''Never Wave at a WAC'' is a 1953 American

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...

directed by Norman Z. McLeod, and starring

Rosalind Russell Catherine Rosalind Russell (June 4, 1907November 28, 1976) was an American actress, comedienne, screenwriter, and singer,Obituary '' Variety'', December 1, 1976, p. 79. known for her role as fast-talking newspaper reporter Hildy Johnson in the H ...

Paul Douglas Paul Howard Douglas (March 26, 1892 – September 24, 1976) was an American politician and Georgist economist. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as a U.S. Senator from Illinois for eighteen years, from 1949 to 1967. During his Senat ...

and Marie Wilson.

Plot

Divorced socialite Jo McBain, daughter of United States Senator Reynolds, would like to join her boyfriend in Paris where he has been transferred with two other military comrades. She speaks with her father, who has the idea of her joining the army and getting her an

officer An officer is a person who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization. The term derives from Old French ''oficier'' "officer, official" (early 14c., Modern French ''officier''), from Medieval Latin ''officiarius'' "an officer," f ...

's commission in the

Women's Army Corps The Women's Army Corps (WAC) was the women's branch of the United States Army. It was created as an auxiliary unit, the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) on 15 May 1942 and converted to an active duty status in the Army of the United States ...

so she can be transferred to Paris. He sells her this idea, telling her that she would start as a general. Her wealthy and spoiled manners are crushed immediately, when she arrives at

basic training Military recruit training, commonly known as basic training or boot camp, refers to the initial instruction of new military personnel. It is a physically and psychologically intensive process, which resocializes its subjects for the unique dema ...

camp she discovers that she is to start at the bottom. Her father is involved in the telephone chain of people making the decision. Her ex-husband Andrew McBain is working as an Army uniforms designer and he uses his position to disrupt her romantic plans by making her join a group of girls who are testing polar equipment. After she has had enough of her ex-husband's silly pranks, she blows up at her commanding officers and is to be dismissed from the Army. Her contrite ex-husband admits his faults to the disciplinary hearing, but Jo confesses that she was faking being a good soldier so she could go to Paris and be with her boyfriend. She leaves the Army, but she makes a lifelong friend in Clara, who tells Jo she will ask her boyfriend to marry her. When she leaves the Army, Jo watches as new recruits are brought in. She realizes that she's still in love with her ex-husband (and he with her). She decides to reenlist back into the Army, a genuine attempt at being a good soldier this time, willing to do what the Army asks her to do. She says that later, after her graduation, she may be stationed near Andrew, her ex-husband.

Cast

as Jo McBain *

as Andrew McBain * Marie Wilson as Clara Schneiderman / Danger O'Dowd *

William Ching William Brooks Ching (October 2, 1913 – July 1, 1989) was an American character actor who appeared in numerous films and on television during the later 1940s and 1950s. Ching may be best known for his supporting role in Rudolph Maté's 1950 f ...

as Lt. Col. Schuyler 'Sky' Fairchild *

Arleen Whelan Arleen Whelan (September 1, 1916 – April 7, 1993) was an American film actress. Early years Whelan was a native of Salt Lake City, Utah. Before she became an actress, she worked in Southern California as a manicurist, contributing her ea ...

as Sgt. Toni Wayne * Leif Erickson as Sgt. Norbert 'Noisy' Jackson *

Hillary Brooke Hillary Brooke (born Beatrice Sofia Mathilda Peterson; September 8, 1914 – May 25, 1999) was an American film actress. Career A 5′6″ blonde from the Astoria neighborhood of New York City's borough of Queens, Brooke, who was of Swedish an ...

as First Lt. Phyllis Turnbull *

Charles Dingle Charles Dingle (December 28, 1887 – January 19, 1956) was an American stage and film actor. Early life Dingle was born December 28, 1887, in Wabash, Indiana. His father was John Crockett Dingle, and he was said to be a descendant of Davy ...

as Sen. Tom Reynolds * Lurene Tuttle as Capt. Murchinson *

Regis Toomey John Francis Regis Toomey (August 13, 1898October 12, 1991) was an American film and television actor. Early life Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he was one of four children of Francis X. and Mary Ellen Toomey, and attended Peabody High ...

as Gen. Ned Prager *

Frieda Inescort Frieda Inescort (born Frieda Wrightman, 29 June 1901 – 26 February 1976) was a Scottish-born actress best known for creating the role of Sorel Bliss in Noël Coward's play ''Hay Fever'' on Broadway. She also played the shingled lady in Joh ...

as Lily Mae Gorham *

Louise Beavers Louise Beavers (March 8, 1902 – October 26, 1962) was an American film and television actress. From the 1920s until 1960, she appeared in dozens of films and two hit television shows. She was most often cast in the roles of a maid, servant ...

as Artamesa * Omar N. Bradley as Himself * Vince Townsend Jr. as Henry * Helen Foster as Capt. Finch *

Marjorie Bennett Marjorie Bennett (15 January 1896 – 14 June 1982) was an Australian actress who worked mainly in the United Kingdom and the United States. She began her acting career during the silent film era. Career Bennett was born in York in Western ...

as Mrs. Martha Pratt *

Louise Lorimer Louise Lorimer (born Louise Knapp Pinkham, July 14, 1898 – August 12, 1995) was an American actress who played character roles on Broadway, in films, and on television in a career lasting over six decades. Life and career Born Louise Knapp Pi ...

as Col. Fullbright * Lucia Carroll as Lt. Kohler *

Barbara Woodell Barbara Woodell (May 25, 1910 – January 16, 1997) was an American film and television actress, born in Lewistown, Illinois. Selected filmography * ''Lady, Let's Dance'' (1944) * '' The Mysterious Mr. Valentine'' (1946) * ''Carnegie Hall'' ...

as Capt. Smith *

Virginia Christine Virginia Christine (born Virginia Christine Ricketts; March 5, 1920 – July 24, 1996) was an American stage, radio, film, television, and voice actress. Though Christine had a long career as a character actress in film and television, she i ...

as Lt. Myles

References

External links

* * {{Norman Z. McLeod 1953 films Films directed by Norman Z. McLeod Military humor in film 1953 comedy films American comedy films American black-and-white films 1950s English-language films 1950s American films Women's Army Corps

Plot

Cast

See also

References

External links