Rally 'Round the Flag, Boys!

Released Dec 23, 1958

1h 46m

Comedy

List

30%

10 Reviews

Tomatometer

46%

100+ Ratings

Audience Score

When the U.S. Army plans to build a new missile base in the small town of Putnam Landing, Conn., there is a public outcry, lead by Grace Bannerman (Joanne Woodward), a regular on local committees. She convinces her husband, Harry (Paul Newman), to head to Washington, D.C., to talk to the military. Somehow, Harry gets roped into performing public relations work for the army. He also deals with the advances of his flirty neighbor, Angela Hoffa (Joan Collins), leading to a big argument with Grace.

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Steve D

Emotionally hollow and really slow

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

07/12/23

Full Review

Audience Member

By 1958 standards this might have been okay. But today it just plays as a lame, puerile film with overacted silliness and infantile sight gags. It would have been more effective — and funnier — if it had been played straight and just allowed the situations to provide the humor. The always excellent Joanne Woodward shines, despite the failure of script and direction. I read the book as a kid and enjoyed it. I'm sure it must have been better than the film.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

02/13/23

Full Review

panayiota k

The army plot was kind of weird but it was a situation comedy with Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. Refreshing and hilarious.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

gr8 cast makes this one go

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A Lovely Triangle by Joan Collins,Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/09/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Rally 'Round the Flag, Boys! (1958) -- [5.5] -- Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward play a busy married couple whose relationship is threatened by everything from the town trollop (Joan Collins) to the US military. "Rally 'Round the Flag, Boys!" is a comedy of errors from Leo McCarey ("The Awful Truth", "An Affair to Remember") where the parts are better than their sum. I like the early scenes between Newman and Woodward, as well as Newman's outrageous scenes with Joan Collins, but the movie tries to do too much in the last half. I didn't care about the subplots involving the military or a community pageant reenacting the landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth Rock. If the film concentrated more on the three leads, it might have pulled together better.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/17/23

Full Review

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Leo McCarey

Director

Paul Newman

Harry Bannerman

Joanne Woodward

Grace Oglethorpe Bannerman

Joan Collins

Angela Hoffa

Jack Carson

Capt. Hoxie

Dwayne Hickman

Grady Metcalf

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Marion Aitchison

Miami Herald

Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman, who generally lend their talents to more serious roles, essay comedy here with just as satisfactory results.

Sep 2, 2020

Full Review

Variety Staff

Variety

Some of the gags are elaborate and as carefully timed as a dance sequence.

Jun 17, 2008

Full Review

Bosley Crowther

New York Times

Rally Round the Flag, Boys! is no epic. But it's good for laughs.

Rated: 3/5

Mar 25, 2006

Full Review

Clyde Gilmour

Maclean's Magazine

In the film, nothing but the plot emerges, and the merriment becomes somewhat hoarse and strained.

Oct 21, 2019

Full Review

Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

Satire on activist suburbanites is so weak, it only seems funny because it has nothing to say.

Rated: C+

Aug 17, 2011

Full Review

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Paul Newman's first comedy is a disappointing small-town film, directed by Leo McCarey at the end of his career, lacking energy and wit.

Rated: C

Jul 28, 2009

Full Review

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Synopsis

When the U.S. Army plans to build a new missile base in the small town of Putnam Landing, Conn., there is a public outcry, lead by Grace Bannerman (Joanne Woodward), a regular on local committees. She convinces her husband, Harry (Paul Newman), to head to Washington, D.C., to talk to the military. Somehow, Harry gets roped into performing public relations work for the army. He also deals with the advances of his flirty neighbor, Angela Hoffa (Joan Collins), leading to a big argument with Grace.

Director: Leo McCarey
Screenwriter: Claude Binyon, Leo McCarey
Production Co: Twentieth Century Fox
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 23, 1958, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 1, 2010
Runtime: 1h 46m

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