Never Wave at a WAC (1953) User Reviews

Amusing lark

[hbaird334 · 7/10 · 8 October 2006]

I stumbled across this movie one sleepness night and rarely have I ever enjoyed insomnia so much. It has to be the inspiration for Goldie Hawn's "Private Benjamin" and the innocence of the era in which this movie was made (1952) seems to add to the enjoyment.

The film quality and overall production seems to hint at a low budget affair but again this only adds to the charm. The actors work well together and you can tell that the players enjoyed working together.

Rosalind Russell, as Jo McBain comes through as a real sport by allowing her character to be put through several hilarious and humbling situations. And most of those situations are created by the doings of Paul Douglas who plays Ms. Russell's likable ex-husband Andrew. And of course there is the "third wheel" in the story, a love interest of Jo McBain's, Lt. Colonel Schuyler Fairchild who is played solidly by William Ching. Andrw McBain's actions are driven by a desire to keep his ex-wife Jo and Colonel Fairchild apart.

Adding to the pippiness is a cameo by World War II hero General Omar Bradley playing himself. Old movie buffs who have not seen this work will most certainly enjoy and appreciate it.

Private Rosalind

[BrianUWS · 7/10 · 30 May 2006]

The plot of this movie is more than a little similar to "Private Benjamin." It's fun to see Rosalind Russell as a sort of WASP version of Goldie Hawn, indignant at the treatment she's being given in the WACs. The first half of this film is nearly a laugh a minute, but it bogs down in the second half when it does duty as a propaganda film and tries to put a button on the story line.

I found a DVD copy of this included on one of those discs that cram several movies on to one disc and cost very little. The title of the disc is "Comedy Classics" and includes (along with "Never Wave At a WAC") "New Faces," "Hazel Flagg," "The Smallest Show on Earth," and five others.

This movie is well worth the effort to locate, if only to see the scene in the doctor's office, Miss Russell with cigarette in hand.

Not terribly deep, but not a waste, either.

[KDWms · 5/10 · 28 March 2003]

Ex-soldier's civilian job (improving uniforms) requires him to continue co-ordinating with the military. His socialite ex-wife's boyfriend is a Colonel, ordered to Paris. To be near the officer, the spoiled gal (Rosalind Russell) joins the WACS, expecting her elbow-rubbing father to smoothen her ride, but dad sees service as a means of tightening the reigns on her, so, she "starts from the bottom." To make matters worse, ex-hubby crosses paths with - and makes life more difficult for - her, although he eventually mellows toward her. Companion plot follows showgirl-turned-WAC's romance with Sergeant. But viewers of this film will discover whether Roz seeks boyfriend's or former husband's next stop. Not terribly deep but not a waste, either.

silly but fun

[timmauk · 7/10 · 21 December 2000]

If you are a fan of Ms. Russell's, then this is one you must see. If you are looking for a nice little comedy to feel good with, then watch this. If you are a comedy snob, forget it pal.

This is a silly but fun film. It starts out that Roz is the daughter of a Washington big wig. She is in love with this major in the army and he has to go overseas for a time. No way is she going to let him leave without her to fend off the chicks, so she enlist into the Army. Thinking her Dad can pull some strings in Washington, she thinks she will get a big rank and fly off with her love, but nooooooo. Her Dad wants to teach her a thing or two. He feels she is too big for her britches. So she ends up becoming just a private and staying in the US of A. She runs into her ex (Paul Douglas) who is working with the Army with some experiments. Trouble ensues....Throw in Marie Wilson (a Marilyn copy) and get set for a little fun. I have this. For a Roz Russell film it rates a 6 of 10.

Decent Light Entertainment

[Snow Leopard · 30 July 2001]

This light comedy has some entertaining characters and a few good scenes that make up for a rather slim plot. The story itself is rather silly - Rosalind Russell stars as a divorced socialite who joins the Army solely in order to be closer to her officer boyfriend. She quickly finds out that the Army plans to do a little more with her than simply give her passes whenever she wants to see him. Meanwhile, her scientific ex-husband (Paul Douglas) is working for the Army, and requests her for his project so that he can disrupt her planned romantic meetings. Since there's not a whole lot to work with, it starts to run out of steam after a while, but remains mostly pleasant to watch. While it's nothing to take seriously, it's just meant as light-hearted entertainment, and as such most of it works pretty well.

