Operation Petticoat

"Excuse me, sir, is this normal, or should I be nervous again?"

In 1941, a Japanese air raid severely damages the Sea Tiger, a new submarine under the command of Lieutenant Commander Matt Sherman (Grant).  Sherman's crew scrambles to make the repairs so they can get out to sea.  The newest addition to their crew is Lieutenant JG Nick Holden (Curtis), the self-appointed supply officer.  Holden and his crew use any means necessary (including stealing) to acquire the items needed.  Despite their shady methods, the Sea Tiger is finally able to leave, but their sub still needs quite a bit of work.

They stop at Marinduque for repairs but find the only occupants of the island are 5 nurses: Major Edna Heywood (Gregg), Second Lieutenant Dolores Crandall (O'Brien), Second Lieutenant Barbara Duran (Merrill), Second Lieutenant Reid (Rhue), and Second Lieutenant Colfax (Ross).  Sherman reluctantly agrees to take the women along, with mixed reactions from the crew.  As their sub continues to be plagued by problems and in need of repair, can the men and women learn to get along?


I love Cary Grant films.  He can do it all, comedy and drama, and throws himself into every role.  He is well matched with Tony Curtis, another actor than can do both drama and comedy.  The combination of Grant and Curtis and director Blake Edwards (who worked with Curtis again in The Great Race in 1965) makes for comedy gold.

I have always loved this film.   The cast is great and the script is funny.  Grant and Curtis are funny together and throughout.  The women don't get to do as much, but they each get a nice moment.  Gavin MacLeod is funny in a small role.  He has quite the TV resume with big roles on McHale's Navy, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and The Love Boat, and is memorable in all of those roles.  Arthur O'Connell has great chemistry with Virginia Gregg and they are very funny together.

There actually was a pink (technically crimson) submarine in WWII.  Apparently when the Sea Lion was bombed and sunk, it was docked beside the Sea Dragon.  The Sea Dragon sustained damage and had the paint fall off due to the heat.  The steel rusted and turned the entire sub crimson.  Despite the color, the Sea Dragon ended up sinking 3 ships.

The film was adapted into a TV series in 1977 starring John Astin (and featured Curtis' daughter Jamie Lee Curtis as one of the nurses).  The show only lasted 32 episodes and the last 10 episodes most of the characters were recast.

A great film that doesn't get the kind of love it deserves.

Operation Petticoat (1959) 124 minutes
Director: Blake Edwards
Starring: Cary Grant as Lieutenant Commander Matt Sherman
Tony Curtis as Lieutenant JG Nick Holden
Joan O'Brien as Second Lieutenant Dolores Crandall
Dina Merrill as Second Lieutenant Barbara Duran
Gene Evans as Chief Torpedoman "Mo" Molumphry
Dick Sargent as Ensign Stovall
Arthur O'Connell as Chief Motor Machinist's Mate Sam Tostin
Virginia Gregg as Major Edna Heywood
Robert F. Simon as Captain J.B. Henderson
Robert Gist as Lieutenant Watson
Gavin MacLeod as Yeoman Ernest Hunkle
Madlyn Rhue as Second Lieutenant Reid
Marion Ross as Second Lieutenant Colfax
Clarence E. Lung as Sergeant Ramon Gallardo