While many sitcoms would have TV movie follow-ups in the 1970's, only "McHale's Navy" and "The Munsters" had big-screen versions released outside a few of the animated shows. McHale is away on furlough so he has left Tim Conway in charge, which means nobody is listening to him. When a general's son goes missing, Conway is mistaken for him, and general hilarity ensues. Joe Flynn is back as the captain, and it is hysterically funny to see him in a room of commanding officers during a social gathering where he is completely ignored, and then all of a sudden ordered to leave the party. Bob Hastings is back as his right hand man, even more buffoonish than ever.
I guess Borgnine must have been enjoying his honeymoon with a certain Broadway actress when this was filmed but the cast does just fine without him, and there are some very funny elements concerning new characters, particularly a ship with Russian sailors who apparently hate vodka. Then there's a recurring joke of the sailors talk about being prisoners of War only for an American Japanese sailor to pop up from down below and ask, "You call me?" It's the irreverent humor like that and some very funny moments of farce, particularly when the incompetent Flynn gets into trouble (the American version of German Colonel Klink) and Conway does the type of pratfalls that got him noticed by the producers of "The Carol Burnett Show".
I guess Borgnine must have been enjoying his honeymoon with a certain Broadway actress when this was filmed but the cast does just fine without him, and there are some very funny elements concerning new characters, particularly a ship with Russian sailors who apparently hate vodka. Then there's a recurring joke of the sailors talk about being prisoners of War only for an American Japanese sailor to pop up from down below and ask, "You call me?" It's the irreverent humor like that and some very funny moments of farce, particularly when the incompetent Flynn gets into trouble (the American version of German Colonel Klink) and Conway does the type of pratfalls that got him noticed by the producers of "The Carol Burnett Show".