Could have been better

[gridoon2024 · 6/10 · 10 October 2011]

Rosalind Russell is a talented comedienne, but "Never Wave At A WAC" is a mediocre vehicle for her. It has a dependable fish-out-of-water premise, but not enough gags. I think it could have been improved by focusing more on the day-to-day struggle with, and gradual acceptance of, military life by Russell's character, and by drastically reducing the role of Paul Douglas, the vengeful but still loving ex-husband. Douglas not only looks too old for his role (hard to believe he was actually the same age as Russell!), but his character does some humiliating things to Russell's character that are more mean-spirited than funny. Although he's supposed, at least at the start, to be the "sensible" one while Russell is supposed to be the "spoiled" one, she is easily the more likable character of the two. And why waste Hillary Brooke in such a small part (she appears only in the opening party sequence)? **1/2 out of 4.

Roz Joins The Army

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 2 July 2007]

Never Wave At A WAC is the apparently weird combination of Buck Privates and Woman of the Year. The odd thing about it is that it actually works and still will get a few laughs from today's audience.

This might have been a script offered to Katharine Hepburn, but Hepburn never really got as physical in her comedy films as Rosalind Russell does here. Still the part of socialite daughter of a United States Senator would normally have been something Hepburn might have done. Yet Russell makes the part all her own.

Russell's a bit of a snob and her father Charles Dingle well knows it. During a party where her ex-husband, Paul Douglas, crashes she meets another socialite friend who has just got a commission in the Woman's Army Corps. Russell's current boyfriend is another commissioned officer from public relations, William Ching, borrowed from an Ad agency. He's been assigned to NATO headquarters in Paris.

Of course dear old dad will pull some strings and make her an officer and a lady. Except Charles Dingle doesn't want to do it. He says let her in as a buck private and it takes a bit of getting used to before Russell realizes she's not a VIP on the base. And when Douglas who is a scientist doing work for the army arrives on her base the fun really starts.

Roz has some good physical scenes, check out the one where she and other WACS are part of a Douglas experiment in arctic conditions. They're not as physical as the ones in Private Benjamin, still Russell gets ample opportunity to display her comic timing.

There's also a nice subplot involving Marie Wilson, a stripper who joins the WACs and falls for Sergeant Leif Erickson.

Charles Dingle is always one of my favorite character actors and it was really nice to see him as a good guy for a change. He's either a nasty villain like in Edge of Darkness or he's a pompous horse's rear like in Welcome Stranger. He's neither in this film, just a nice down to earth man who happens to be a United States Senator and not pleased with the snobbish ways of his daughter.

Obviously because he believed in getting more women in the Armed Services, the then Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Omar N. Bradley made a guest appearance as himself. He has a moment when calls about Russell's status reach his ears and he refers them to his good friend Senator Dingle who's on a fishing trip.

Never Wave At A WAC though eclipsed somewhat for the current past two generations by Private Benjamin still has a lot of laughs. And it's a great introduction to one of the best and most versatile stars from the age of studio Hollywood, Rosalind Russell.

Refreshing, Innocent & Undemanding

[pamevans46 · 6/10 · 9 April 2007]

This comparatively little known film, with the extremely unlikely storyline is, nevertheless a joy to watch. It is pure escapism with more than a hint of nostalgia for those of us of a certain age. The script is good with some nice one-liners, but because the plot itself is obviously rather weak things become a little laboured. I doubt it would come over as successfully as it does, where it not for the one and only Rosalind Russell - ever able to combine excellent dramatic and comedic acting with the epitome of Hollywood glamour. And where oh where would it have been without that stalwart, always believable, and I think much underrated actor, Paul Douglas as Russell's long suffering ex husband.

If you feel like some light hearted 1950s entertainment you could do a lot worse.

