| The Admiral Was a Lady | |
|---|---|
Original film poster |
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| Directed by | Albert S. Rogell |
| Produced by | Edward Lewis (associate producer) Albert S. Rogell (producer) Jack M. Warner |
| Written by | John O'Dea Sidney Salkow |
| Starring | See below |
| Music by | Edward J. Kay |
| Cinematography | Stanley Cortez |
| Editing by | William H. Ziegler |
| Distributed by | United Artists |
| Release date(s) | 4 August 1950 |
| Running time | 87 minutes |
| Country | USA |
| Language | English |
The Admiral Was a Lady is a 1950 American comedy film directed by Albert S. Rogell.
Contents |
After an odd prologue through American history, the film begins in 1945 where the events in the film concern recently discharged veterans of World War II. Jean Madison, a former WAVE Ensign comes across a gang of ex-Army Air Corps crew of an A-20 Havoc light bomber named Cynthia who are living high as unemployed members of the "52-20" club; a program where unemployed American veterans received $20 unemployment benefits for 52 weeks.[1] When receiving her cheque at the unemployment office, Jean meets their leader, Jimmy Stevens who recruits her into his gang. Jimmy has proven his men are looking for work by displaying a classified advertisement they have placed in the newspaper advertising "Combat Crew for hire; eager and willing to drop bombs" but they have had no offers of employment in the postwar world.
Jimmy instructs her how to avoid the cheque cashing fees by opening an account with a bank where she is rewarded with a cermaic piggy bank that they show her how to pawn for some more money. She then closes her account to draw out her money until she rejoins another bank when her next cheque comes in.
Former taxi driver Ollie drives a sound truck to advertise a music company that the gang uses for their transportation, and have the use of a radio and a piano from the music company. The gang lives free and luxuriously in an aircraft factory where Jimmy is a night watchman. Eddie has used his talent as an interior decorator to make furniture out of surplus aircraft parts and military equipment. They dine free at an exclusive private club's swimming pool where Mike is a lifeguard and gets the gang's meals as his salary. Jimmy's fast talking gets them the use of a speedboat for an ocean jaunt.
The gang's freewheeling lifestyle nearly comes to an end where they are summoned to juke box manufacturer Peter Pedigrew. Pedigrew has had private detectives following Jean and observed the crew in action. He threatens to hire the crew and end their idylic lifestyle unless they keep Jean with them until her former fiancee Henry arrives. Pedigrew explains that his ex-wife Shirley who he has twice divorced is intending on marrying Henry and has poisioned Henry's mind against Jean. Pedigrew schemes the only way he can regain his fortune is to remarry Shirley and stop paying her alimony. Therefore he wants Henry and Jean back together.
Jean, who the gang has nicknamed "The Admiral" is amazed, then disgusted by their spending more effort thinking of ways to avoid work then being productive members of society. However, she discovers that they are living a dark secret. Jimmy feels strong guilt for Mike's injury suffered in a crash of their plane that he piloted during the war. Jimmy, the former head of an employment agency will not work until all his crewmen have resolved their psychological and physical problems from the war and are able to pick up their past lives. Jimmy demonstrates his altruism by taking Mike's place in a boxing match that due to his injuries could kill Mike. Jimmy, never in a ring in his life, goes the distance taking the beating so Mike can keep his fee that he was paid.
Eddie has refused to return home to his fiancee who had had told false stories that he was wealthy. When Jimmy convinces Eddie that his fiancee loves him no matter what, Eddie leaves the gang to marry his fiancee and start a career as a decorator. Mike and Ollie team up in a business financed by Pedigrew. With his crew safely home, Jimmy marries the Admiral and begins a career in advertising and public relations.
Marvelle Andre, Jean Bane, Lane Chandler, James Conaty, Warren Douglas, Ralph Dunn, Sam Finn, Sam Flint, June Glory, John Halloran, Phil Harron, Eddie Kane, Mike Lally, Larry Mancine, Frank Marlowe, Spec O'Donnell, Eddie Parks, Bob Rich, Jack Roper, Brick Sullivan, Lurene Tuttle, and Ralph Volkie appears uncredited.