Product Details

• Actors: Kevin Bacon, Charles Durning, Robert Hays, Marilu Henner, Howard Hesseman
• Directors: Melvin Bernhardt
• Format: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Acorn Media
• DVD Release Date: October 7, 2008
• Run Time: 113 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• ASIN: B001CR49HA
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #175,921 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

A live TV production of the Tony®-winning play

Capturing all the intimacy and electricity of theatre, this live TV production of Mister Roberts rekindles the rousing warmth of the production that won five Tony Awards® on Broadway.

The time is 1945. The setting, a navy cargo ship far from battles raging in the Pacific. Longing to see real action, Lt. Doug Roberts (Robert Hays, Airplane!) wages a war of wills against Capt. Morton (two-time Oscar®-nominee Charles Durning), a petty tyrant whom the rambunctious crew considers "approximately God." Allied with Ensign Pulver (Kevin Bacon) and Doc (Howard Hesseman, WKRP in Cincinnati), Roberts finds himself torn between his ambition to serve his country and his duty to serve his men.

By turns hilarious and heartbreaking, this production relies on the original Broadway script with supervision by Joshua Logan, who cowrote and directed the stage play. Filmed before a studio audience, it gracefully combines the magic of a theatre performance and the daring of a live broadcast.

DVD SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE a background essay "Mister Roberts on Stage and Screen" and cast filmographies.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A TOP NOTCH RENDITION OF AN AWARD WINNING STORY, October 22, 2008

By 

Harold Wolf "Doc" (Wells, IN United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Mister Roberts (DVD)

"Mister Roberts" is available as a movie, a book, and as this DVD which uses the Broadway script. It is a story all will enjoy, so which do you buy? I recommend this one.

It is enjoyable, for a change, to see a story played out before a live audience, with the skill of actors rather than film mechanics making the difference. The 1955 film, like this newer version, is complete with a STAR-STUDDED cast. The '55 cast stars Henry Fonda. If it's the older film version desired, perhaps just a few dollars more will get you the 4-movie set of Fonda which includes "Mister Roberts."

This "Mister Roberts" production includes a more contemporary cast. It was first aired in 1984. The lone female role, the blond, sexy, nurse, Ann Gerard, nicknamed "Red Label",is played by Marilou Henner (Taxi, 1978-83). Lt. Doug Roberts (Robert Hays- of Airplane) is cargo officer on a navy cargo ship but wishing he was seeing more military action just as the WWII front in Europe is about to come to a victorious end. Captain Morton (Charles Durning), refuses to help him leave the ship for another duty. The association with Ensign Frank Pulver (Kevin Bacon, Animal House funny) and Doc (Howard Hesseman-WCRP in Cincinnati)provides many humorous moments within the story of Mr. Roberts' escape to the war front.

The TV aired theatre performance version is delightful evening entertainment. It's like having the expensive front row seats.

A sequel to "Mister Roberts", "Ensign Pulver", 1964, is also available with Robert Walker Jr. becoming Pulver, Burl Ives the Captain, and Walter Matthau, Jack Nicholson, and Larry Hagman added for the other main roles. Let us hope it is soon to be a DVD also.