An Early Comedy about the Post-Vietnam Army

Rating: 6/10 (22 March 2016)

Within several hours, John Winger (Bill Murray) has lost his job, girlfriend Anita (Roberta Leighton), automobile, and apartment. Going nowhere, he convinces his friend Russell Ziskey (Harold Ramis) to enlist in the US army with him. The two buddies wind up in Ft. Arnold (Get it?), where the focus is on basic military training: hiking, running, rope climbing, grenade throwing, shooting, mortar firing, etc. The drill instructor is Sgt. Hulka (Warren Oates), who teaches about "discipline, duty, honor, courage." But as the brash and outspoken Winger gets under his skin so often he gets to do many push-ups.
Of course, much of the dialog and happenings are fanciful. Winger's group, the 3rd platoon, Bravo Company, features more than a few misfits and includes the heavy-set Ox (John Candy), Psycho (Conrad Dunn), dimwit Cruiser (John Diehl), stoned Elmo (Judge Reinhold), and others. Hulka's superior is the inept captain, Stillman (John Larroquette). The commanding general at the fort wants a crack platoon to man the latest project, the army's prototype, the Urban Assault Vehicle (EM-50, which looks like an armored motor home). Captain Stillman is assigned the task; if he fails, he will be sent to a post north of the Arctic Circle. Meanwhile Winger's troubles continue and he tries to desert before he is foiled by Ramis. When our heroes finally escape KP, they go to town; the situation at the local bar ends in a brawl. Along the way, Winger and Ramis hook up with two WACs, Louise (Sean Young) and Stella (P.J. Stoles). A minor miracle occurs when the men of the platoon finally graduate from basic training.
They eventually wind up in Europe. When the platoon blunders into Czechoslovakia, then still occupied by Russians since the end of World War II, they are captured. So it is up to John Winger, Russell, and their girlfriends (hard to believe) – Louise and Stella – to rescue them with the EM-50. Why World War III did not start there and then is . . . well it's a comedy. Will anybody get promoted? HINT: See the title. One of the movie's last images is the press cutting of the Newsworld Magazine article: "The New Army: Can America Survive?" One does wonder.
The plot is thin and the comedy spotty, but the film has its moments, such as the slapstick basic training scenes at Ft. Knox (not Arnold!). Then again, jumping the girls' bones in the general's house, the mud-wrestling match, and the skirmish with the Russians? Hmmm . . . Bill Murray's humor is sardonic and effective; it suits his personality well. Some will be turned off by his self-centeredness (and his haircut). This is an early effort by many actors, including John Candy, John Diehl, Judge Reinhold, and Sean Young. Late in his acting career, Warren Oates does very well as Hulka, whom he plays so straight that he can practically pass as a real DI. The women are all very attractive. By the way, the striking blonde girl with those gorgeous legs in Stillman's convertible at fictitious Ft. Milano in Italy is Lois Areno (née Aurino, a/k/a Hamilton). Note that in later years the movie director included an Extended Cut, which is almost 18 minutes longer than the released version, and includes several nude scenes. The movie was so popular that it made millions at the box office.
"Do-wah diddy-diddy dumb diddy-do . . ."