When A Union Army outfit of misfits and rejects is sent to the Western territory, Southern spies try to figure out what they're doing there.When A Union Army outfit of misfits and rejects is sent to the Western territory, Southern spies try to figure out what they're doing there.When A Union Army outfit of misfits and rejects is sent to the Western territory, Southern spies try to figure out what they're doing there.
Alan Hale Jr.
- Sergeant Davis
- (as Alan Hale)
Richard Adams
- Courier
- (uncredited)
Leon Alton
- Waiter
- (uncredited)
Robert Anderson
- Steamboat Captain
- (uncredited)
Ann Blake
- Member of the Law & Order League
- (uncredited)
Danny Borzage
- Trooper
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe steamboat used in this movie was originally built and used as the Cotton Blossom, in MGM's Show Boat (1951). It was also used in Raintree County (1957) and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1960). In the 1970s, it was one of the props auctioned off by the studio.
- GoofsIn the scenes where the cannons fire 30 rounds, some of the cannons fire before their fuses are ignited.
- Quotes
Martha Lou: All right. Let's say, just for the moment, that I *am* a spy.
Heath: A very pretty one, too.
Martha Lou: That would make us enemies, Jared.
Heath: Yeah, of course it would. And, we'd be starting out at a point in marriage that takes some couples twenty or thirty years to achieve!
Featured review
This film was shown on Turner Classic Movies and in the absence of other reviews, this review is for the film itself, only. It's also known as "Advance In Reverse".
It's not hard to fall into liking this easy-going and ramshackle comedy, which switches easily from knockabout physical humour (with 'assorted' sound effects) to silly dialogue and a general feel that the assorted misfits of this Union regiment just aren't taking their roles that seriously. The story, for what it is has the regiment being sent out of reach of action but still manage to capture a rebel spy, played by Stella Stevens and they all end up in a heap of trouble. A $2 million gold bullion gets in the mix as do some rather "friendly" Indians.
Glenn Ford is easily the most recognisable as the captain and Melvyn Douglas as the Colonel "in charge" and these two string it all together and he's not bad at comic timing or deadpan delivery. He has a romantic fling with Stevens, as all the regiment do (in their dreams!) Destry Rides Again director George Stevens' film is in widescreen and (here) an attractively dark-greened tinged black & white and which runs for 96mins.
The comedy is gentle and clever rather than broad, or crude and the targets are fairly obvious but as it's all fairly sweet it's all a nicely pleasurable watch rather than anything classic or downright hilarious - though the scene where they storm the camp, dressed in long-johns, with boards on their feet down the dry grass slopes, to the soundtrack of a WW2 fighter plane battle is actually really rather humorous!
It's not hard to fall into liking this easy-going and ramshackle comedy, which switches easily from knockabout physical humour (with 'assorted' sound effects) to silly dialogue and a general feel that the assorted misfits of this Union regiment just aren't taking their roles that seriously. The story, for what it is has the regiment being sent out of reach of action but still manage to capture a rebel spy, played by Stella Stevens and they all end up in a heap of trouble. A $2 million gold bullion gets in the mix as do some rather "friendly" Indians.
Glenn Ford is easily the most recognisable as the captain and Melvyn Douglas as the Colonel "in charge" and these two string it all together and he's not bad at comic timing or deadpan delivery. He has a romantic fling with Stevens, as all the regiment do (in their dreams!) Destry Rides Again director George Stevens' film is in widescreen and (here) an attractively dark-greened tinged black & white and which runs for 96mins.
The comedy is gentle and clever rather than broad, or crude and the targets are fairly obvious but as it's all fairly sweet it's all a nicely pleasurable watch rather than anything classic or downright hilarious - though the scene where they storm the camp, dressed in long-johns, with boards on their feet down the dry grass slopes, to the soundtrack of a WW2 fighter plane battle is actually really rather humorous!
- tim-764-291856
- Oct 22, 2012
- Permalink
- How long is Advance to the Rear?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Runtime1 hour 40 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
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