Rating: 
Summary: Lemmon commentary
Review: For your information, the Lemmon commentary is about 50 minutes
long when you add it all up together. It starts at the beginning of the movie. Then a voice comes
on and says "To continue with the commentary, skip to
Chapter 2." This is the pattern throughout the movie. The
commentary is scattered throughout the movie, appearing in Chapters 1, 2, 5, 7, 10, 13, 16, and 32. He tells some nice stories about working with Ford, Fonda, and
Cagney. Very enjoyable.
Rating: 
Summary: Review is of DVD - Not the movie
Review: Given the "classic" status of this movie, it seems meaningless to discuss the content for this review. Thus, I will stick to reviewing Warner Brothers DVD release of the film. First, I commend them for the inclusion of the excerpt of an Ed Sullivan "Toast of the Town" (1948) tribute episode featuring the movie's stars. This was really interesting viewing. However, for the movie itself....this is the worst Warner release I have seen since "National Velvet". The picture frequently becomes out of focus, and the picture is often very undefined throughout the whole movie. There are a couple of places in the movie where the picture jumps, as if the film from which the transfer was taken "skipped a sprocket". Overall, this is an embarassing release of a classic movie....despite the great extras which are included. Warner needs to go back to the drawing board on this one.
Rating:
Summary: Review is of DVD - Not the movie
Review: Given the "classic" status of this movie, it seems meaningless to discuss the content for this review. Thus, I will stick to reviewing Warner Brothers DVD release of the film. First, I commend them for the inclusion of the excerpt of an Ed Sullivan "Toast of the Town" (1948) tribute episode featuring the movie's stars. This was really interesting viewing. However, for the movie itself....this is the worst Warner release I have seen since "National Velvet". The picture frequently becomes out of focus, and the picture is often very undefined throughout the whole movie. There are a couple of places in the movie where the picture jumps, as if the film from which the transfer was taken "skipped a sprocket". Overall, this is an embarassing release of a classic movie....despite the great extras which are included. Warner needs to go back to the drawing board on this one.
Rating:
Summary: Perhaps Henry Fonda's best film ever...
Review: Henry Fonda plays "Mister Roberts," a well-educated executive officer on a run-down and nearly forgotten WWII navy supply ship stationed somewhere in the backwaters of the Pacific in the waning days of the war. His opposite number is played by James Cagney, the captain who is an ill educated and ambitious former merchant marine who hates "smart college boys." All Fonda wants to do is to get a transfer to a combat vessel before the war passes him by. Cagney, on the other hand, is committed to keeping Fonda on board, running the ship, so that the captain can earn the rank of full commander. Even so, Fonda is the only man on board who is willing to stand up to him. Push comes to shove in the movie whenever Fonda submits his requests for transfer. Sound serious and dramatic? Parts of it are, but there are also extremely humorous segments -- e.g., when the crew discovers that there is a new hospital with nurses within easy view of binoculars. That's when Ensign Pulver (played to a tee by a young Jack Lemmon) swings into womanizing action. Powell also makes a great contribution as the ship's doctor. There is not a poor performance by any member of the cast. Wonderful stuff. You'll love the antics that take place when the crew actually gets a liberty -- thanks to Fonda! 5 stars all the way. This film is in the same class as other period dramatic comedies (is there such a genre?) such as "Operation Petticoat," "Stalag 17," and "Kelly's Heroes." Don't miss this video! Alan Holyoak
Rating:
Summary: Perhaps Henry Fonda's best film ever...
