Review of Mister Roberts (1955) by Mike L — 30 Aug 2012

One of the great casts in film history. First of all I have to admit I am a William Powell junkie as I don't think he can do anything wrong and as the don't go rockin the boat doctor he is perfect.

Include a stoic Fonda and a self-serving Cagney along with a jittery Lemmon and the reliable second mate Ward Bond it doesn't get much better than this. As a film you can see the play background as most of the film is pictured on the supply ship stuck in a harbor during WWII that the crew would have been stuck on.

Cagney plays the domineering captain with no remorse and is oblivious to what happens on the ship, unless it affects him in which case there is hell to pay. Fonda plays Mister Roberts, the only officer to stand up to the captain, to his detriment as he off the ship to see action during war-time.

The film revolves around this compromise between the two to the hindrance between Roberts and the crew. It is only until the end when we see that Roberts always had the crew's back and they cant tell him that until he has left.

The acting is great but the direction is limited to a play format.