Never Wave at a WAC

Director: Norman Z. McLeod Norman Z. McLeod

Overview

Self-centered Washington socialite Rosalind Russell joins the WACS in order to be near her boyfriend William Ching, a GI stationed in Paris. Russell is certain that her DC connections will enable her to get out of the service as easily as she got in. Unfortunately for her, Russell's ex-husband Paul Douglas decides to teach her a lesson by pulling a few strings himself. Several of the army-camp scenes are stolen by Marie Wilson as an amply proportioned chorus girl, who's joined the WACS to escape stage-door johnnies. Filmed in part on location at the Women's Army Corps training center at Fort Lee, Virginia, Never Wave at a WAC was produced by Rosalind Russell's husband, Frederick Brisson. The film was released in England as The Private Wore Skirts.

Product Details

Release Date:	07/09/2015
UPC:	0644827285020
Original Release:	1952
Source:	Reel Vault
Language:	English
Sales rank:	43,791

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Rosalind Russell	Jo McBain
Paul Douglas	Andrew McBain
Marie Wilson	Clara Schneiderman
William Ching	Lt. Col. Schuyler Fairchild
Arleen Whelan	Sgt. Toni Wayne
Charles Dingle	Sent. Tom Reynolds
Leif Erickson	Sgt, Noisy Jackson
Lurene Tuttle	Capt. Murchinson
Regis Toomey	Gen. Prager
Omar N. Bradley	Himself
Hillary Brooke	Phyllis Turnbull
Frieda Inescort	Lily Mae Gorham
Louise Beavers	Artamesa
Frances Zucco	Prudence Hopewell
Bernadine Simpson	Gussie Gustafson
Jean Dean	Mickey Fogarty
Anita Martell	Penny North
Marya Marco	Teresa Tonoku
Frances Morris	Maj. Cartwright
Louise Lorimer	Col. Fulbright
Lucia Carroll	Lt. Kohler
Joan Blair	Maj. Thompson
Barbara Woodell	Capt. Smith
Madelon Mitchell	Capt. McGrady
Vince Townsend Jr.	Henry
Virginia Christine	Lt. Myles
Olan Soule	Lt. Quartermaster
Barbara Smith	Capt. Mallory,Gen. Prentiss
Helen Foster	Capt. Finch
Allan Frank	Col. Colfax
Jo Gilbert	Civilian Doctor
Frances Helm	Lt. Green
Jane Seymour	Lt. Col Hubbard
Omar Bradley	Himself
Norma Busse	Sergeant Interviewer
Margo Woode	Capt. Smith

Technical Credits

Ken Englund

Norman Z. McLeod	Director
Ken Englund	Screenwriter
Frederick Brisson	Producer

Editorial Reviews

The inimitable and uniquely charming Rosalind Russell makes Never Wave at a WAC a pleasantly diverting way to pass a couple of hours. Russell's contribution to WAC's success is impossible to overestimate, for without her commanding presence, nimble way with a one-liner, willingness to throw herself into any physical demands the comedy requires and ability to turn a double-take into a very peculiar double-and-a-half-take, the film would be seriously deficient in genuine laughs. Russell is not the whole show: Marie Wilson's dumb blonde routine provokes quite a few chuckles, and Paul Douglas, with his ability to be both tough and a softy combined with a finely honed sense of comedic playing, scores heavily. But without Russell to play off of, Douglas would be working in a void, and Wilson's part is too much of a supporting role to fill in were a lesser star in Russell's place. The screenplay isn't bad, mind you, but it's pure nuts-and-bolts, the kind of vehicle that's put together in the way that it's put together because the writers know that Russell's velvet-with-ice voice is going to take the basic they give her and play it for all its worth. Even with Russell, WAC threatens to run out of steam -- but whenever it starts to, Russell girds up her loins and puts it back on track.

All Movie Guide - Craig Butler