Military comedy set during WWII, inspired by Bill Mauldin's popular newspaper cartoons of soldiers "Willie" and "Joe".
Acting
David Wayne and Tom Ewell nail the exhausted, bone-dry chemistry of Willie and Joe.
Writing
Mauldin's cartoons come alive through dialogue that respects enlisted men's intelligence.
Director
Alexander Hall
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Mauldin's cartoons were so beloved by enlisted men that Patton once threatened to ban them for 'undermining morale'—enlisted men loved them precisely for that.
The real Willie and Joe were named after two actual soldiers Mauldin met; he kept drawing them through Korea and Vietnam, never softening their weary cynicism.
US
