On This Day...Operation Petticoat (1959)

 Today saw the release of Cary Grant's 67th full length film, Operation Petticoat in 1959.

Synopsis:

The Philippines, December 1941. Lt. Commander Matt Sherman (Cary Grant) is the captain of USS Sea Tiger, a submarine. 

While in harbor, she is damaged by a Japanese air raid, and is close to being written off as sunk. However the crew manage to re-float her and repair her as best they can. Sherman acquires a supply officer, Lt. Nick Holden (Tony Curtis), a staff officer with no discernible naval experience or talents, except one - he is a master of scavenging parts and supplies. 

With Tony Curtis.

The submarine sets out for Australia for repairs. On the way, they stop at a US-held island only to find it deserted, but for five nurses. Things are about to get very complicated.

"Cary Grant is a living lesson in getting laughs without lines. In this film most of the gags play off him. It is his reaction, blank, startled, etc., always underplayed, that creates or releases the humor. Tony Curtis is a splendid foil.." - Powe, Daily Variety.

"In fact, it's Grant's cleverness in sustaining restraint in the face of outrageous happenings and his underplaying in the time of perpetual crises, that proves the motivating keynote that holds together the entire movie. And it's a performance that is something to shout about."

 - Sara Hamilton, Los Angeles Examiner

Did You Know?

Bob Hope always said it was his biggest regret that he turned down this movie.

Some of the plot points of the movie were based on real-life incidents. Most notable were scenes set at the opening of WWII, based on the actual sinking of the submarine USS Sealion (SS-195), sunk at the pier at Cavite Navy Yard, the Philippines; Cmdr. Sherman's letter to the supply department on the inexplicable lack of toilet paper, based on an actual letter to the supply department of Mare Island Naval Shipyard by Lt. Cmdr. James Wiggin Coe of the submarine Skipjack (SS-184); and the need to paint a submarine pink, due to the lack of enough red lead or white lead undercoat paint.

Nurse Barbara (Dina Merrill), the love interest for Tony Curtis' character, was played in the 1977 remake by Curtis' daughter, Jamie Lee Curtis.

In the film, the submarine is on a constant quest to reach a submarine repair ship to restore her operational status again. In real life, Tony Curtis served on the submarine repair ship USS Proteus during WW2. It was alleged his enlistment in the Pacific Submarine Force was inspired by the film Destination Tokyo (1943), starring Cary Grant.

With  Joan O'Brien.

Cast:

 Cary Grant ... Lt. Cmdr. Matt T. Sherman
 Tony Curtis ... Lt. JG Nicholas Holden
 Joan O'Brien ... Lt. Dolores Crandall RN
 Dina Merrill ... Lt. Barbara Duran RN
 Gene Evans ... Chief Molumphry
 Dick Sargent ... Ens. Stoval
 Virginia Gregg ... Maj. Edna Heywood RN
 Robert F. Simon ... Capt. J.B. Henderson
 Robert Gist ... Lt. Watson
 Gavin MacLeod ... Ernest Hunkle
 George Dunn ... The Prophet
 Dick Crockett ... Harmon
Madlyn Rhue ... Lt. Reid RN
 Marion Ross ... Lt. Colfax RN
 Clarence Lung ... Sgt. Ramon Gillardo

On Set:

With Joan O'Brien, Dina Merrill and Tony Curtis.

With Tony Curtis.

Lobby Cards:

Directed by Blake Edwards.

Distributed by Universal-International.

Running time: 124 minutes.