NO TIME FOR SERGEANTS (1958)

Written by Hombre Divertido

Based on the novel by Mac Hyman, No Time for Sergeants was a production that could not be stopped; until it became a situation comedy that is.

In 1955 the successful novel became a television episode of the United States Steel Hour starring the virtually unknown Andy Griffith as the country bumpkin turned soldier Will Stockdale. Seven months later the play debuted in New York, ran for 796 performances, and garnered Griffith a Tony Award nomination for best actor in 1956. He would go on to reprise the role in the 1958 motion picture.

Griffith did not play the part of Stockdale in the television situation comedy which may be one of many reasons why the series ran for only 34 episodes from September of 1964 to September of 1965. By that time Griffith had cemented himself in the history of American television with the highly successful Andy Griffith Show.

Nonetheless, it was No Time for Sergeants that launched the career of Griffith, and this classic film has finally been released on DVD. From Warner Home Video, this 119-minute, fish-out-of-water military farce landed on shelves May 4th.

Griffith plays the wide-eyed and grinning Will Stockdale to perfection as he innocently tries to fit in to the world of the military after being drafted off the backwoods farm where he was raised. On the first day of his induction Will befriends the nebbish Ben Whitledge (Nick Adams) and the two form a brains-and-brawn team that helps them navigate the rough waters ahead. Griffith and Adams play well off each other and display excellent comedic chemistry.

Though this is clearly Griffith’s film, he is surrounded by amazing talent. Myron McCormick takes the film version of a normally overbearing drill sergeant and turns the character of Sgt. Orville C. King into a loveable foil for the comedic happenstance. Also in the cast are Murray Hamilton as the antagonist Irving Blanchard, and Don Knotts in the all too small, but extremely enjoyable to watch role of Corporal John C. Brown.

The cast and performances are wonderful in this film, unfortunately, like most military comedies, the script let’s the actors down. The fish-out-of-water premise works wonderfully here, but once the training is over; the characters need something to do. As in other comedies where characters don’t quite fit into military life, the training is funny, the mission is not. See Stripes.

In the novel and play, Will and Ben are drafted into the army, and strive to be transferred into the Air Force. In the film that scenario is reversed, and far too much time is spent trying to justify why the two want out of the Air Force and into the infantry.

Our story plays out with necessary narration from Griffith to fill obvious holes and explain a poorly written slapstick ending that makes little sense as the actors pour more and more energy into situations that simply don’t work.

The new digitally premastered release looks and sounds great. Unfortunately there is no bonus material in this release. Considering the time Griffith spent in this role, an interview on the subject would have been a nice addition.

Recommendation: There are enough engaging performances and solid laughs here to make this acquisition worth your while. It is good fun for the whole family. For those revisiting this classic for the first time in many years, you may have forgotten just how ridiculous the story becomes, and thus could be disappointed.

Matlock - The Second Season

Written by Senora Bicho

Matlock was a legal drama that aired from 1986 to 1992 on NBC and then on ABC from 1992 to 1995. Andy Griffith was the star of the show as widowed defense attorney Benjamin Matlock based in Atlanta, Georgia. The character was based on real-life attorney Bobby Lee Cook from Summerville, Georgia. The premise of the show was very similar to Perry Mason with a part of the show being the investigation into proving the innocence of the client and the rest of the show set in the courtroom. The real killer was always the last person called to the stand with Matlock unveiling the truth. The primary difference between Matlock and Perry Mason is the attributes of the main characters. Mason was more of a highbrow serious intellectual with Matlock being a lovable good old southern boy well known for his love of playing the guitar and eating hot dogs.

In Season Two, Matlock joins forces with Michelle Thomas (Nancy Stafford) as a new junior associate. He meets Michelle while on a case in London in the season premiere and after the case is over he offers her a job that she quickly accepts. In Season One, Matlock’s daughter was a fellow partner, but Linda Purl was unhappy with the direction of the character so she was written off at the end of the season with the story being she was going off to start her own firm. Matlock is also aided by his private investigator Tyler Hudson (Kene Holliday) and his assistant Cassie Phillips (Kari Liz). Another regular recurring character is District Attorney Julie March (Julie Sommers) who is also Ben’s friend and love interest.

While the majority of the cases take place in his hometown, Matlock is also willing to travel to defend the innocent. In this season he travels to London, Washington D.C., Hollywood, and Las Vegas. There are many guest stars to be found such as David Carradine, Greg Evigan, Michele Green, and Bruce Greene. It is fun to see all of these stars looking so young. Interestingly enough the episode that is set in Vegas features Marg Helgenberger who is best known for her long run on CSI, which is set in the same city.

The DVD set includes all 23 episodes from the Second Season along with one special feature, alternate endings for the episode “The Hucksters.” When the original show aired, viewers were given the opportunity to call in and pick one of three potential murders. You can watch the show as it aired to see who America picked or you can select the murderer of your choice.

