User reviews

Jack Lemmon, two years after winning an Oscar for "Mister Roberts," stars in the tale of Army hijinks just after the end of WWII somewhere in France. It's amazing to watch just how much influence he has and he's not even a superior officer. He's trying to organize a ball for the men before they get back to the states. For many, it may seem like why should we care. But, for those who are patient, it does get better as it goes along. Mickey Rooney shows up in the second half, who always is a "ball" waiting to happen. It may not be Lemmon's best material, but costarring Ernie Kovacs, Dick York, and Arthur O'Connell, it deserves to be seen more often.

Operation Mad Ball is a peculiar combination of MASH and McHale's Navy, taking some of the best elements of both tried and true military service comedies. Jack Lemmon and Ernie Kovacs are a pair of beautifully matched antagonists.

It's France after VE Day and our army is just an army of occupation now and awaiting orders either for home or may be the Pacific Theater. Jack Lemmon would like to throw a big blowout for everyone before they all separate. But the killjoy of the proceedings is Ernie Kovacs who is a petty martinet and constantly getting in the way of all Lemmon's schemes the way Captain Binghamton used to do with Lieutenant Commander McHale. And sad to say he doesn't have an island at his disposal where he could ship McHale off to the way Joe Flynn exiled Ernie Borgnine and the rest of his PT Crew.

There's a little bit of Frank Burns on Kovacs's character as well as he tries to do things the military way while the commanding officer Arthur O'Connell is a doctor who just wants to run a hospital. See what happens at the beginning when Kovacs tries to court martial Lemmon and how O'Connell just gets out of it.

But the main problem is getting the party together without Kovacs finding out about it. Lemmon is nothing if not resourceful and his main problems is getting women for the party. What's a party without them, but the only women available are the nurses and the army's seen fit to commission them bringing in that pesky no fraternization rule. That in fact is what almost got Lemmon that court martial as Kovacs thought he was getting to familiar with Kathryn Grant. After all that was territory he had staked out and no enlisted man was going to move in on him.

Look for a nice performance by Mickey Rooney in the small role of a human encyclopedia running a port facility, a key guy in Lemmon's plans. And you haven't lived until you've heard an extremely bad version of In The Mood done on harmonica and ocarina. Good thing Glenn Miller had died before listening to this.

Operation Mad Ball sad to say is too little seen these days. It's a great introduction to those who want to study the comedic art of Jack Lemmon. Try not to miss it when broadcast.

First: The Sony movie channel has been periodically showing this, in a hilariously good, maybe even remastered transfer. Look for it.

Second, ignore the poster, the marketing of the time, even the title. It's not slapstick, no impossibly improbable stuff and really, it's more like a heist movie than a pure comedy. All machinations of some scheming lower ranks to get a party together, all within or by skirting regulations.

No physical impossibilities, no moustache twirling villains breaking the law themselves, no one runs around in a gorilla suit. It's even relatively realistic B&W.

Nothing like Bilko or so on, and all the better for it.

What breaks down military discipline faster than pull from the opposite sex. But that's what's happening to the enlisted men of a hospital detachment US Army with all those fetching nurse officers next to them. It's France right after the war and the boys are getting restless. The trouble is that Capt. Locke (Kovacs) is a pompous stickler for discipline, while mastermind Pvt. Hogan (Lemmon) schemes to let nature take its course. It's a hilarious battle between enlisted men and officers. Can fast-talking Hogan put on his mad-ball mixer before killjoy Locke foils his romantic plans. Both comedians are in fine form, making this a service comedy whose modest budget and b&w photography probably got lost in the mix of the time. Too bad, because the movie's fast paced, full of clever situations, with an attractive and lively cast.

Kovacs and Lemmon are a great pairing, showing again how much delicious humbug was lost in that tragic Kovacs auto accident. Support comes through, as well- a demure Kathryn Grant as the wide-eyed lieutenant, a cranky Dick York as the frustrated corporal, and a rhyming Mickey Rooney as the "twiddle-de-de, it must be me" logistics sergeant--- all orchestrated by up-and-coming director Richard Quine. Anyway, this is a good chance to catch up with the whole madcap bunch in a movie that remains a genuine sleeper. Now if I could just figure out what the heck an ocarina is.

