What starts off as a standard war film with an excellent action sequence takes comical turns that don't really come off as funny thanks to unlikable leading characters that seem to be more the enemy than the enemy. These American soldiers create such a headache for the military that a dishonorable discharge seems too good for them. It concerns two army pals (Tom Ewell and David Wayne) who become involved with an Italian moonshiner and his daughter and their efforts to fool the M.P.'s after them. One sequence has Ewell trying to break the injured Wayne out of a military hospital and his posing as a doctor in order to do so. Then, there is their interaction with the fiery Marina Berti and her father Silvio Minciotti which are more irritating than funny even if they seem to be spoofing the Italian "New Wave" of such directors as Rossellini. Such talents as Jeffrey Lynn, Richard Egan and Paul Harvey are totally wasted. A typical chase sequence between the two buffoons (not nearly as entertaining as Martin and Lewis were in "At War With the Army") and the M.P.'s concludes the film.
Review of Up Front
