#Classic Comedy Watch: Operation Petticoat (1959)

[signalwatch]

Classic Comedy Watch: Operation Petticoat (1959) Watched:  01/27/2024 Format: Prime Viewing:  First Director:  Blake Edwards Selection:  Me, by rec So, a colleague had recommended this one, and forewarned me that it is a product of it's time, and I could not agree more.   This is a movie with an odd framing device - a US Navy Admiral returning to the submarine he skippered during the war on the morning the boat is set to head to the boneyard.  He sits down and reads his Captain's log from cover to cover in his former bunk. By 1959 two things were apparently true:   1) the US was ready to do light, sexy comedies about the war, including starting out with making Pearl Harbor a wacky incident that happened 2) the role of women in film - especially light comedies - had changed a lot, with the "can do" spirit of women in the war or even noir There is not room in this post to discuss the rapid swing of women in pictures of the 1950's from tough-women-on-the-homefront to "don't let those daffy women near machinery.  That's for MEN." that I assume reflects the culture of the time.  But it's kind of a thing, and for as fast as it happened, it took a lot longer to eke our way back out.   This movie is the Admiral's (Cary Grant) recollections of the submarine crew's post Pearl Harbor response, lifting the boat and getting it semi-seaworthy again thanks to shenanigans on the part of a new Lieutenant (Tony Curtis), a streetwise fast talker who has joined the navy for the uniform and social ladder climbing opportunities. It's got a hint of Sgt. Bilko (which pre-dates the film) as some of the best gags are about Tony Curtis finding the materials needed.  Good stuff.  But the main feature of the film is when the sub stops off at an island and finds they have to evacuate 6 female nurses.  Who are, of course, mostly stacked.  And then it's a lot of "boys will be boys" and "women don't belong on a boat!" humor that you either are going to have to get settled in with or you're going to want to choke a boat load of US servicemen.   The humor is a brand of post-screwball wackiness that would continue to expand into the 1960's and be killed off by 1970s film while being embraced by 1970's TV, in its way.  And some bits are really good.  I did want to tell the editor to please leave Cary Grant alone and let him have his moments after something wacky happened, because that's where you get the laugh doubled down (see Grant in Bringing Up Baby).  There's not even exactly double-entendres but in an era that was sanitizing comedy, this must have felt pretty racy (you see a girdle and a bra!).   Fun bit of casting - look for Marion "Mrs. Cunningham" Ross as one of the nurses.  And, fun fact:  there was a 1977 TV show that basically remade the movie starring John Astin in the Cary Grant role and had a very young Jamie Lee Curtis as one of the nurses.  I have absolutely no idea how this premise was carried off for two seasons of network TV.   Anyway, it's a fascinating time capsule talking to the generation who was in the war now that they bought suburban houses as much as it's a comedy you can still put on and get most of the jokes.   https://ift.tt/74jsZ0Y via The Signal Watch https://ift.tt/5SVm8JY January 29, 2024 at 09:25PM

[sanshofox]

Can you recommend your favorite comedies/romcoms from the 50s and 60s? I'd love to watch more but I have trouble finding more than the Classics™️ (as decided by? websites in general I guess?)

Yours, mine and ours (1968)

A touch of mink (1962)

Send me no flowers (1964)

Pillow talk (1959)

Lover come back (1961)

Move over darling (1963)

The thrill of it all (1963)

Operation petticoat (1959)

Houseboat (1958)

Cinderella story (sophia loren, 1967, this one is hard to find)

it started in naples (1960)

Indiscreet (1958)

Blondes preferred (1953)

We’re no angels (1955)

Teacher‘s pet (1958)

Carry-on movies in general (throughout the 50s,60s and 70s)

Father of the bride (1951)

The countess from hong kong (1967)

Roman holiday (1953)

Sabrina (1954, tbh I prefer the 90s version more though)

Charade (1963)

My fair lady (1964)

Funny girl (1968)

Louis de funès movies in general (50s, 60s, 70s)

Strange bedfellows (1965)

Those are my favs so far. I still have a few movies left to watch with i.e. katherine hepburn, spencer tracy and shirley maclaine and others in the main cast, but there aren’t many left on my list. Additionally germany didn’t localize every movie back then, mostly those that were already successful in their home country and would promise guaranteed success in german cinema, so there‘s the chance that most of the movies I named are listed as classics. Though I do hope I could name a few that are new to you. :D

I also have german fav movies from the 50s and 60s but I dunno the region you’re from, so I listed only those that have english as main language or have subtitles.

If there’s someone that would like to contribute their fav in the comments please do so.

[sleepdeprivedphilosopher]

Top 7 comfort movies

thanks for the tag @nightimedreamersworld 💕some of these I haven’t watched in years, but I have fond memories of them. also, almost all of them are comedies so yea clearly I get comfort from humor. 

in order of when I remembered them:

1. It Happened on Fifth Avenue (1947), so this is actually my favorite movie of all time. growing up, my brother and I used to watch a lot of old movies. some of them my dad showed us and some of them we discovered on those old channels who aired classic films. this movie was the latter. I loved the ridiculous humor, and I loved the heartfelt ending (especially for a child of divorce). it is a wonderful movie.

2. Morning Glory (2010) I’ve been meaning to give this one a re-watch. a pretty cut and dry premise of an up and coming morning talk show producer. I just really love the connection between rachel mcadam’s character and harrison ford. there is a scene with them making frittatas that gets me every time. underrated film highly recommend it. it reminds me of my mom. we always watched it together. 

3. The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004) I love this movie and not just because it has chris pine in it. something about it has just always soothed me. plus the scene where him and anne hathaway are fighting and fall into a foundation grade a cinema right there. probably started my affair with love-hate relationships come to think of it. 

4. Operation Petticoat (1959), another oldie this time, one that my dad showed me. I don’t know how many times I’ve watched this movie growing up, but I never got tired of it. something about a pink submarine in world war two is just so hilarious to me. also manages to be heartwarming somehow. when I got sick, my dad used to push together the two living room couches into a makeshift bed, and I remember watching this movie over and over again until I fell asleep. 

5. Treasure Planet (2002) I actually didn’t end up watching this movie until my freshman year in college and I don’t know why it took me so long. honestly, this movie came to me at the right time. I was on my own for the first time with roommates I didn’t click with and was two and a half hours away from my friends and family. I don’t remember ever being that lonely since. this movie was a comfort then and the song I'm Still Here will always have a special place in my heart. 

6. Star Trek (2009) this movie is the reason that I started down the rabbit hole of trek. I watched it then bought it and then continued to re-watch it as much as possible. I still regularly will listen to the soundtrack on spotify. it is one my favorite movies. (also sparked my love of chris pine *cough*).

7. Sherlock Holmes (2009) I guess I just have a thing for movies from that year. this movie makes me smile whenever I watch it, and I love the boxing scene with all my heart. 

thanks again for the tag @nightimedreamersworld 💕💕 this reminded me of movies I forgot about and now want to watch again. :) 

so all of you can experience it tagging: @sharing-a-room-with-an-open-fire @the-clueless-philosopher @sortofsea @daisy---bug