Never Wave At A WAC (1953)

A spoiled Washington D.C. socialite (Rosalind Russell), the daughter of a U.S. Senator (Charles Dingle), joins the Army to be near her fiance, a Lt. Colonel (William Ching). But she soon finds out that the Women's Army Corps isn't as easy as she imagined it would be. If the plot sounds familiar, it's because it was done much better almost 30 years later as PRIVATE BENJAMIN. Directed by veteran director Norman Z. McLeod (TOPPER), this comedy promises more than it is able to deliver. The film is lackluster and doesn't take full advantage of the comedic opportunities. Rosalind Russell is one of the great screen comediennes but she seems on auto control here. Most of the laughs (what few there are) are provided by Marie Wilson as a ditzy ex-stripper who joins the Army to get away from men. The film features an early score by Elmer Bernstein. With Paul Douglas as Russell's ex-husband, Leif Erickson, Hillary Brooke, Arleen Whelan, Lurene Tuttle and Virginia Christine.