Operation Petticoat

After hearing that Blake Edwards passed away last December, I felt upset that I hadn't seen more of his movies when he was alive. I had only seen Days of Wine and Roses, but I felt compelled to see one his comedies.

The comedy I chose was 1959's Operation Petticoat starring Cary Grant and Tony Curtis as stuck naval officers (and I might add that they look quite fetching in uniform). Grant is the frazzled Lt. Cmdr. Sherman, Curtis the inept Lt. Holden (an ironic role since Curtis served in the Navy before his trek to Hollywood stardom).

To describe Sherman is pretty easy. He's like David Huxley, Grant's character in Bringing Up Baby. He tries to keep everything under control, but the antics going on around him virtually get him ignored.

Describing Holden is even easier. He's a combination of Sidney Falco and Joe, Curtis' characters in Sweet Smell of Success and Some Like It Hot. All three scheme to get ahead (in Sidney and Joe's cases, they lie; in Holden's case, he lies and steals).

I already heard that Edwards was excellent at making comedies. It's safe to say that claim is true. I was honestly, pun intended, tickled pink by most of the movie. It also showed how great Grant and Curtis were at comedy.

My Rating: ****1/2