Russell gets the "Private Benjamin" treatment in wacky comedy...

[Doylenf · 5/10 · 9 January 2008]

When ROSALIND RUSSELL wasn't doing heavy emoting in films like MOURNING BECOMES ELECTRA, she was doing wacky comedies like NEVER WAVE AT A WAC and proving that she had comic flair even in sub-standard material.

This is a forerunner of the "Private Benjamin" type of service story--or the "See Here Private Hargrove" type of thing, where a disgruntled serviceman (or woman) finds life in the Army rough going when given some deliberately hectic chores to do. MARIE Wilson is another unlikely recruit who's fighting off advances from an overeager sergeant, LEIF ERICKSON.

The gags are fast and furious but not too original as Russell is given some challenging assignments by PAUL DOUGLAS, as the man who eventually wins her heart. None of it is very convincing and Russell certainly had better opportunities in other smarter comedies during the '30s and '40s.

Passes the time, but not really worth watching unless you're a Russell fan.

Silly and light-weight but still kind of fun

[planktonrules · 6/10 · 1 August 2008]

This is a very silly film with a very silly plot and some very silly and impossible to believe characters. Yet, despite all this, if you can suspend judgment, there is still a decent film there to enjoy--making this a bit of a guilty pleasure.

Rosalind Russell and Paul Douglas just divorced and Roz is planning on getting remarried to a stuffy colonel. However, Paul wants her back and with Roz's father's conniving, a plan is hatched. Dad convinces Roz that it would be "fun" for her to join the WACs and that with all their political connections (after all, he is a senator and she knows EVERYBODY in Washington who is somebody), she'll be commissioned a colonel herself. Well, based on this pep talk, she rushes to the recruiting office (despite being 45 and WAAY too old to join). However, he tricked her as she does NOT get a commission and is a lowly recruit.

The problem is not just how contrived all this is as well as Roz's age but how they wrote her character. She walks around the base and acts like it's the Hilton Hotel. While having her play a spoiled rich brat was cool, no one is THAT obnoxious and stupid to think that they'd get the army to cater to their every whim! This could have sunk the film had it not been for the fact that they played it all for comedy--never taking itself too seriously.

Cute writing and dialog managed to make this film harmless fun and a very good time-passer. Sophisticated entertainment? No way--but still cute and enjoyable.

Private Rosalind

[wes-connors · 3/10 · 1 May 2011]

Snobby Washington socialite Rosalind Russell (as Josephine "Jo" McBain) joins the Women's Army Corps (WAC) in order to keep an eye on young boyfriend William Ching (as Schuyler "Sky" Fairchild). Ms. Russell, who temptingly asks, "Can you tell me where to go?" on arrival, isn't prepared for either the rigors of basic training or the interference of ex-husband Paul Douglas (as Andrew "Andy" McBain). Russell displays some good comic timing, but this re-make of her CBS-TV "Schlitz Playhouse of Stars" (1951) is stretched far too thin. Moreover, parts of the situation are simply embarrassing, like seeing a towel-clad Russell smoking a cigarette ("inhale, exhale") during her physical. Bosomy blonde Marie Wilson (as Danger O'Dowd) is an arousing companion.

*** Never Wave at a WAC (1/28/53) Norman Z. McLeod ~ Rosalind Russell, Paul Douglas, Marie Wilson, William Ching

Average But Amusing Piece of Fluff and Army Propaganda

[jayraskin1 · 8/10 · 22 June 2012]

Rosalind Russell became a star at 33 with "His Girl Friday" in 1940. Before that, she did mostly small parts. There's a big gap of nearly 20 years in her career before we see her is some of her best later career movies, like "Auntie Mame," "Gypsy," and the "Trouble with Angels" It is nice to see her in a mid-career piece like this from 1953. I watched it on 100 comedy classics from Mill Creek video.

This is a reasonably funny piece about an aristocratic woman who joins the army expecting to be made an officer immediately because of her high social standing in society. She learns that the army is a democratic institution and goes through normal training as a WAC.

