''McHale's Navy'' is a 1964

technicolor Technicolor is a series of Color motion picture film, color motion picture processes, the first version dating back to 1916, and followed by improved versions over several decades. Definitive Technicolor movies using three black and white films ...

comedy Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...

film based on the 1962–1966 black and white

television Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertisin ...

sitcom A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use ...

McHale's Navy ''McHale's Navy'' is an American sitcom starring Ernest Borgnine that aired 138 half-hour episodes over four seasons, from October 11, 1962, to April 12, 1966, on the ABC television network. The series was filmed in black and white and originate ...

'' starring

Ernest Borgnine Ernest Borgnine (; born Ermes Effron Borgnino; January 24, 1917 – July 8, 2012) was an American actor whose career spanned over six decades. He was noted for his gruff but relaxed voice and gap-toothed Cheshire Cat grin. A popular perfor ...

Tim Conway Thomas Daniel "Tim" Conway (December 15, 1933 – May 14, 2019) was an American actor, comedian, writer, and director. From 1966 to 2012 he appeared in more than 100 TV shows, TV series and films. Among his more notable roles, he portrayed the ...

and Joe Flynn, which had in turn originated with a one-hour anthology drama starring Borgnine entitled ''Seven Against the Sea''. The film version was directed by series producer

Edward Montagne Edward J. Montagne Jr. (May 20, 1912 – December 15, 2003) was a television series producer and film director who directed the films ''McHale's Navy'' (1964) starring Ernest Borgnine, its sequel '' McHale's Navy Joins the Air Force'' (1965) sta ...

and its supporting cast includes

Carl Ballantine Carl Ballantine (September 28, 1917 – November 4, 2009) was an American magician, comedian and actor. Billing himself as "The Great Ballantine", "The Amazing Ballantine" or "Ballantine: The World's Greatest Magician", his vaudeville-style come ...

Gavin MacLeod Gavin MacLeod () (born Allan George See; February 28, 1931 – May 29, 2021) was an American actor best known for his roles as news writer Murray Slaughter on ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' and ship's captain Merrill Stubing on ABC's '' The Love ...

Jean Willes Jean Willes (born Jean Donahue; April 15, 1923 – January 3, 1989) was an American film and television actress. She appeared in approximately 65 films in her 38-year career. Early years Willes was born Jean Donahue In Los Angeles. She spent pa ...

Claudine Longet Claudine Georgette Longet (born 29 January 1942) is a Franco-American singer, actress, dancer, and recording artist popular during the 1960s and 1970s. Born in Paris, France, Longet was married to American singer and television entertainer Andy ...

, and George Kennedy. The film was followed by a sequel entitled ''

McHale's Navy Joins the Air Force ''McHale's Navy Joins the Air Force'' is a 1965 film based upon the television 1962–1966 sitcom ''McHale's Navy''. Series supporting players Joe Flynn and Tim Conway are the leads for this sequel to the first film made in 1964, also named ...

'' which did not feature Borgnine or Carl Ballantine. A remake entitled ''

'', was released in 1997 and features an appearance by Ernest Borgnine playing a 75-year old McHale. The filming location for New Caledonia is the same as the one used in the series. For more information on the main characters see the TV series ''

''. The movie was released on DVD for Region 1 on January 31, 2011. The film was released following the end of the second season of the television series.

Plot

Set "Somewhere in the South Pacific" in 1943, Gruber's gambling scheme backfires when he tries to raise money for St Theresa's Orphanage through off-track horserace betting. Heavy bets on the horse "Silver Spot" leaves the crew owing a large sum to sailors and marines. A little while later when the crew is in New Caledonia, Ensign Parker runs PT-73 into the dock and destroys the dock and cargo of businessman Henri Le Clerc ( George Kennedy), leaving the crew even more in debt. However, while on a reconnaissance mission to an island the crew comes across Silver Spot who was lost on the island after the horse was being moved from Australia. They decide to enter Silver Spot in a race in New Caledonia to win enough money to pay all their debts. Otherwise the only way to pay all their debts is for McHale to marry his old flame Margot Monet (

), also known as Maggie Monahan, who owns a gambling parlor in New Caledonia (but who McHale would rather not marry). They try to disguise the horse with much heavy hair, but when the hair starts to come off during the race they decide to use a smoke screen from the 73 to keep anyone from seeing too much. However, this made it impossible for the racetrack authorities to know who won. But the smokescreen also caused a Japanese submarine to be captured by the 73. In the end Le Clerc is so grateful for saving his town from a Japanese attack he forgives the debt. The crew also gets a reward for rescuing Silver Spot which just happened to be enough to pay the sailors and marines. While all this was going on the PT-73 crew was dogging Binghamton ( Joe Flynn) and his aide Carpenter ( Bob Hastings). And just as they were leaving New Caledonia the bashful Parker is kissed by Bouchard and the lightheaded Parker accidentally sets off a depth charge which destroys Le Clerc's dock and cargo again. But rather than marry Monet to pay for the new damage, McHale and crew immediately scramble to get out of New Caledonia.

Cast

as Lieutenant Commander Quinton McHale *

as Ensign Charles Parker * Joe Flynn as Captain Wallace B. Binghamton ("Old Leadbottom") * Bob Hastings as Lieutenant Elroy Carpenter *

Gary Vinson Gary Vinson (October 22, 1936 – October 15, 1984) was an American actor who appeared in significant roles in three television series of the 1960s: '' The Roaring 20s'', ''McHale's Navy'', and ''Pistols 'n' Petticoats''. Early years Vinson was ...

as George "Christy" Christopher,

Quartermaster Quartermaster is a military term, the meaning of which depends on the country and service. In land armies, a quartermaster is generally a relatively senior soldier who supervises stores or barracks and distributes supplies and provisions. In ...

* Bobby Wright as Willy Moss,

Radioman Radioman (RM) was a rating for United States Navy and United States Coast Guard enlisted personnel, specializing in communications technology. History of the rating The rating was created originally in 1921. In 1997, under the direction of Chi ...

as Lester Gruber, Torpedoman's Mate * Billy Sands as Harrison "Tinker" Bell,

Engineman Engineman (abbreviated as EN) is a United States Navy occupational rating. Engineman was the former name for the current U.S. Coast Guard rating of Machinery Technician. History Enginemen operate, service and repair internal combustion engine ...

& Motor Machinist Mate * Edson Stroll as Virgil Edwards,

Gunner's Mate The United States Navy and United States Coast Guard occupational rating of gunner's mate (GM) is a designation given by the Bureau of Naval Personnel (BUPERS) to enlisted sailors who either satisfactorily complete initial Gunner's Mate "A" schoo ...

as Joseph "Happy" Haines, Seaman * Yoshio Yoda as Fuji Kobiaji, Cook, Seaman 3C, Japanese PW. * George Kennedy as Henri Le Clerc *

as Margot Monet (Maggie Monahan) *

as Andrea Bouchard *

Cliff Norton Clifford Charles Norton (March 21, 1918 – January 25, 2003) was an American character actor and radio announcer who appeared in various movies and television series over a career spanning four decades. Early years Norton was born in Chi ...

as Australian sergeant major

References

External links

* * * {{McHale's Navy 1960s war comedy films 1964 films Films set in 1943 American war comedy films Military humor in film Films about the United States Navy in World War II Universal Pictures films Films directed by Edward Montagne Films scored by Jerry Fielding Films set in New Caledonia 1964 comedy films 1960s English-language films 1960s American films McHale's Navy

Plot

Cast

See also

References

External links