The Girl He Left Behind (1956)

After flunking out of college, a spoiled and privileged mama's boy (Tab Hunter) is inducted into the army. Arrogant and self centered, he resists the army's attempts to turn him into a responsible grown up. Based on the novel by Marion Hargrove and directed by David Butler (CALAMITY JANE). Hargrove had a great success with his best selling book SEE HERE PRIVATE HARGROVE (made into a movie by MGM in 1944) which dealt with young recruits adjusting to army life. He goes back to the well with THE GIRL HE LEFT BEHIND but with much less success. Hunter's character is an unpleasant jerk until he's finally redeemed in the movie's last 20 minutes. Until then, we're praying for his comeuppance. As his girlfriend, Natalie Wood is wasted. Hunter and Wood had teamed earlier in the year in THE BURNING HILLS and Warners was keen to make them a team but by the early sixties, Hunter's career was slowly fading while Wood's star ascended making her one of the biggest actresses of the era. As far as military comedies go, this one is tedious. For fans of the two leads only. With James Garner, David Janssen, Henry Jones, Murray Hamilton, Jessie Royce Landis and Alan King.