An easy-going bumbling Colonel commands a military hospital, the 1066th. A self-serving martinet second-in-command tries to use military regulations to tyrannize over the hospital staff. A fun-loving conniver wants to give the hospital staffers a chance to enjoy the company of the hospital's nurses while the second-in-command tries to thwart him. If Jack Lemmon and his friends had been doctors and officers, instead of enlisted personnel, the general resemblance to MASH would have been complete. When Richard Hooker's novel MASH was turned into a TV series (after passing through the movies), the writers must have been familiar with this movie. Curiouser and curiouser.

Reading these reviews were spot on while being simultaneously disconcerting. Other movies were mentioned that had influence on this one, but didn't Operation Mad Ball remind anybody besides me of Hogan's Heroes? And I'm not referencing the fact that Jack Lemmon's character was named Hogan, although this might have been the basis for the TV title.

Although the circumstances aren't quite the same (albeit they are both set in WWII), some of the dialog is exactly as I remember from the TV show. Even the sight gags and the situations are similar. Only things lacking are the Germans and the teapot.

It's a fun movie and well worth watching. I've never seen it before and just can't help comparing it to Hogan's Heroes. Mickey Rooney is a hoot!

The real value in this one is the gathering of huge hollywood names, not the story. Ya got Jack Lemmon, so many hollywood films. Ernie Kovacs (humorist, tv and film. you must see Our man in Havana), Dick York (ONE of the Dick's on "Bewitched"). I'm not really a fan of Mickey Rooney, child star, but he's in here too. and James Darren, Gidget's man. and Kathryn Grant, Mrs. Bing Crosby ! In the almost inconsequential storyline, Captain Lock (Kovacs) has it in for Private Hogan (Lemmon), for some reason ( jealousy ?), and he's already on thin ice. When Hogan gets re-assigned to the morgue, things start to happen, and we know there's going to be a HUGE confrontation at some point. When Hogan wants to have a final party for the guys, Lock is all over him, and is going to ruin the whole thing. One of the glaring errors here is that the men keep saying things in german, which would be HIGHLY unlikely during wartime. The script is just silly, but for entertainment purposes, we'll go along for the ride. Art O'Connell is Colonel Rousch, but his brother is a General, and i'm sure that information will come in handy later on. William Hickey is "Sampson".. he was the wacky uncle in Christmas Vacation. has some lines. Directed by Richard Quine.. he and his wife both had sad, weird bios, according to wikipedia. It's an entertaining 100 minutes. Interesting, if just for the cast of stars.

I loved this movie! A wonderful cast and very funny. Mickey Rooney was a riot, and Ernie Kovacs was a treasure, too bad there aren't more places to see him. The words 'comic genius' are tossed around excessively these days, but he was the genuine article. Jack Lemmon, as the young and proper private, was funny in the Lemmonish way we've come to love, and several others, just beginning their careers in the movies, are interesting to watch. I've been trying to find this movie to rent, but apparently it's not been released. I wonder why not. It could be considered a classic comedy of the post-World-War-II era. If there is information about this issue, it could be posted on this board, so those seeking to view the film would know that it is unavailable at this time.

At a U.S. Army Medic Outpost in 1945 France, the wily Captain is outwitted by the ringleader of the private recruits. Arthur Carter, adapting his own play with support from Jed Harris and--of all people--Blake Edwards, starts things off brightly, but soon becomes mired in juvenile hijinks and sex-minded mischief. The privates hope to renovate a rundown French hotel in time for a secret dance between the soldiers and the nurses, all the while keeping Captain Ernie Kovacs in the dark. Kovacs does a great job at acting the buffoon, though his character, written without any dimensions, is all on one-note. We've seen these military tricks before (and since). Still, Kovacs manages a handful of bright moments in the first half-hour, easily upstaging Jack Lemmon and a well-chosen supporting cast. Richard Quine directed...and also co-wrote the theme song (!). *1/2 from ****

It was on last summer in July and then as part of a tribute to Jack Lemmon in January I think. Recently I have found out that it is due sometime this summer as part of a Jack Lemmon collection of five films. It's in the 50 dollar price range and I don't think it's coming out separately. Anyway, in addition to Jack Lemmon and Mickey Rooney it features several up and coming actors of the 50s. Oh and character actor Arthur O'Connell. The young actors are Kathryn Grant as Jack Lemmon's love interest. Ernie Kovacs in his first film. James Darren - pre Gidget and definitely pre-Time Tunnel, Roger Smith (he married Ann Margaret) and Dick York (Darren on Bewitched.) It's a good movie that should receive more attention. I enjoyed this movie very much.

