbert Winkle, a henpecked, mild-mannered, middle-aged bank clerk and handyman, finds himself in the midst of battle in the South Pacific.Wilbert Winkle, a henpecked, mild-mannered, middle-aged bank clerk and handyman, finds himself in the midst of battle in the South Pacific.
Warren Ashe
- Captain
- (uncredited)
Walter Baldwin
- Mr. Plummer (mailman)
- (uncredited)
Cecil Ballerino
- Army Draftee
- (uncredited)
Steve Barclay
- Soldier Runner
- (uncredited)
Hugh Beaumont
- Range Officer
- (uncredited)
Early Cantrell
- Girl
- (uncredited)
Neil Carter
- Draftee
- (uncredited)
John Cason
- Soldier at USO Dance
- (uncredited)
Bill Chaney
- 4F Draftee
- (uncredited)
Sandra Coles
- Telephone Operator
- (uncredited)
Tommy Cook
- Boy
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaIn the movie is announced that men over 38 would need released (and presumably not drafted.) In real life Robinson was rejected for service in WW2 because of his age, 48.
- SoundtracksSweet Genevieve
(uncredited)
Lyrics by George Cooper
Music by Henry Tucker
Sung by Edward G. Robinson, Robert Armstrong, Richard Lane and Bob Haymes
Featured review
In the early 1940s, Hollywood made a lot of positive propaganda films in order to encourage Americans to get behind the war effort. Many of them were far from realistic (such as this film) but were also very entertaining and did a lot to boost spirits (again, like this film). Provided you view the film in this context, it's a dandy little picture and an interesting curio.
Edward G. Robinson plays the title character--a decent but decidedly mild-mannered man who works at a bank. One day, out of the blue, he quits his job to open a "fix-it" shop--much to the surprise of his wife and boss! However, despite these grand plans of being his own boss, shortly after this he receives his draft notice. Considering that Robinson was a dumpy middle-aged man, everyone assumed this was just a mistake. However, despite the complete improbability of it all, he does pass the physical and is taken into the army! Now of course, you MUST suspend disbelief here--as Robinson has "4-F" written all over him (in other words, he is unfit for active duty). Despite the impossibility of it all, Robinson works his butt off and actually succeeds in becoming a soldier--even though his sergeant tries to get him a desk job. Robinson wants no part of a desk job (that was why he quit his job at the bank after all).
What exactly happens next, you'll have to see for yourself. However, this is a rather silly film that still manages to be quite entertaining. Now if you think the idea of Robinson in the military, it could be a lot more ridiculous. In GREAT GUNS, Laurel and Hardy join the army! Even though they were about the same age as Robinson (in their early 50s), Ollie weighs in at about 350 pounds and Stan looks very old and worn. In MR. WINKLE, Robinson is supposed to be 43 and he is able to carry that off reasonably well.
Edward G. Robinson plays the title character--a decent but decidedly mild-mannered man who works at a bank. One day, out of the blue, he quits his job to open a "fix-it" shop--much to the surprise of his wife and boss! However, despite these grand plans of being his own boss, shortly after this he receives his draft notice. Considering that Robinson was a dumpy middle-aged man, everyone assumed this was just a mistake. However, despite the complete improbability of it all, he does pass the physical and is taken into the army! Now of course, you MUST suspend disbelief here--as Robinson has "4-F" written all over him (in other words, he is unfit for active duty). Despite the impossibility of it all, Robinson works his butt off and actually succeeds in becoming a soldier--even though his sergeant tries to get him a desk job. Robinson wants no part of a desk job (that was why he quit his job at the bank after all).
What exactly happens next, you'll have to see for yourself. However, this is a rather silly film that still manages to be quite entertaining. Now if you think the idea of Robinson in the military, it could be a lot more ridiculous. In GREAT GUNS, Laurel and Hardy join the army! Even though they were about the same age as Robinson (in their early 50s), Ollie weighs in at about 350 pounds and Stan looks very old and worn. In MR. WINKLE, Robinson is supposed to be 43 and he is able to carry that off reasonably well.
- planktonrules
- Dec 31, 2007
- Permalink
Details
- Runtime1 hour 20 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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Top Gap
By what name was Mr. Winkle Goes to War (1944) officially released in India in English?
Answer