What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?

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What Did You Do in the War, Daddy? is a 1966 film by Blake Edwards. A second world war comedy set in Sicily, Italy, in 1943, during Operation Husky : When asked by General Bolt (Carroll O'Connor) about the little village called Valerno, his hitherto adjutant Captain Lionel Cash (Dick Shawn) insists on attack and immediately finds himself in command of Charlie company to carry out the operation. War-weary Charlie-company, lead by Lieutenant Christian (James Coburn) and Sergeant Rizzo (Aldo Ray), is not overly fond of another mission.

The company proceeds cautiously towards their assigned target only to find their supposed-to-be enemies holding a soccer match. Capitano Fausto Oppo (Sergio Fantoni), the Italian officer in command, is all too willing to surrender but for one condition: the annual village wine festival scheduled tonight must be held. No festival, no surrender, basta!

Persuaded by Christian, the inexperienced Captain Cash reluctantly gives in. To disguise the delay, Christian sends a wire to the brass detailing "Minor resistance" The fiesta is a great success lasting well into the night. Sunlight next morning headquarter requires urgently report of what's going on. With Captain Cash out of action due to wine and woman (the mayor's pretty daughter Gina (Giovanna Ralli)), Lieutenant Christian takes command, discovering that many of his men have exchanged uniforms with Italian soldiers durring a drunken game of strip poker just as PR-Office Major Potts (Harry Morgan) shows up to check on the "minor resistance" reported by Christian. To prevent the real events from getting out he is quickly taken hostage by the "Italian soldiers" and locked up in prison, where is he accidentally rescued by two bumbling bank robbers, who spend the entire film digging underground looking for the bank vault. He then falls into the catecombs under town, where he gets lost and goes insane.

When Potts is discovered missing, and Oppo discovers Gina (his mistress) in Cash's bed, all hell breaks loose, the surrender is off, and a massive fist fight breaks out just as an American reconisence plane flies overhead. The fight is mistaken for a serious battle and Cash and Oppo receive wires from their superiors to keep fighting, as sending back-up is impossible. Everyone is stuck now, and the Italians and Americans must work together to stage a battle whenever a plane flies overhead, using blank ammunition and careful rehersal. This state of affairs goes on for three days when the Nazis fly over, see what's going on, and decide to help out their Italian allies.

The Germans, lead by Colonel Kastorp (Leon Askin) assult the town, discover Oppo and his men fraternizing with the enemy, and arrest everyone, taking control of the town. Potts, still insanely wandering the catecombs, pounds the ceiling in the catecombs with a trident, and breaks a whole in the prison floor sending Cash plumiting to the ground. Cash, Cristian and Oppo work out a plan to get out of the town and get help, which necessitates Cash dressing up first as a woman, fending off the advances of an amerous German Officer, and then as Colonel Kastorp, who has been accidentally killed by some local communists. He discovers that the Germans are planning to shoot all the prisoners, which by now include the townspeople. This leads to a wild change of plan as the Americans sneak of the prison, attack German soldiers and steal their uniforms, returning their unconcious bodies, dressed in THEIR uniforms, as prisoners. At dawn, just as the execution is about to begin, the Americans surprise the Nazis, holding them hostage and taking the town for America.

Finally, General Bolt personally rides into town to congradulate now-Major Cash, the "hero of Valerno", only to discover that the Italians are now hiding and will not come out unless they are given another festival. The movie ends with just that, as Cash and Christian ply Bolt with wine (and Gina) and enjoy themselves for one last day in Valerno.

[edit] Reception

The film was not well received on release, and was a critcal and commerical faliure. It was criticized for serving many of the stereotypes of WW2,including the undisciplined but clever GIs, dumb, aggresive Germans and Italian "dolce vita". It received a DVD release in June 2008, to widely favorable reviews, and is now being looked at in a more positive light.