Review: Henry Fonda plays "Mister Roberts," a well-educated executive officer on a run-down and nearly forgotten WWII navy supply ship stationed somewhere in the backwaters of the Pacific in the waning days of the war. His opposite number is played by James Cagney, the captain who is an ill educated and ambitious former merchant marine who hates "smart college boys." All Fonda wants to do is to get a transfer to a combat vessel before the war passes him by. Cagney, on the other hand, is committed to keeping Fonda on board, running the ship, so that the captain can earn the rank of full commander. Even so, Fonda is the only man on board who is willing to stand up to him. Push comes to shove in the movie whenever Fonda submits his requests for transfer. Sound serious and dramatic? Parts of it are, but there are also extremely humorous segments -- e.g., when the crew discovers that there is a new hospital with nurses within easy view of binoculars. That's when Ensign Pulver (played to a tee by a young Jack Lemmon) swings into womanizing action. Powell also makes a great contribution as the ship's doctor. There is not a poor performance by any member of the cast. Wonderful stuff. You'll love the antics that take place when the crew actually gets a liberty -- thanks to Fonda! 5 stars all the way. This film is in the same class as other period dramatic comedies (is there such a genre?) such as "Operation Petticoat," "Stalag 17," and "Kelly's Heroes." Don't miss this video! Alan Holyoak
Rating: 
Summary: So Many Favourites In One Film!!
Review: Henry Fonda stars in one of his most famous roles as Mr. Roberts, an officer on board a cargo ship, a man who underestimates his importance and the respect he is shown by an appreciative crew. The reason they admire him so much is because he stands up to their dictatorial captain, played ferociously by James Cagney. Fonda brings a lot of dignity and quiet strength to his character. The great William Powell is Fonda's confidant and ship's doctor, and Powell plays him with wisdom and class. Jack Lemmon, as Ensign Pulver, gets many of the film's best laughs, as he broadly plays the officer who is a lot of talk, but not much action. Mister Roberts combines humour, honesty, and drama very well, giving the viewer a real sense of the camaraderie onboard the ship. We also see how the human spirit can triumph under difficult conditions. And it's also a great chance to see four of Hollywood's greatest actors in one film, each one showing what they did so well. This is one to watch.
Rating:
Summary: One of the most overlooked films of all time.
Review: I discovered this film--one of my favorites of all time--in a college class. Henry Fonda is simply superb, and it's also worth watching to remember Jack Lemmon as the lanky, goofy kid who would become a gifted actor, not Walter Matthau's less wrinkled sidekick . . .Buy, rent, or steal this movie. Do whatever it takes to watch this fim for a reminder of how movies used to be made.
Rating:
Summary: This Must Be a Classic!
Review: I first saw this film two years ago and always think about it when ever an old navy movie is on TV. I'm 20 years old, and my father tells me he remembers the film from years and years ago. The ending especially is well written (I won't give away the ending). Because this movie has entertained generations of people, it is a true classic.
Rating:
Summary: Great film, even greater play!
Review: I first saw this movie when I was in high school and so fell in love with it that I went every day for the entire week it played at the local theatre in our small town. Years later, in 1979, I was fortunate to play the role of Doc in a production at the Lobero theatre in Santa Barbara, and then played Doc again in 1986 in Edmonds, Washington, in another fine stage production. The play's script is better than the film's because when the movie was produced the infamous Hays Office would not allow the swearing and general profanity contained in the stage version. Too bad, really, because the play's language and innuendos are much more realistic and "Navy" than the movie's. The film also went through a lot of production difficulties: Fonda didn't get along with John Ford who quit; Nugent's screenplay was awful so Joshua Logan was called in to rewrite it (and re-direct it too, though uncredited), and most of the scenes were re-shot on the Warner Brothers lot in Burbank, California, rather than in Hawaii as planned. However, in spite of all the backstage difficulties, the film continues to be quite extraordinary with both story and performances as close to perfection as we are ever likely to get. Even IF it is ever filmed again, we can never forget Fonda, Cagney, Powell, Lemmon, and the wonderful crew: they will remain the definitive edition. Thanks to the folks who FINALLY brought out the DVD in widescreen format!
Rating:
Summary: One of my favorite movies
Review: I loved this movie when I saw it many years ago, it's timeless and still funny after all these years. I'm so glad it's available on DVD and now part of my movie collection.
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