Russell is reasonably delightful. She's given good support by Marie Wilson as a dizzy blond who wants to have a career in intelligence. Paul Douglas plays her husband, perhaps a little too somber and solemn for a piece like this. He's usually better in dramas and film noir.

For those who have seen Abbott and Costello's "Buck Privates" or "Private Benjamin" or "Stripes," or other army comedies, there won't be too many surprises. Still, its a solidly amusing piece of work most of the time. It proves again that joining the army is just like going to summer camp, only with guns.

She needed to wave goodbye to her snobbish life

[SimonJack · 7/10 · 2 May 2021]

"Never Wave at a WAC" is worth seeing just for one thing -- Rosalind Russell's over-the-top performance as the ultimate socialite snob of snobs. Russell could play sophisticates and prim and proper upper crust, including in comedies. But she gives this role such snobbery that her completely spoiled and selfish persona quickly makes the audience want to see her get tanked. And, when she does, of sorts, she keeps the snobbery going beyond anyone's imagination. It's a superb performance and role.

This film was made during the Korean War. It came out in January of 1953, and a truce would bring the war to an end in July. The film is first and foremost a comedy, but also is a slight patriotic film with a pat on the back for the WACs. The Women's Army Corps was established in May 1942 during WW II and lasted until 1978 when it was disbanded and all units were integrated into the regular Army with males.

The plot is silly with some very funny scenes. Wealthy Jo McBain is the daughter of prominent U. S.. Senator Tom Reynolds. She lives and glories in the limelight of Washington, D. C. During the day, she is busy making public appearances for all sorts of civic things. In the evenings, she is the toast and host of Washington society. She throws elaborate parties at which all the big wigs, brass and famous people are invited and attend - including a menagerie of ambassadors and other foreign diplomats. In one very funny scene, Jo cuts a ribbon for a strange looking small sculpture that resembles a water fountain. It's across the south lawn of the White House and the next scene shows Jo smiling and waving at figures in two windows of the White House. Caricatures of the President and first lady are waving back.

Jo has been divorced from Andrew McBain, played by Paul Douglas. He's a scientist and researcher who is now designing and making protecting clothing and gear for GIs. Jo is now engaged to Air Force Lt. Col. Sky Fairchild, who's just been reassigned to Paris, France. She is jealous of another attractive socialite who has a commission in the WACs. First Lt. Phyllis Turnbull, is also going to Paris, and also has an eye for Sky Fairchild. The senator thinks his daughter needs to come down off her pedestal and get her feet on the ground. So, he cons Jo into joining the WACs. She thinks she's going to get a gold-plated commission handed to her.

But when she drives her convertible with her fine clothes all packed and ready for duty at Fort Lee, Virginia, she soon finds out that she will be Pvt. McBain, not General McBain. Still, she persists in her snobbish persona, with some hilarious scenes stepping out of ranks, lighting a cigarette in formation, etc. She is so wound up in her self-importance that she's clueless of her situation and where she is for a long time. All of that plays for more humor. And, even considering that this was 10 years after the WACs had been formed and served in WW II, the handling of McBain by the WAC staff seems awfully reserved.

Well, that's all for the better comedy when who else should be at Fort Lee but ex-husband, Andrew McBain. He is conducting equipment tests for the Army. McBain has declined the offer of a field-grade commission, choosing instead to work for and with the Army in his civilian capacity. When he needs half a dozen women for special duty with the tests, he picks Jo as one of them.

This isn't a comedy of witty dialog, or antics. It's strictly situational humor. Rosalind Russell plays a part that has some physical workouts and otherwise humiliating scenes. While she wasn't among the glamorous group in Hollywood, she was a very talented woman of beauty and character who could play superb comedy, drama, mystery and anything in between and beyond.

The supporting cast are all very good. The best of these are Marie Wilson as Clara Schneiderman (aka, Danger O'Dowd), William Ching as Jo's fiancé, Lt. Col. Sky Fairchild, and Leif Erickson who plays Master Sgt. Norbert Jackson. The production quality is lacking. The screenplay could have been better, and the camera work wasn't well planned and carried out.

