Onionhead

I have seen the movie a few times over the years, and usually enjoy it for what it is. Its not a comedy, though it has funny moments, and the characters are interesting even though none of them is really appealing. I suppose it would have to be classified as a drama, though it isn't really dramatic in theme or treatment, and it isn't exactly slice of life, its too scatter-shot to be that. A series of incidents that define the character and development of a man from callow youth through cynical adult to something a bit more compassionate and understanding by the end of the movie. This movie was apparently something of a departure for Andy Griffith, as he rarely returned to this sort of material in his career, seeming to prefer a more slapstick, comedic role, but it does indeed demonstrate his capability of handling material outside that venue.

I think the other reviewers are mostly giving this movie a harder rap than it deserves, and that the 5.9 rating it gets is too low. I'd give it at least a 7.0. While it is not MISTER ROBERTS, nothing else is either, and not having read the book I can't compare it to that either. Rather, it seems to be not only a perfectly good example of fare in the humor-in-uniform genre (people seem to have forgotten just how many, many movies were made, particularly after the war, in that vein), but I found it more believable and less contrived than most in terms of both situations and acting. The quality of the banter and chaff was overall much better than you see in most such films including even A-list movies with people like John Wayne in them. I also found the adult situations more believably adult than was typical in A-list movies for those days. I could get into details if anybody really wanted to, but the bottom line is that I was glad I happened upon this on TV and wish I could get a DVD copy to add to my collection.

Follow-up to Andy Griffith's big hit in "No Time for Sergeants" moves the action to the Coast Guard and WW II. Though more of a serious role this movie is usually advertised as a comedy when it crops up on TV even though there is none of the broad farce from the earlier film. The title concerns Griffith's character's hair falling out and having an onion mixture applied to it to promote hair growth. All around unmemorable.

In 1941, Al "Onionhead" Woods (Andy Griffith) quits college after a fight with his Jo. He's joining the fight against Hitler. A faulty coin toss sends me to sign up with the coast guard instead of the Marines. He is assigned to cook despite not knowing how. Chief cook 'Red' Wildoe (Walter Matthau) is not happy with the new addition and there is corruption within the ranks.

Despite his personality, Andy Griffith can't give this character any more likeability. He's more angry than loveable. It tries to be funny but it struggles due to the character. I don't really like him and that's all there is to that. At the end of the day, a comedy needs the audience to care about the character. I couldn't care less about this guy and I can't get a laugh out of this.

Unfortunately for the movie, I read the book first and so was vastly disappointed as so often happens when producers, directors and big time actors get involved. . The book had an influence on me joining in the USCG in 1959 on that exact type of 180' bouy tenders mostly, one home-ported in Charleston SC and another based in Honolulu, Hawaii, that spent most of its time cruising the Western and Southern Pacific. The movie hams up the story and must have had a committee of screen writers trying to put in slapstick humor. Years later I reread the book at least twice and it never failed to entertain. By then I could really appreciate the authenticity of the book's details that coincided with my personal adventures and were lost in the movie. I rented the 1958 movie once to see if my opinion had changed but it is no wonder it was a box office bomb.