Mr. Roberts

I had always wanted to see the 1948 classic movie “Mr. Roberts” having heard for years how funny it was. I never did see it, but I did catch New Rep’s production of the play on Monday. And it was . . . pretty good. Not great, but pretty good. I realized after the fact that I had expected “Mr. Roberts” to be like that old TV show “McHale’s Navy,” which I thought was a laugh riot when I was ten. Since I am no longer ten, it’s probably good that the only real similarity between the two is that they both take place on a ship.

Despite my McHale’s Navy expectations, “Mr. Roberts” was not pure, light hearted comedy, although there were many amusing moments. The basic plot is this: Roberts is an officer on a cargo ship in the Pacific during the spring of 1945. He has a wonderful relationship with the crew, who adore him because he protects them against the ship captain’s capriciousness. However, he is miserable because he feels like he is not contributing to the war effort. (He is so unhappy about this that he finds it difficult to celebrate when he learns that the Allies have won the war in Europe.) Roberts sends weekly transfer requests to the ship’s captain, which are always denied without reason or justification.

I had some difficulty fully enjoying the play because while there are universal aspects to it -- themes of loyalty, friendship, honor and sacrifice – the play itself seemed very much a product of 1940s. Scenes in which lecherous sailors leer at nurses through binoculars and attack them while on shore leave may have been hilarious in 1948, but in this post-Tailhook world, there was nothing amusing about them.

As for the acting, it was quite good overall. The actors playing the crew members were basically playing caricatures of sailors, so it was difficult to really assess their talent. The actors who were most genuine were the ship’s doctor and the captain. With both of them, you forgot they were playing parts. The actor playing Mr. Roberts rose to this level in the scenes where he confronted the captain. In other scenes he was likeable, but he needed come across as charismatic to explain the crew’s devotion to him.

Despite its faults, seeing the play was a pleasant way to spend an evening out. Even though it was more than two hours long, the pacing was good and the play did not drag. I wouldn’t necessarily tell people to rush to and see it, but it is still worth seeing.

Kpoverman, New Rep Reviewer