This was a screw ball comedy set within an American Army base with a hospital where the female nurses outrank the enlisted men, which plays havoc on the dating opportunities. Our hero, Private Hogan (Jack Lemmon), has an idea. He approaches a local French business woman and they strike a deal...if he and his men repair her establishment to its pre-war state, they can throw a ball for the service men and nurses there.

This becomes a crazy event where everyone is pulling together to make it happen under the radar of Captain Paul Lock (Ernie Kovacs) and then counter to Colonel Rousch's (Arthur O'Connell) plan to have his own nightclub up and running for a visit from his brother.

Lots of the usual running around by Jack Lemon and an odd romance with nurse Lt. Betty Bixby (Kathryn Grant). It was fun to see Dick York as young Corporal Bohun and the best appearance was the high energy quirky jive talking Mickey Rooney as Master Sergeant Yancy Skibo, who really pulls through for the gang in the end.

And then there is the ball, which besides Mickey Rooney is the best part of this film.

I have seen better films by all of these comedic actors, especially Jack Lemmon, which keeps this off my recommendation list unless you are collecting post WWII comedies. For me it is in the didn't hate it, but didn't love it category.

Surprisingly flat comedy from a promising cast and writers. With a famous comedian, Ernie Kovacs, a future star Jack Lemmon and more than able support from the likes of Dick York, Arthur O'Connell and Kathryn Grant, as well as writers including Blake Edwards, we might have expected more. This pseudo-sex farce set on a US military base in France just after the end of WWII never picks up steam as a comedy. It does derive some energy at moments from Kovacs and Co. There's also Mickey Rooney, who has the liveliest scene in the picture as a goofball who memorizes the World Almanac. Rooney also livens up the "Mad Ball" at the end with his raring-to-go band. But none of that is enough. It was 1957 and the audience was supposed to enjoy the not very subtle winking dialog about what men and women want to "do" with each other. There's a song under the credits, nicely sung by uncredited Sammy Davis Jr. Others seem to find this film a laugh riot. Well, to each his/her own.

I have enjoyed this film for many years. Casting a film is an art in itself. And this film is a classic of casting. The Oscar-winning actor Jack Lemmon, is a perfect foil for the fussy Ernie Kovacs. Young James Darren, and Dick York, and the inimitable Mickey Rooney, all make a fine ensemble. Veteran Arthur O'Connell, and all of the rest serve up a delicious film.

This is one of the biggest sleepers of all time, and really never got the recognition that it deserved. I like to think of it as a "Proto-M*A*S*H", as it clearly presents a lunacy of a military hospital, and the goofy characters.

A precious "gem" of a film.

Excellent cast, snappy direction, great production, clever story, good dialog. I'd have thought it was a Billy Wilder comedy. Lemmon is first-rate as the wheeling and dealing fixer / arranger. Kovacs is all-in as his nemesis. Everyone else does well. Not too dated, either.

Occasional over-acting and a few heavy-handed directorial moves are the only faults I can recall. In general I forgot that I was watching a film. Catch this one if you can.

Obviously made to capitalise on Jack Lemmon's Oscar-winning turn as Ensign Pulver in 'Mister Roberts' and the current popularity of mildly satirical service comedies like 'Teahouse of the August Moon' and 'Bilko'. With that title and that cast, I've been expecting something fast-paced and zany; but mounting a big party behind the backs of their superiors hardly seems to justify such a long (105 minutes) and elaborately produced movie, which never takes flight and feels like the filmed play it is. The music score is twee, the photography drab; and its terrific cast all talk too much. (I also think it should have been in colour, like most of its contemporaries were.)

It's digs at military bureaucracy and (very) odd moments of black humour have led to comparisons with 'MASH', but a truer precursor to that is actually 'Captain Newman, M.D.' (1963), with Gregory Peck and Tony Curtis. See that instead.

"Operation Mad Ball" is a very funny movie, with a wonderful cast. One wonders if this film didn't inspire the 1972 hit TV series, "M.A.S.H.," more than the 1970 movie and book it was based on. Army surgeon H. Richard Hornberger wrote "MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors" in 1968, under the pen name, Richard Hooker. It was about his service in the Korean War. The 1970 movie, "M.A.S.H." was based on his book. While Hooker liked the movie, he didn't like the TV series, saying it wasn't his kind of medical humor. But the type of hijinks, fenagling and scheming plans in "Operation Mad Ball" are much like what the later TV series seemed to thrive on - in between its witty and funny dialog at times and its occasional serious notes.