I recently watched several episodes of Perry Mason and was really surprised at how smart it was and really enjoyed it. Matlock is much more simplistic, but if you like courtroom drama, there is no reason why you wouldn’t enjoy it. Andy Griffith is also entertaining and makes the show fun. In addition, Matlock’s clients are not always innocent, which makes the show more interesting and realistic. I must note, however, that the picture looks pretty bad; it is unfortunate that they didn’t do anything to enhance it.

WAITRESS

Written by Anonimo

Waitress is a chick flick done well starring Keri Russell (best known for her former role in the TV series Felicity) as Jenna, a southern gal in a bad marriage with a knack for making out-of-this-world pies at a hole-in-the-wall pie shop. The movie stars off with Jenna finding out she’s pregnant by her controlling abusive husband, Earl, played by Jeremy Sisto. Jenna forces her best friends and co-workers Becky (Cheryl Hines) and Dawn (Adrienne Shelly) to keep the pregnancy a secret due to the fact that she hates Earl, and she is only pregnant because he had his way with her on a drunken night. The pregnancy only complicates Jenna’s plan to participate in a pie contest in which the prize money is just enough for her to skip town and leave Earl for good.

Jenna is not at all excited about motherhood and much less the fact that she must see a doctor. She goes to see her long-time female OB/GYN only to find that Dr. Pomatter (Nathan Fillion) has taken over the practice. Although married, the doctor is immediately infatuated with Jenna and it isn’t long before sparks fly and they begin to have an affair.

The love affair continues as Jenna’s stomach grows, and Earl, stuck in his own little world remains clueless. Jenna knows she cannot continue the affair or remain with her husband. It is only with the advice of Joe (Andy Griffith), the elderly but quick-witted pie-shop owner that she manages to keep her head on straight.

We think Earl has discovered Jenna’s affair during a raging outburst at Dawn’s wedding reception, but he only found cash hidden around the house, the money Jenna would have used to ditch Earl, race to the pie contest, and hopefully win the grand prize.

Soon enough, Jenna is in the hospital room where she will give birth to a baby she stills doesn’t want. Joe suddenly comes in to say hello and drops of a card before going into surgery himself. Things couldn’t be more awkward for Jenna when she gave birth with the man she married and the man she is having an affair with both in the same room during the delivery of her baby.

Jenna has a girl whom she magically falls in love with at first sight. Earl is unhappy it’s not a boy and demands Jenna love him more. It is at this point where Jenna finds the courage to tell “Earlie” that she doesn’t love him anymore and wants him out of her life. Earl is pushed out of the room by hospital staff and Jenna remains with her new bundle of joy.

On her way out of the hospital, Jenna breaks off her affair with the doc, reminding him that he is after all married. Not before leaving the hospital does Jenna open her card from Joe to discover a check for two-hundred seventy odd some-dollars. She uses this money to fix up the pie shop, renames it Lulu’s after her daughter and lives happily ever.

I took on this movie reluctantly and ended up liking it in the end. It is funny at times, but takes on a more serious tone. It’s good, definitely a great rental to watch with the significant other on Friday night.

Extras include audio commentaries by Russell and producer Michael Roiff and features about the actors that aired on Fox Movie Channel, the making of the movie, and a memorial to writer/director Shelly.

Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.: The Third Season

Written by Hombre Divertido

Take a boy from Mayberry and put him in the Marines and you have the incredibly simple plot that is Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. Luckily this was not a simple show. The easy road could have been taken here and a show could have been built that relied solely on the talents that Jim Nabors displayed as the lovable Gomer on The Andy Griffith Show for a little more than one season. Nabors could have carried a show for a season or two, but then we would not have Season Three, new on DVD. Instead of taking the easy road, Nabors was surrounded with a solid ensemble including Frank Sutton as Sgt. Vince Carter, Ronnie Schell as Pvt. Gilbert “Duke” Slater, William Christopher as Pvt. Lester Hummel, Roy Stuart as Cpl. Chuck Boyle, Barbara Stuart as Bunny, and Elizabeth MacCrae as Lou Ann.

The fine group of character actors really hit their stride this season, as Nabors began to settle into his role, and Pyle settled into the Marines. The stories are well rounded, and display a continuity that was ahead of its time.

At the core of this show is the relationship between Pyle and Carter, and how said relationship was allowed to evolve over the course of the five-season run. By the third season Pyle had begun to become less of a constant thorn in the side of Carter, and a father-son relationship began to develop, and signs of friendship began to appear.

As in the previously mentioned Andy Griffith Show, this is simple comedy. Not outrageous or hysterically funny, just simple, subtle, and completely enjoyable. Gomer gets into fun adventures whether he is sightseeing in Hollywood and meeting Deborah Wally as a Hollywood Starlet, or dealing with a young Rob Reiner in two of the season’s episodes.

There are thirty digitally re-mastered episodes in this set, and though not all gems, the color is sharp, and they have a good look to them.

Recommendation: Of the rural comedies on CBS in the sixties, Gomer Pyle was consistently one of the funniest. Though there are no extras in this set, it is still worth owning. Whereas most shows of this era get tiring when attempting to watch more than one episode in a session, each episode of this classic leaves you wanting to see what is coming next. The writing is fresh and contains little re-hash. Should make a good Christmas gift.