The Girl He Left Behind

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1956

1h 43m

Comedy

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Popcornmeter

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2 Reviews

15%

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

Andy Shaeffer (Tab Hunter) is a spoiled college student, overly reliant on his protective high-society mother (Jessie Royce Landis). Andy's girlfriend, the far more mature Susan Daniels (Natalie Wood), worries that he will never be a suitable mate unless he learns to accept responsibility. Nearly flunking out, Andy is drafted into the army. With help from his superior officers (Murray Hamilton, Jim Backus, David Janssen), the sullen Andy eventually sees an opportunity to grow up and be a man.

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Clyde Gilmour

Maclean's Magazine

There are a few quite funny moments in this American army comedy. Most of it, though, is embarrassingly coy and contrived.

Jan 29, 2020

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Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

Dreadful Army recruiting comedy.

Rated: C

Jan 8, 2017

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Steve D

The script especially with Hunter's character makes it unwatchable.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

07/02/23

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Audience Member

Banal bootcamp story of rich kid Tab Hunter joining the army and butting heads with just about everyone around him. There's a pretty solid supporting cast that includes Natalie Wood as his girlfriend and Jim Backus, James Garner, David Janssen, Henry Jones, Murray Hamilton and Alan King as various army characters. You also get Daws "Huckleberry Hound" Butler doing the narration. Unfortunately, the film is not serious enough to be a drama and not funny enough to really be a comedy, so it's left in kind of a bland middle- ground that wasn't all that interesting. Still, you do get to see Wood with a cute short haircut.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

01/31/23

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David Butler

Director

Tab Hunter

Andy L. Shaeffer

Natalie Wood

Susan Daniels

Jessie Royce Landis

Mrs. Madeline Shaeffer

Jim Backus

Sgt. Hanna

Murray Hamilton

Sgt. Clyde

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Synopsis

Director: David Butler
Producer: Frank P. Rosenberg
Screenwriter: Guy Trosper
Production Co: Warner Bros. Pictures
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 20, 2016
Runtime: 1h 43m

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The Girl He Left Behind

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