When Willie Comes Marching Home

US (1950): Comedy/War

Dan Dailey plays a home town lug who volunteers for the service at the outbreak of war and is then stationed in his hometown for the duration. All attempts to get in the action or even get a transfer are turned down because he is a master at teaching gunning and the Army doesn't want to lose him. He loses face and then becomes a paraiah for his fellow townspeople and finally his own family. He eventually gets a mission that brings back such top secret information he can't share it - and when he disobeys his orders and does share it with his family, they don't believe it. His parents and the townsfolk come across as such nasty, stupid, pseudo-patriotic, brainless masses that one comes to hate them. John Ford directs this misfired attempt at a comedy. Cast also features Corinne Calvet, Colleen Townsend and William Demarest. (20th Century-Fox) (Arne Andersen, IMDb)

 Use this link to view the original theatrical trailer for When Willie Comes Marching Home on TCM.com.