And, this movie was made earlier than all those other sources. So, anything familiar in those and other films or shows like them ("McHale's Navy" TV series of 1962 and movie of 1964, "Operation Petticoat" movie of 1959, etc.) may have been borrowed from this movie.

The U.S. Army 1066th General Hospital is located somewhere in northern France. The war in Europe ended four months earlier. It's now September 1945, and the Army's presence is mostly helping the French rebuild, and the hospital is there to care for the last injured in recovery before everyone returns to the States.

Jack Lemmon's Pvt. Hogan is a genius of an idea man - in this case, a schemer for having fun and getting the most out of the remainder of his Army time, by having the least to do. The latter explains why after at least three years and a number of combat awards, Hogan is still a private. When his nemesis, Capt. Paul Lock, played superbly by Ernie Kovacs, tries to nail him on any infraction, he somehow slips by or gets out of it. In one scene, Lock is trying to get Col. Rousch, the unit's commander, to throw the book at Hogan. He points to the record he has handed Rousch, who then starts reading, "Silver Star, bronze star with cluster, purple heart...." When Rousch says it's quite a record, Hogan explains that it had just been luck - he had been in the wrong place at the time.

Having served with all of the NCOs in the unit the past three years, Hogan knows the ins and outs of the whole unit - and then some. And, they all know what he can do. With the unit soon to be shipped Stateside, he plans one last great fling for the enlisted men and nurses - a fantastic ball at Madame LaFour's inn and hotel. And, everyone has to pitch in to pull it off and not get discovered by Lock. .

The film has a whale of a cast, all of whom are very good. The comedy isn't from lots of witty or funny dialog. It's most situational, and much of it somewhat occupational - having to do with the Army. Veterans of all branches of service should enjoy this film, as well as family members and all who enjoy good comedies. The ending is a real hoot. This is a classic example of a very good comedy that would be much less without the straight man role. And Kovacs plays it perfectly.

Were the Eisenhower years so super uptight that this passed for entertainment in 1957? The squareness of this service comedy is straight out of 1943. Maybe recruitment was down after Korea and Uncle Sam was having trouble fooling Iowa farmboys into signing up for the meat grinder. "Look boys, put on a uniform, have some laughs, meet some dames."

In any event, there are a few recognizable male actors who do their best with fairly low-brow material. But the real appeal in 1957, I'm guessing, would have been the attractive women. That doesn't amount to much when you're watching in 2021.

Structurally, OK, there's a passing resemblance to MASH. But come on now, MASH is an absurdist treasure crafted by one of film-making's all-time masters. Operation Mad Ball is a warmed-over stage play hauled out of the script pile 15 past its freshness date.

I noticed that one reviewer described this film as being like combining "M*A*S*H" and "McHale's Navy"---and this is a very accurate observation...though I might also add a touch of "Operation Petticoat". It's one of those quirky comedies that they were able to make AFTER WWII was finished--as the war, especially at the time, wasn't very funny! Now, over a decade later, folks were able to look at some of the absurdities and funny moments in the military the war--and it's easier here because it's set just a few months after the war--time to laugh and have fun.

"Operation Mad Ball" is set in an army hospital in France in September, 1945. You see early on that there is a Captain (Ernie Kovacs) who is a total jerk and an enlisted man (Jack Lemmon) who is always outsmarting him. Because the war is over and the men are longing to blow off some steam, Lemmon plans for a giant party--one where the enlisted men can fraternize, off the record, with the nurses. But since this is clearly against regulations and the annoying Captain is looking for an excuse to bust Lemmon, they need to tread very, very lightly. Along the way, there are tons of complications (I liked the one involving the body) and whether or not this insane ball will take place is constantly in doubt.

The film is a nice little comedy with lots of nice twists and interesting characters. My favorite was the Captain--Kovacs played a guy you love to hate. THere were also a lot of nice quirky characters as well. The script was quite clever and the film a nice, light comedy--on part with or perhaps a little better than "Operation Petticoat".

It is being shown on TCM, as of today 07182008. I've never seen it before, but am watching it now.

I was amazed at the number of stars I saw listed in the beginning credits. I imagine it will be the same way people now view Ocean's 11 (the original) and in 30 years, view the remakes.

I love Some Like it Hot. It shines mostly because of Jack Lemmon. His comedy as a woman is a riot, especially in the scenes with the old millionaire. Another great movie of his, and hard to find is "The Landlady" with Fred Astaire and Kim Novak.

Anyway, I thank goodness for my DVR and TCM.

mlyniam