The Sons of Katie Elder

The Sons of Katie Elder

Paramount

June 24, 1965

Western

DVD
D+

I liked the touch of a man complaining about Katie at her funeral.  Henry Hathaway directed, twenty-four years after The Shepherd of the Hills.

At War with the Army

At War with the Army

Paramount

January 17, 1951

Comedy

DVD
C

As with Astro Boy, I gave this twenty minutes rather than fifteen, because I really liked Lewis's "The Navy Gets the Gravy But the Army Gets the Beans" song.  Martin's character is much less interesting, except for his habit of mooching cigarettes while tucking one behind his ear.  I guess this is technically a "historical comedy" for its time, since it's set during World War II, but as with Casablanca (which is set before the U.S. joined the war) , the period is close enough.

Hal Walker directed.  Note that I'm not tagging Dan Dayton, who plays the Supply Sergeant, but I recognized his voice since I recently rewatched the 1981 M*A*S*H episode where he plays Fast Freddie Nichols from the USO.