McHale's Navy - Season One (1962) Review

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(More customer reviews)Join Lt. Cmndr Quinton McHale and his fun-lovin' squadron of rule-bending goof-offs and gamblers aboard the PT 73 on its award-nominated maiden voyage of 36 episodes in the 45th anniversary release of McHale's Navy - Season One!
Starring the unsinkable talents of Ernest Borgnine (a real-life navy veteran) as skipper McHale, Tim Conway (The Carol Burnett Show) as klutzy Ensign Parker, Carl Ballantine as con man Lester Gruber, Joe Flynn (The Rescuers) as blustery, fun-spoiling Capt. Binghamton, and Bob Hastings as his jittery aide Lt. Carpenter, McHale's Navy is one of television's longer-lasting military comedies (and a classic B&W sitcom favorite of mine), with 138 episodes aired over four seasons (1962-1966).
Digitally restored and remastered by Shout! Factory, McHale's Navy - Season One is a 5-disc (930 min.) set featuring all 36 episodes in Full Frame (1.33:1) video and English mono, plus the following Special Feature: "The Crew Remembers": Shout! Factory hosts a very special 45th anniversary reunion of the crew, including stars Ernest Borgnine, Tim Conway, Carl Ballantine, Edson Stroll and Bob Hastings. Here are how the discs will be configured, plus original airdates:
Disc 1:
"An Ensign For McHale" (10/11/1962)
"A Purple Heart For Gruber" (10/18/1962)
"McHale And His Seven Cupids" (10/25/1962)
"PT 73, Where Are You?" (11/1/1962)
"Movies Are Your Best Diversion" (11/8/1962)
"Operation Wedding Party" (11/15/1962)
"Who Do The Voodoo?" (11/22/1962)
Disc 2:
"Three Girls On An Island" (11/29/1962)
"McHale's Paradise Motel" (12/6/1962)
"The Battle Of McHale's Island" (12/20/1962)
"The Day They Captured Santa Claus" (12/27/1962)
"Beauty And The Beast" (1/3/1963)
"The Captain's Mission" (1/10/1963)
"Send Us A Hero" (1/17/1963)
Disc 3:
"The Captain Steals A Cook" (1/24/1963)
"The Ensign Gets A Zero" (1/31/1963)
"The Big Raffle" (2/7/1963)
"One Of Our Engines Is Missing" (2/14/1963)
"The Natives Get Restless" (2/21/1963)
"The Confidence Game" (2/28/1963)
"Six Pounds From Paradise" (3/7/1963)
Disc 4:
"Washing Machine Charlie" (3/14/1963)
"Nippon Nancy Calling" (3/21/1963)
"One Enchanted Weekend" (3/28/1963)
"The Mothers Of PT 73" (4/4/1963)
"H.M.S. 73" (4/11/1963)
"A Wreath For McHale" (4/18/1963)
"Portrait Of A Peerless Leader" (4/25/1963)
"Instant Democracy" (5/2/1963)
Disc 5:
"Camera, Action, Panic" (5/9/1963)
"Alias Captain Binghamton" (5/16/1963)
"Parents Anonymous" (5/23/1963)
"McHale's Millions" (5/30/1963)
"The Hillbillies Of PT 73" (6/6/1963)
"The Monster Of McHale's Island" (6/13/1963)
"Uncle Admiral" (6/27/1963)McHale's Navy - Season One
March 20th!

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From 1962 to 1966,McHale s Navy was the ABC networks must-see comedy series. With an amazing cast, including Academy Award winner Ernest Borgnine (Lt. Commander McHale), comic genius Tim Conway (Ensign Parker), the one-of-a-kind comic talent of Joe Flynn (Captain Binghamton) this series remains second only to M*A*S*H as a truly funny military sitcom.Veteran seaman Quinton McHale is commissioned into the Navy Reserve at the start of WWII. He becomes Skipper of the Torpedo Patrol (PT) Boat #73 stationed on the island of Taratupa in the Pacific. Assigned to his command are six free-spirited, good-hearted swabbies who love to have fun. McHale and his men are constant irritants to their base commander, Captain Wallace B. Binghamton. Binghamton is forever trying to find a way to get rid of McHale and his rule-bending crew, while McHale & Co. are forever scheming to keep him from succeeding. Despite their hilarious party-boy shenanigans and utter disregard for Navy regulations, when duty calls, the crew of PT 73 does its job and does it well.With its talented stars, great writing and solid supporting cast, including Gavin McLeod (Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Love Boat), McHale s Navy is classic television at its finest and funniest.Bonus Features:* The Crew Reunion Ernest Borgnine, Tim Conway, Carl Ballantine, Bob Hastings and Edson Stroll reunite and share their memories of the show.* A special Colorized episode.

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Combat - Season 4, Conflict 2 (1962) Review

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(More customer reviews)I reviewed COMBAT SEASON 4 CONFLICT 1 where I highlighted some episodes of the season. I want to devote this review to only one episode, HILLS ARE FOR HEROES, which I consider to be one of the finest war movies ever made!
Hills are for Heroes was a 2 part episode which appeared late in the season. It is directed by Vic Morrow and you see the beginnings of what might have been a fine directing career. The story centers on Hanley (Rick Jason) who is ordered to capture two hills, both of which are guarded by bunkers with heavy machine guns. Each attempt to take the hills results in failure, and Hanley begins to question his own effectiveness and leadership. A wounded Saunders provides the support Hanley so desperately needs. To compound the problem, Kirby becomes the voice of the squad as he argues about the stupidity of their efforts. He becomes the powerful moral center of the piece as the body count continues to rise.
If you are familiar with the film HAMBURGER HILL (made many years later), then you have a firm comparison on how this COMBAT episode is structured. HILLS ARE FOR HEROES foreshadows what will become commonplace in Vietnam, namely, the inanity of war, and the great expense of lives for meaningless territory.
Rick Jason, and especially Jack Hogan, does some of there best work in this episode, no doubt encouraged by Vic Morrow's capable directing hand. Some of the scenes are simply incredible. For example, one of the soldiers is shown dying through his eyes, and everything spins about him in slow motion. This first person account of death brings the point home, and Morrow handles it well. The scenes of the interior of the bunkers, and the German soldier manning the machine gun are shot at menacing angles. Even quieter moments, such as Kirby touching an exposed plant root, contemplating that this might be the last thing he touches, are expertly handled by Morrow. Besides the great action set pieces, there is time to flesh out the characters, especially the "Green Shirts", or secondary roles.
I know I run the risk of over hyping Hills are for Heroes to the point where you might end up disappointed, but I am so certain you will enjoy this episode, that you will find the purchase of CONFLICT 2 worth it for this episode alone. As I mentioned previously, this two part episode ranks as one of the best war movies ever produced, and it is a lasting testament to the late Vic Morrow and Rick Jason.
Enthusiastically recommended!!


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