Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came

As a 20 year Military veteran, I was attracted to the intriguing question that is the title of this movie. Deciding whether or not to watch it becomes a no-brainer when you see the list of names that make up the ensemble of the cast: Ernie Borgnine, Ivan Dixon, Don Ameche, Art O'Connell and the great John Fiedler are all solid actors and have appeared in some of the best films in the history of American cinema. (check out their collective credits if you doubt it.)

This film is an underrated one in the canon of films dealing with the U. S. Military. The script, although not perfect, is well written, with subtle and witty commentary on the military hierarchy, prevailing social attitudes, and the precarious relationship between our Vietnam-era military and the civilian community (i.e. "community relations"). No heavy military rigidness here; the flow is free and easy as in 'Catch-22' to provide a frame of reference. Or, as Stephen Sondheim wrote around the same period in "Anyone Can Whistle," the 'laugh at the Kings, or they'll make you cry' approach.

As would be expected, Brian Keith is solid, but surprisingly even Tony Curtis manages to turn in a relatively piped-down performance from his usual fare which, to quote America's best known homemaker Martha Stewart, 'is a good thing.'

This comedy could easily have slipped into a Kelly's Heroes-style parody of the US military, and it's climactic chase scene teeters on the edge at times. But there's no discounting the intelligence at work here: the screenplay is unusually well written, making subtle points about the Vietnam War, racism, and sexism without alienating the audience with dogma. There are especially fine performances by Brian Keith and Ivan Dixon here, a restrained turn from Tony Curtis, and a reminder of the untapped talents of Suzanne Pleshette. A pleasant surprise.

I saw this film in 1970 as a sneak preview at the Shores Theater in Miami Shores, Florida. My dad had been an infantry sergeant and was awarded a Silver Star Medal in World War II. He liked the film only because it had some of the actors he liked, Tony Curtis and Brian Keith among others. We both agreed the movie couldn't figure out what it wanted to be, a comedy or a serious film. We assumed it was not only an anti-war film, but an anti everything film. Most of the main characters were far from likeable and it seemed everyone was angry, embittered, sarcastic, anti social and bigoted. Only interesting if you're a big enough fan of the cast, not much else.

Most of this movie was shot at Fort Huachuca, AZ and Tuscon. I was in the parade scene. It took almost 4 hours to film. When the movie was released, the parade (itself) was cut to 20 seconds of film time. Tony Curtis was wasted on this film. It reminded me of his role in the movie "Operation Petticoat". If this movie came today, it would swiftly be sent to a streaming channel.

Bought this in a discount store so had low expectations from it. Actually really good - a simple and enjoyable film. Easy to watch and fun. Some of the characters (esp Nace and Ramona) were good to watch - nicely scripted and acted. Apart from that the story is great if taken with a relaxed view.

I recommend it and am glad to have it in the collection. The tank chase scene is comical and almost up there in Smokey and the Bandit or even comic James Bond style. The film is almost in Kelly's Heroes territory but is its own story.