Captain Newman MD

Captain Newman MD
Directed by David Miller
Written by Richard L. Breen and Phoebe and Henry Ephron from a novel by Leo Rosten
1963/USA
Brentwood Productions/Reynard/Universal Pictures
First viewing/YouTube

[box] Col. Norval Algate Bliss: Is Mr. Future *insane*?[/box]

This mixture of psychodrama and comedy did not work as well for me as it might have.

Captain Joe Newman is in charge of a base psychiatric ward.  He has six weeks to bring his men back to fighting trim or send them to a psychiatric hospital for long-term care.  He fights hard to get quality staff.  Two people he lures from other duties are Cpl. Jake Liebowicz (Tony Curtis), an orderly, and Lieut. Francie Corum (Angie Dickinson), a beautiful nurse.  Liebowicz specializes in wheeling and dealing and comic relief.

The story includes the treatment of three soldiers Cpl. Jim Tompkins (Bobby Darin), Col. Norval Algate Bliss (Eddie Albert) and Capt. Paul Winston (Robert Duvall).  All have mental problems stemming from some kind of guilt.  Liebowicz is around to keep things lively.  With James Gregory as the commander of the hospital and Jane Withers as a nurse.

I thought that both Darin and Eddie Albert overacted terribly, spoiling much of the story for me.  Duvall was good in a smaller role.

Captain Newman MD was nominated for Academy Awards in the categories of Best Supporting Actor (Darin), Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium, and Best Sound.