Plenty to Like, Plenty to Dislike

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

After At War With The Army which assured Martin&Lewis of stardom another service comedy seemed in the offing so Sailor Beware was on tap as the fifth vehicle for Dean and Jerry. This story begins at the recruiting office where Dean is enlisting again for the 11th time knowing he's a 4- F. And Jerry with all his allergies isn't sure they'll take him.Guess what folks; the standards of enlistment were lowered so both get in. Which is a bit of a tragedy to Dean after saying goodbye to his latest girlfriend Hetty Button. Why they would take Jerry God only knows, but both of them run into their nemesis at the recruiting center Robert Strauss a former Navy man who has been given back his rating of CPO upon his taking the oath again. Dean gets his series of songs and Jerry has some great moments during basic training on a submarine to Hawaii and then as the object of a bet to see if he can thaw out the been through the mill Corinne Calvet. It seems as though because of a local TV contest on Don Wilson's show Jerry gets the reputation as a lady killer. But Dino has Calvet earmarked for himself.Best bit in the film is a boxing match with Jerry fighting to defend his honor when he's challenged. One of the seconds of his opponent is James Dean whom you will have to watch carefully for and not blink. Of course Jerry wins the fight, but not exactly with the Marquis of Queensbury rules. Hetty Button is of course Betty Hutton making an unbilled appearance twice in Sailor Beware. Dino's best song in this film is Never Before written by Jerry Livingston and Mack David.Don't you beware of this film, it's pretty funny.

This is not one of Martin & Lewis' better films for two main reasons. First, the film seems very episodic and the plot seems secondary at best. Second, Jerry's voice. This movie has Jerry at his most spastic and nasal. It's ironic that this film is on the same DVD as "That's My Boy"--the second most spastic performance by Lewis!! Some of this shtick is funny...but that voice...uggghh!! NASAL!! The film begins with Jerry oddly deciding to join the Navy. His doctor told him to take a cruise for his allergies--and since he couldn't afford it, he goes to the Navy recruiting office. There he meets Dean Martin and they become pals. Some of the recruiting sequence scenes are cute but also very low-brow--which you'll either love or hate.A bit later, in an odd happening, a female enlisted lady falls madly for Jerry. You have no idea why, as he has the sex appeal of a tree frog...one that overacts badly. Jerry isn't exactly in love with her (as he plays a virtually sexless creature) but likes her because she doesn't wear makeup or cologne--and he's highly allergic to them both. However, this relationship is tested when in a HIGHLY contrived scene, Jerry is chosen to be the judge of a kissing contest. He hates this and is pursued like a pack of hungry pit bulls chasing a pork chop! In the process, the sailors start to wonder if he's some sort of stud. But, after more antics it's obvious he is NOT.Then for the next half of the movie, there just isn't a lot of plot--just episodes strung together. The men go aboard a submarine for a while, the men make a bet about who will kiss a girl first, Jerry is in the dumbest boxing match in history and a final scene occurs where Jerry dresses like a Hawaiian and dances about...whatever. All of it is very tenuously connected--sometimes fun, sometimes terribly overacted. As for Dean, as usual he seems pleasant and a bit out of place but sings some nice songs.

One has to take Martin & Lewis like a dash of salt & pepper. Why does Martin put up with Lewis? Then again, why do all the women in this movie like Jerry? Because he is innocently likeable! Martin sings a few good songs (lip-sync'd at least once) and Jerry manages to kiss more girls than in all his other movies combined. I generally find that I can take just so much of Jerry's antics before they become aggravating. BUT.... in this film, watch when Jerry gets stuck outside on a submerging Navy submarine! EXCELLENT! Buster Keaton should have been proud. I give the film a 7.

Jerry and Dean serve again in the Armed Forces this time in the Navy. Jerry does his antics managing to sink a dinghy and disrupt a submarine. Dean sings a few numbers. Robert Strauss co stars as a hard boiled CPO. Look for a young Vince Edwards and Jack Benny's semi-sidekick Don Wilson. Corinne Calvet appears as herself. Betty Hutton has a quick scene as Deans girlfriend. If you look real close you'll catch a glimpse of screen cult legend James Dean.