While the series itself was always in black & white, this was the first appearance of the cast in full color, and it would be the last mission for seaman Joseph "Happy" Haines (Gavin McLeod), who left the series after season 2.
At 93 minutes, or slightly longer than a 3-episode block, it plays like a typical episode of the series.
Trying to raise money for a local orphange leads to disaster for the crew of the PT-73, leaving the crew in deep debt to the Marines who bet on a tape-delayed race broadcast by Gruber (Carl Ballantine). Ensign Parker (Tim Conway) draws the attention of a French woman (Claudine Longet, Mrs. Andy Williams at the time), and that leads to more trouble involving a local businessman (George Kennedy), and leaves McHale (Ernest Borgnine) to contemplate a reluctant marriage to an old flame (Jean Willis). All the while, Captain Binghamton (Joe Flynn) is looking, as usual, to nail McHale and the crew for a court-martial, but you know how that works.
Unfortunately, no footage of the movie is available online, hence the poster above.
I've often discussed over in Saturday Morning Archives how some old cartoon shorts from the 60's could stand to be remade today with expanded plots. The movie version of "McHale's Navy" in 1964 shared the same problem as some movies derived from, say for example, Saturday Night Live in that a generic plot extended past its natural length often ends up falling flat. This could've played out as a 3-part episode of the series, and would've worked out just fine.
The crew, save for Borgnine and Ballantine, would return in a sequel, "McHale's Navy Joins The Air Force". Both movies would be in regular rotation locally during the 70's.
Rating: B--.
McHale's Navy, the series, was never in color.
ReplyDeleteHad it been picked up by ABC for fall '66 it would have been, but that didn't happen.
Could've fooled me....
ReplyDeleteYou wouldn't be the only one.
ReplyDeleteNobody Remember This Dept.:
In the fall of 1963, Wagon Train, in its second season on ABC, expanded to 90 minutes, in color, on Monday nights.
NBC had theatrical movies, CBS had Lucy, Danny, and Andy, and ABC got what was left.
After a season, Wagon Train came back in the fall of 1964 - back to an hour, and back to black-&-white.
Why didn't Universal keep Wagon Train in color?
Money, most likely; MCA was a most capricious company, especially with its own product.
Also, ABC possibly cut the licensing fee just a bit …
You mean MCA was cheap?
ReplyDelete