MovieChat Forums > Murder in the Fleet (1935) Discussion > Three stupid stooges in the Navy

Three stupid stooges in the Navy

posted 12 years ago by deadzombie
6 replies | jump to latest

This is probably the worst movie made involving the Navy. lets see,what kind of moron wrote this screenplay. Its like wanabe three stooges.TCM is showing this on April 09 2012. Here is the main plot. This War ship is in Navy Shipyard, being fit with new fire control systems. The contractors are foreigners from "Europe" and also Official dignitaries from "Japan" who are walking around the war ship. during these secret operations with the fire control systems. Meanwhile some of these sailors have their girlfriends running around the ship doing something, One of them shots their boyfriend.There are also comedians on the ship telling stupid jokes. This is a disgrace to the Navy. Youo would have to be a moron to believe any of this crap.

[–] TexasGreek 12 years ago

I agree. Considering, however, that it was made some 80 years ago ...
I'm guessing the general movie-going public was just stupider back then or naive when it came to military stuff and would buy anything that was offered them in the name of entertainment.

[–] deadzombie 12 years ago

this does not qualify as entertainment on any level.It was a propaganda movie made with the assistance of the US NAVY and the head of the Movie studio's.Its insulting to see the sterotypes for Japanese "diplomats" and other European contractors. What the hell was that all about.It was insulting watching this stupid movie. The Captain made the US NAVY look absolutely useless. Give me a break. I can't believe the public in 1936 bought this. Its like a stupid joke on everybody.To portray orientals with white people is just dumb and insulting.I am not letting the Navy off the hook. It makes them look incompetent. I was in the United States Submarine Service. It's just silly and stupid and insulting to anybody who was in the Navy.

[–] deadzombie 12 years ago

I had to laugh when the Captain is leading these "oriental" diplomats around the war ship and they lose when one of them "somewhere" on the ship! .the Captain seems to blow it off,and this is during "secret" operations involving new fire control systems. of which they can't get the wiring diagrams or something from the "foreign" contractors. Its more then stupid.I just don't get the girlfriend shooting one of the sailors.Its just too stupid to continue.

[–] HarlowMGM 10 years ago

I had to laugh when the Captain is leading these "oriental" diplomats around the war ship and they lose when one of them "somewhere" on the ship! .the Captain seems to blow it off,and this is during "secret" operations involving new fire control systems. of which they can't get the wiring diagrams or something from the "foreign" contractors. Its more then stupid.

While I agree the Captain seems to take the fact that the diplomat's aide disappeared for awhile in stride a little too much (he is questioned later though and gives his credible, low-comedy excuse), the movie notes the Captain is powerless to confine the foreign diplomat and his assistant due to legal regulations concerning diplomats. This is still true today. What I found fascinating/disturbing is the movie plays on the audience's presumed bigotry by automatically making the "foreigners" among the suspects - including one Asian-American sailor who is seen mysteriously peeping out of a lower stairwell and never seen again.

I just don't get the girlfriend shooting one of the sailors.Its just too stupid to continue.

That girlfriend does notshoot her boyfriend; she is brought before the captain because she is discovered to have a gun in her purse and she starts complaining about her boyfriend whom she apparently brought the gun onboard to threaten him, the boyfriend is brought forward, they argue a bit, quickly make up, and then announce plans to be married! Pretty dumb segment but then it's a low-comedy murder-mystery so hardly out of the norm for this sort of picture.

[–] arthurblock 12 years ago

I have to agree that this film makes the Navy look pretty bad - or it would if it weren't so implausible that no intelligent person could take it seriously. The OP asked "what kind of moron wrote this screenplay", and the incredible answer is that early naval aviator (and life-long promoter of the USN) "Spig" Wead is the first-credited screenwriter. For more about Wead, go here: www.imdb.com/name/nm0915693/bio or see the movie "The Wings of Eagles", where John Wayne plays him.

[–] deadzombie 12 years ago

I watched that movie. I love JOHN Wayne and Maureen O'Hara. The movie was great fun watching. That movie had great script. great acting, fun movie all around.My favorite all time movie. John Wayne's "The Quiet Man.