But, one can and should put all that aside and watch this film just for the fun of the sterling performance by Rosalind Russell. There are no great hilarious lines or antics, but lots of scenes that are sure to bring chuckles.

Here are some favorite lines from this film.

Lily Mae Gorham, "Your father wanted to invite senators Cullen and Clark, but I said 'no,' they're investigating each other."

Sen. Holbrook, "So the senator had the floor three hours, eh. What was he speaking about?" Sen. Tom Reynolds, Jo McBain's father, "He didn't say."

Andrew McBain, "Doesn't it strike you as rather symbolic that the Japanese beetles are destroying our elm trees?" Jo McBain, "Yes, since our marriage fell apart at the same time."

Jo McBain, "Oh, now father, I'm not greedy - you know that. I don't mind starting as a major or captain and working my way up on my own merits". Sen. Tom Reynolds, "Why, there's no telling - you might be the first woman general... even president." Jo McBain, 'Oh, I'll let you be president first."

Sergeant interviewer (Norma Busse), "Do you speak any languages fluently?" Clara Schneiderman, "Yes, ma'am - English."

Sgt. Taylor, "And now, what would you like to do?" Jo McBain, "I'd like to murder my father."

Col. Colfax (Alan Frank, uncredited), "When are you gonna talk this guy back into uniform so I can order him around?"

Clara Schneiderman, "I'm being watched." Jo McBain, "Look, Schneiderman, you better ease into this spying business gradually - mustn't' overdo, you know."

A dissenting opinion

[sjk969 · 2/10 · 12 January 2008]

I watched this movie not so much for Rosalind Russel, but for Regis Toomey ("The Big Sleep" and "Guys and Dolls"). I barely made my way through this film. It was painful to watch. And like a train wreck, I could not stop watching, hoping it would get better.

Jo McBain is an incredibly stuck-up blue-blood aristocratic ..um.. twit. She spends most of the movie with her nose high in the air, all but sh*tting on her black servants. I so wanted to smack her hard several times in the film.

I would think that if a recruit showed that much insolence and insubordination that she showed the WAC NCOs and officers, she'd be thrown in the brig until her attitude got adjusted.

And don't get me started on Clara Schneiderman and Sgt. Norbert Jackson! She was insufferable, and he desperately needed a knee in the groin every time he said or did something patently offensive.

Yes, I know the movie is a product of its time and reflects the then-mainstream sensibilities. I've seen other old (read: black and white) films that were not nearly as offensive and painful to watch. This film needs to be watched with more than just a grain of salt, you need an entire container of Morton's.

Painful

[mls4182 · 3/10 · 22 March 2023]

This film is especially painful for Rosalind Russell fans. She deserved so much better. I can't believe she agreed to this script let alone financed it.

There are very few funny or clever lines or scenes in this film. The talented cast has nothing to sink their teeth into. They are just spinning their wheels.

A socialite in the Army is ripe for many hilarious situations as proven in Private Benjamin. They barely came up with one in this film.

Also there is the curious casting of Leif Erickson. The man has no flair for comedy. In fact I doubt he ever had a sense of humor.

Oh, poor, poor, Roz.

Mild Comedy

[dougdoepke · 24 September 2013]

Certainly can't blame the sparkling Russell if the last part of the comedic hijinks seems labored. The first part shines, especially the fancy ball where Jo (Russell) flits around like the proverbial social butterfly, while divorced husband (Andy) tries to rescue his dog without anybody noticing. Too bad Douglas is largely forgotten. He had about a ten-year period where he played the likable grouch to perfection.

It's interesting to compare this film with its male counterpart No Time for Sergeants (1958). Here Jo is a sheltered socialite who thinks joining the WACS will be a lark, plus put her closer to her colonel boyfriend (Ching). Needless to say, she's in for the proverbial rude awakening, though not too rude. In No Time…, Andy Griffith is Jo's opposite, a naïve hillbilly who gets drafted, has similarly rude adjustment problems, except his are from the other end of the social spectrum. Both movies get a load of laughs from sticking unmilitary types into training camp, strict military style.

