The Girl He Left Behind (1956)

Let's be realistic.

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

This movie was made because Tab Hunter was a popular pretty boy actor adored by pre-teen and teen gals and their moms despite his limited acting ability. Since this movie was made in 1956 post-Korean war era years before the growing anti-war anti-military public sentiment of Vietnam prevailed the ending was acceptable albeit somewhat laughable at the same time.

I watched the first 45 minutes or so of this movie. Watching classic movies is fun because you get to see many actors who you are familiar with from later works in their lives. There are many fine supporting actors in this movie. The obvious problem rests with the lead Tab Hunter who cannot act.I thought the scene where Hunter's character undergoes his physical for the military was funny and gay themed. I am sure the gay crowd loved this scene watching bare chested Tab parade around in his underwear in line with other young men in similar attire. Then comes the best line when Tab sits shirtless behind a desk and the military interviewer asks him if he likes women. Considering that Tab is gay in real life and was pretending to be straight in 1956 this is funny.Tab was a good looking young man who had gay friends in powerful positions and that is probably how he got the lead in this movie. The poor guy could not act worth a whit at least not in 1956!

In a typical American town, handsome healthy Tab Hunker (as Andrew "Andy" L. Sheaffer) plays college football during the day, and dates kissable Natalie Wood (as Susan Daniels) at night. For cash, Mr. Hunter charms fawning mother Jessie Royce Landis (as Madeline). Hunter remains in college to avoid the draft, which Ms. Wood tells him means he's "insolent." She is working her way through school. Wood feels Hunter has no sense of responsibility, getting through life on his charm and good looks. She loves him, but returns his pin. This separation causes Hunter to flunk out of college, and he is drafted. In US Army training at Fort Ord, California, the film's narrator says Hunter works on his muscle tone - which doesn't appear to need much refining...Hunter turns his head and coughs, hops on one foot, and does sit-ups. After three days of training, Sgt. Murray Hamilton (as Clyde) shouts at Hunter, "Suck that fat civilian belly in!" But, Hunter never looked fat at all. He meets fellow recruits Henry Jones (as Hanson), Alan King (as Maguire), and James Garner (as Preston); they have a good attitude about the military, but Hunter remains cocky. Sgt. Jim Backus (as Hanna) wants Hunter to grown up; he lets him know Wood stopped by to visit, but was accosted by Captain David Janssen (as Genaro). Writer Guy Trosper fashioned a decades-old formula (the arrogant youth in the military) picture for Hunter and Warner Bros. He is helped by a fun supporting cast, especially the drilling and winking Mr. Hamilton.****** The Girl He Left Behind (10/26/56) David Butler ~ Tab Hunter, Natalie Wood, Murray Hamilton, Jessie Royce Landis

The title role of The Girl He Left Behind is none other than Natalie Wood. But it is Tab Hunter who is doing the leaving because he's gotten a greetings letter from President Eisenhower inviting him to join the US Army. Those draft notices can ruin the plans of many a young man.In this case the young man Hunter is playing is quite rich and really acts to the manor born. If he's got the right stuff it will take all the people above him in his training company from captain David Janssen to First Sergeant Jim Backus to platoon sergeant Murray Hamilton to bring it out of him.Fifteen years after this film was made I was doing basic training at a lovely garden spot of the earth called Fort Polk, Louisiana. It would never have occurred to me to mouth off the way Tab Hunter was doing to those above him. I've also never seen a basic training film that didn't have one trainee doing a single pushup. Hunter should have been down in a prone position on all fours pushing the good earth of Fort Ord away from him.The Girl He Left Behind was filmed at Ford Ord and that certainly made it look authentic if it wasn't quite. In the cast as Hunter's fellow trainees are Alan King, Henry Jones and James Garner in what was his second film appearance. Both Hunter's memoirs and a recent biography of Natalie Wood mention that at this time the two of them were linked romantically in a series of studio arranged dates. We know now just how far from the truth that was, but at least from Hunter's point of view, Natalie Wood was a good scout about it all. One of the lines I remember best from his autobiography was that he (Tab) could have qualified for veteran's benefits with all the military movies he was cast in. He certainly did have that all American military look about him.The Girl He Left Behind is one of the most unrealistic of army films I've ever seen, still it has a great cast and I'm a fan of a whole lot of the people in this film.