Main Cast: Jack Lemmon, Kathryn Grant, Ernie Kovacs, Mickey Rooney, Arthur O'Connell
Release Year: 1957
Country: US
Run Time: 105 minutes
Plot
In this frantic service comedy, a group of bored-to-tears American GI's stationed at a medical facility in France would like nothing more than to have a big party to let off steam -- except for the possibility of having a big party with some of the nurses they work with. However, it seems that the nurses are officers and the GI's are enlisted men, which means the Army forbids them to socialize, and Capt. Locke (Ernie Kovacs), the camp's Commanding Officer, is not a man to bend the rules. But Private Hogan (Jack Lemmon) is not the sort of guy to let the rules get in the way of a good time, and with the help of Yancy Skibo (Mickey Rooney), a sergeant with a talent for scaring up needed supplies, and Mme. LaFour (Jeanne Manet), a local hotel manager with a soft spot for making money off American servicemen, Hogan hatches a plan to make his dream a reality. Hogan's lady friend, Lt. Betty Bixby (Kathryn Grant), isn't quite as convinced as her beau on the potential success of this scheme. Operation Mad Ball was the first directorial effort from former actor Richard Quine, and afforded Jack Lemmon his first starring role; Blake Edwards also contributed to the screenplay. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Review
Operation Mad Ball is a middling armed services farce with a cast that deserves better. While Operation deserves credit for elevating the gifted farceur Jack Lemmon into leading player status, the fact is that Operation needs Lemmon much more than Lemmon needs Operation. The screenplay is one of those heavily plotted affairs in which something is happening every minute and yet nothing very much really happens. It's all improbable, if not impossible, and incredibly contrived. In the right hands, none of this has to matter; if the dialogue is snappy and peppy and the characters have spark and originality, the audience will be willing to put up with mechanical plotting. Unfortunately, Operation's dialogue too often falls flat, and the characters, while quirky, really come alive only because of the excellent cast. Lemmon, of course, is aces, pouring boundless energy and imagination into a role that requires it but doesn't deserve it. Ernie Kovacs practically pushes anyone onscreen with him out of the picture, and Mickey Rooney gives one of his better mid-career performances here. Richard Quine's direction is obvious, but he does keep things moving, which is crucial. Catch Operation Mad Ball for its cast. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Dick York - Corporal Bohun; James Darren - Pvt. Widowskas; Roger Smith - Corporal Berryman; William Leslie - Private Grimes; Sheridan Comerate - Sgt. Wilson; L.Q. Jones - Ozark; Jeanne Manet - Mme. LaFour; Mary Laroche - Lt. Schmidt; Dick Crockett - Sgt. McCloskey; Paul Picerni - Private Bullard; David McMahon - Master Sergeant Pringle; James Lanphier; Otto Reichow - German Prisoner of War
Credit
Robert F. Boyle - Art Director, Richard Quine - Director, Charles Nelson - Editor, George Duning - Composer (Music Score), Morris W. Stoloff - Musical Direction/Supervision, Freddy Karger - Songwriter, Charles Lawton - Cinematographer, Jed Harris - Producer, William Kiernan - Set Designer, William F. Calvert - Set Designer, Blake Edwards - Screenwriter, Jed Harris - Screenwriter, Arthur Carter - Screenwriter, Arthur Carter - Play Author, Jeanne L. Mizzy - Producer's Assistant
Private Hogan (Jack Lemmon) does not believe that such a blue-stocking can be good-looking, but the first sight of lovely dietetic nurse lieutenant Betty Bixby (Kathryn Grant) sets him right. When he picks her cigarette-lighter up and puts his weapon aside he is surprÃsed by security officer Paul Locke (Ernie Kovacs) who sees instantly red and threatens him with court-martial, execution and anything else that came to mind. Locke is sadistic, choleric, malicious and pompous, but, much to Hogan's relief, not as smart as himself. Soon, Hogan plans to organise a ball with all the prettiest nurses and his fellow soldiers. Hogan and Cpl. Bohun (Dick York) go to through all sorts of mishap to make sure that the secret mad ball goes ahead.
Hogan uses a general's X-ray and pretends that the X-ray belongs to him. The X-ray shows several problems and Hogan wins the sympathy of the beautiful lieutenant Betty Bixby, whom he wants to take to the ball. Hogan claims to be suffering from heartburn and an ulcer in his X-ray. Betty thinks that this would be the cause of alcohol and tobacco. Every time Betty sees Hogan, she clearly shows that she is smitten with the handsome soldier. But when Betty finds out that the X-ray doesn't belong to Hogan, she falls out with him, leaving both Betty and Hogan secretly sad to have lost each other.
On the night of the ball, each soldier has been paired with their pretty nurse, except Hogan. He waits for her, hoping that she has forgiven him. But he ends up going to the ball on his own. But when he arrives, he sees Betty with the Colonel (Arthur O'Connell). She takes off her long coat to reveal a pretty dress and her lieutenant's hat to reveal her real woman, as throughout the movie, she resists Hogan's strong advances and convinces herself that she's a lieutenant and has no time for boys. But at the end, she shares the last dance with Hogan.
Memorable Quotes
Private Hogan: Just imagine a pretty nurse, lying in your arms and the music is playing. And you've got to work nights.
(Lt. Betty Bixbee is feeling Hogan's chest after he claims to be ill.) Betty Bixbee: And where's the pathway to your symptoms? Private Hogan: Ooh, it's like a chestnut tree!
Betty Bixbee: Have you had any other symptoms since I saw you this morning? Private Hogan: A few, around the heart.
(Betty Bixbee is explaining to Hogan what he must do to "feel better".) Betty Bixbee: No running, no tobacco, no liquor, no emotional excitement...
