WHAT DID YOU DO IN THE WAR, DADDY?

US, 1966, 115 minutes, Colour.
James Coburn, Dick Shawn, Sergio Fantoni, Giovanna Ralli, Aldo Ray, Harry Morgan, Carroll O'Connor, Leon Askin.
Directed by Blake Edwards.

What Did You Do In The War, Daddy? is a typical raucous comedy from Blake Edwards. It comes from the mid-60s, immediately after his production of The Great Race.

The film was written by Peter Blatty who wrote The Exorcist, Twinkle, Twinkle, Killer Kane) . It is very much in the tone of M*A*S*H - a M*A*S*H of World War II in 1taly. However, it preceded M*A*S*H by four years.

The film takes the familiar styles of American soldiers in Italy - but turns it into a humorous anti-war comment. There are no lethal shots in this film - the action is all comic and shows the silliness of war.

James Coburn is his laconic self as the fixer officer. Dick Shawn has a central role as the martinet forced to be human. There is a strong group of character actors in support, led by Aldo Ray. The film, especially the opening sequences of the siege and the party, might seem excessively long. It becomes exceedingly complex as the Americans and the Italians fight their war, fight the Germans - and then win.

There is good Panavision location photography and Henry Mancini score. Of comic interest is the role played by Harry Morgan - the officer who gets lost in the city's catacombs and goes mad. It is reminiscent of his role to come in M*A*S*H.

1. An enjoyable war story? The perspective of the '60s? The World War Two scene twenty years later? The Vietnam situation of the 1960s? The anti-war tone of the times? The anticipation of M*A*S*H?

2. Blake Edwards and his comic vision? Farce, raucous comedy, knockabout humour, mockery and irony?

3. Widescreen location photography, Italy, the town, war action? The Henry Mancini score?

4. The title and its ironies - a question of the 1960s?

5. The situation, the American invasion, the Italians, the Axis powers? Going by the book? Sieges and missions? Individuals and groups? General Bolt and his commission to Cash?

6. The long sequence of the manoeuvre, the irony of the surrender? The arguments, emotions, Cash wanting to go by the book? The long sequence of the festa and its rowdiness? The making merriment instead of war? Cash and the drinking? The Mayor's daughter? The night with her? The Germans and the Italians playing strip poker and exchanging clothes? The universal hangover?

7. The morning after, the arrival of Pott? The Italian and his misunderstandings? Christian and his covering things? The hectic atmosphere? Taking Pott a prisoner? His going into the catacombs (and the irony of the bank robbers using the war situation to explode their way into the bank - and making mistakes)?

8. Christian and Rizzo, American soldiers, laxity, Cash's arrival, the war, advice to Cash, the festa, ingenuity? The Italian officer and the surrender? Getting rid of Pott? The decision to keep the war going? Strategies, battle rehearsals? The Italian and his offence by the Mayor's daughter's behaviour, the war on again? The irony of the Germans coming in seriously? Taking the German soldiers, exchanging clothes? Their success? Christian as the American comedian-scrounger type - who succeeds?

9. Rizzo and the others, war, coping, scrounging?

10. Dick Shawn's manic performance as Cash? Strict, by the book, the commission from 'General Bolt, the reaction of the men, the siege, shouting - as a sign of winning? The encounter with the Italian officer and the surrender? The festa, drinking, the Mayor's daughter? Pott's arrival? His having to cope, the pretences? The escape, dressing as the prostitute, the German officer, masquerading as the General? The various mix-ups? His relenting?

11. The Italian officer and his style, genial, the festa, the Mayor's daughter, the war on and off again, collaboration with the Americans?

12. Mayor and his hospitality, official style, keeping on the good side of everyone? His daughter and her techniques?

13. The Germans and their severity, the officers, the prostitute, the General's death, their being captured? Their holding the Americans in the arena - and their being exchanged?

14. The hectic and loud pace, the jokes, the fights, the war rehearsals - anti-war comedy?

15. The picture of the Americans, the Italians, the Germans - the memories of World War Two from the vantage point of the '60s? Later?