But frankly, I thought the slapstick of putting Jo through the rigors of testing new equipment came across as labored and not very funny. It also amounts to an unfortunate stylistic break with the previous lighter mood. Nonetheless, rolling around the mud does symbolically rid Jo of her social pretensions, and make it so she and Andy can get back together on a more honest plain. So at least the testing works on a plot level.

Anyway, the film's an okay comedy, produced by Russell's husband and independently distributed, at a time when the studios were unfortunately breaking apart.

She's the hostess with the mostest on the base...

[mark.waltz · 4/10 · 4 August 2016]

Seemingly influenced by Ethel Merman's success on Broadway spoofing D. C. hostess Pearl Mesta in "Call Me Madam", Rosalind Russell takes on a part that obviously was spoofed by Goldie Hawn in "Private Benjamin". She's another pushy broad acting like a brigadier general when she's only a recruit. No wonder her obviously flustered husband Paul Douglas divorced her!

As a senator's daughter, Russell is totally imperious from the start, desperately in need of a take-down, not as a woman, but as a human being who is over-wrought with extreme self importance and pretension, especially when she adds President Truman to her list of character witnesses. While it is amusing to watch her make an absolute fool out of herself, I find the military response to her quite unrealistic.

On the opposite end of the spectrum is Marie Wilson ("My Friend Irma"), a dizzy striptease artist who needs more than a little help fitting in. These two outcasts manage to change in different ways while going through basic training and eventually finding their footing. Russell's done much better comedy then this, and the story was much better done more than 25 years later.

A hidden little gem

[Cookiebaker101 · 9/10 · 25 April 2021]

This may not be the Picture of the Year, but most films are not. It is a nice movie to watch day or night. The actors show up to do their job, they do it well, and it shows.

A Rather Tepid Comedy

[Uriah43 · 5/10 · 5 March 2021]

"Josephine 'Jo' McBain" (Rosalind Russell) is a spoiled socialite who is divorced from a wealthy uniform designer and also happens to be the daughter of a very powerful politician by the name of "Senator Tom Reynolds" (Charles Dingle). So when she hears that her new fiancé, "Lt. Col. Schuyler 'Sky' Fairchild" (William Ching) is being reassigned from the Pentagon to Paris she decides to reserve the first flight out of Washington D.C. to join him. Senator Reynolds, however, comes up with another idea and convinces her to join the Women's Army Corps (WAC) instead with the assurance that she will be commissioned as an officer almost immediately upon being sworn in and subsequently sent to Paris in no time. Naturally, she whole-heartedly agrees--but what she doesn't know is that the senator has no intention of using his influence to soften her Army experience figuring that some old-fashioned discipline will do her some good. However, the question soon becomes whether the Army is ready for someone like her? Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this was a rather tepid comedy which was completely predictable all the way through. It does, however, have some good scenes here and there with Marie Wilson (as "Clara Schneiderman") putting in a good supporting performance. Be that as it may, while not a great comedy by any stretch of the imagination, I suppose it was sufficient for the time spent and I have rated it accordingly. Average.

the title is the best thing about this one

[ksf-2 · 5/10 · 16 February 2023]

Jo mcbain (rosalind russell) is thoroughly enjoying going to the cocktail parties and awards ceremonies, since she is the senator's daughter. But when he suggests she join the military wac division, she thinks she's starting at the top. But the big gag is that she's starting at the bottom, with everyone else. And acts like a pompous jackass for the first 24 hours, until she figures out where she stands. Small roles for regis toomey, and general bradley, who was still in active military service when this was made. Seems to be a film to highlight how important the wacs and waves were during wartime. World war II was already over by 1953, but the u.s. Was still in the korean war when this film was made, but the film is a bit droll. It might be more interesting to those who were not familiar with the wacs. Or maybe as a training film. If jo were more like-able, it would probably be more fun to watch. But she's just mean and sarcastic to everyone she meets. She works so hard to be obstinate and mean. Directed by norman mcleod. He had made two films with the marx brothers, and worked with w.c. Fields and cary grant! Russell happened to be married to fed brisson, the producer. She made this a couple years before "mame".