Ensign Pulver (1964)

Ensign Pulver is a 1964 American Technicolor film in Panavision and a sequel to the 1955 film Mister Roberts. The movie stars Robert Walker, Jr., Burl Ives, Walter Matthau and Tommy Sands and features Millie Perkins, Larry Hagman, Kay Medford, Peter Marshall, Jack Nicholson, Richard Gautier, George Lindsey, James Farentino, and James Coco.

The film was directed and co-written by Joshua Logan, who had directed and co-written the Mister Roberts stage play on Broadway, and also shot scenes for the 1955 film after director John Ford fell ill.

The story concerns the U.S.S. Reluctant, which is at anchor beside a tropical island. The ship's captain is as much of a "Captain Bligh" as ever. Several of the film's events – such as attacking the Captain while he is watching a film, and one the sailors trying to obtain compassionate leave to deal with a dying child – are taken from Thomas Heggen's original novel Mister Roberts. The characters of Pulver, Doc and several crewmen return from the first film, but played by different actors.

Synopsis

U.S. Navy Ensign Frank Pulver (Robert Walker, Jr.) feels unappreciated, as usual. Even when he personally aims a sharp object into the hindquarters of the hated Captain Morton (Burl Ives), the happy crew cannot imagine that the all-talk, no-action Pulver could be behind it. A poll to guess at the identity of the "ass-sassin" results in votes for almost everyone except Pulver, which he bitterly resents.

Actors