Ex-WAVE encounters four fun-loving, work-hating men, all of whom want to marry her.
The Admiral Was a Lady 1950 HD by Albert S. Rogell | Edmond O’Brien, Rudy Valle & Wanda Hendrix | Comedy Film
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Movie Info
The Admiral Was a Lady is a 1950 American comedy film directed by Albert S. Rogell. The working title of the film was Once Over Lightly, which was the title of one of the songs in the film.
Edmond O’Brien co-stars with Wanda Hendrix, whose name inspired the movie’s original poster: “The Admiral was a Lady but she taught these ex-G.I. (military)’s maneuvers they’ll never forget!!! … it’s zany in a wonderful sort of way!”
Plot
She’s in for a wild ride, when Jean Madison (Wanda Hendrix), a WAVES ensign, meets the crew of an United States Army Air Corps A-20 Havoc light bomber named Cynthia. The men are living high as members of the “52-20 club,” a program in which unemployed American veterans receive $20 unemployment benefits for 52 weeks.
When receiving her own check, Jean meets their leader, Jimmy Stevens (Edmund O’Brien), who recruits her. Jimmy has proven his men are looking for work with a classified ad, “aircrew for hire; eager and willing to drop bombs”, but has had no offers in post-war America.
Jimmy shows her how to avoid the check-cashing fees by opening an account with a bank where she is rewarded with a ceramic piggy bank, which they take to the pawn shop for some more money. The gang lives free and luxuriously in an empty aircraft factory, where Jimmy is a night watchman. Eddie, (Johnny Sands) artfully makes their furniture out of aircraft parts and other war surplus. They get their meals discounted, for stale stock, or in trade, as when Mike (Steve Brodie (actor)) stands in for the lifeguard at a private club. Former taxi driver Ollie (Richard Erdman) drives them around in a sound truck, from a local music store. Jimmy’s fast-talking even gets them a ride on a speedboat for an ocean jaunt.
All she wants to do is get on the bus back home to Walla Walla, Washington. But things aren’t quite that simple when Jean learns that her fiancée, Henry, is not waiting for her as expected.
The crew is summoned to juke box king (Rudy Vallee) Peter Pedigrew’s office. Pedigrew has private detectives following Jean and the crew. He threatens to put them to work, ending their idyllic lifestyle, unless they keep Jean with them until her fiancée Henry arrives.
Pedigrew explains that his ex-wife Shirley (Hillary Brooke) intends to marry Henry. But the only way Pedigrew can remain solvent is to remarry Shirley, for the third time, and stop paying her alimony. So, he wants the crew to get Henry and Jean back together.
Reluctantly they agree, under duress; they take the “Admiral” under their wing.
Jean, whom the gang has nicknamed “The Admiral,” is amazed, then disgusted by their spending more effort thinking of ways to avoid work than being productive members of society. However, she discovers that they are living a dark secret. Jimmy feels guilty for Mike’s injuries when their plane crashed during the war. Jimmy, the former head of an employment agency, will not rest until all his crew members have resolved things. Jimmy even takes Mike’s place in a boxing match, since the injuries could kill Mike, though Jimmy has never been inside a ring in his life before.
In the end, Pedigrew catches up with Shirley, Henry is waiting for Jean, and Eddie realizes he needs to go home to find out if his girlfriend will love him, even if he is poor. Finally, Pedigrew agrees to set up Mike and Ollie in business.
So, that only leaves Captain Jimmy, finding he’s in love with the Admiral, just as she’s about to ship out. It’s been a wild ride; but, it’s not over, yet.
Cast
- Edmond O’Brien as Jimmy Stevens
- Wanda Hendrix as Jean Madison (the Admiral)
- Rudy Vallee as Peter Pedigrew (jukebox king)
- Johnny Sands as Eddie Hoff
- Steve Brodie (actor) as Mike O’Halloran – Boxer
- Richard Erdman as Oliver ‘Ollie’ Bonelli
- Hillary Brooke as Mrs. Shirley Pedigrew (Peter’s ex-wife)
- Richard Lane (actor) as Marty Gruber (fight promoter)
- Garry Owen as Watson Jones (private detective)
- Fred Essler as Benny (pawnbroker)
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