bkoganbing See Here, Private Hargrove was a lucky picture for both the subject and the actor who played the title role. The film is based on the events chronicled by drafted journalist Marion Hargrove who after his service in the army had a long career writing for the big screen. As for the man who played him Robert Walker this became his first starring role after getting good notices in featured parts in Bataan and Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo. Watching this film now it's easy to see how he clicked with wartime audiences as the eager young recruit who becomes the bane of the existence of Sergeant Chill Wills.Keenan Wynn also got some of his first exposure in a role as Walker's best buddy and ace conman. Given Walker's journalistic background that gives Wynn the idea that they can get some light jobs in public relations and have a relatively easy war. This despite the fact that both are part of trained artillery battery.The film is pleasant viewing and Walker is as eager and likable as he was most of the time on the screen. Only late in his short tragic career was he allowed to go to the dark side in films like Vengeance Valley and Strangers On A Train. Wynn also plays a part he mostly played for his first decade. He later greatly expanded his range also to include a dark persona.Donna Reed is here also as the girl next door which she certainly played a lot of in the Forties. In later wars I think that people would have considered Walker and Wynn to be lucky stiffs to have wangled what they had. Certainly they would have thought them nuts to do what they do.See Here Private Hargrove is a World War II era film that would not and could not play for later generations. Still it's pleasant viewing seeing some of the cast in their salad days.

MartinHafer Private Hargrove (Robert Walker) is one of the most inept Privates in the US Army and much of the film consists of the Sergeants trying to somehow turn this numb-skull into a decent soldier. But it all seems hopeless and we should be awfully glad there weren't more like him in the service--or else the war might have gone the other way! Oddly, however, I did notice that almost all the soldiers were skinny little squirts--the must rugged among them being Keenan Wynn! In some ways, the film plays a bit like "No Time For Sergeants" but without the hillbilly angle--consisting of a series of screw ups and comedic situations in boot camp and very, very little evidence that an actual war is taking place! However, the film takes a romantic turn when Walker is tricked into a date with lovely Donna Reed. When the two fall in love, the joke's on the fellows who set him up with her. This part of the film is quite sweet and helps to create a more well-rounded film--not just a typical army comedy. And, because he now has some focus in his life, he improves as a soldier and actually is promoted to acting Corporal...which takes him completely by surprise. So can Hargrove get the girl AND be a success in the Army? Tune in and see.Overall, this is a very slight but pleasant film. Sure, it's a piece of fluff...but nice fluff. There is a sequel--which I have not yet seen. Considering that this was a decent and likable film, I might just give "What next, Corporal Hargrove?" a look.

cutterccbaxter Robert Walker plays an extremely skinny private in the United States Army during the midst of World War Two. He scrubs lots of garbage cans and gets to woo a lovely Donna Reed. As an "in the army" genre movie the film has more of a peace time vibe to it than one that was produced during the biggest war of the twentieth century. It would be hard to imagine Germany or Japan cranking out cinematic fluff like this in 1944. It perhaps reflects the fact that the mainland of the United States was not suffering the effects of total war like other countries. The lighthearted tone also might indicate the underlying confidence the country was feeling about ultimately winning the war at the time.

Robert J. Maxwell Nobody else seems to have made any comments on this movie, probably because, although it is often referred to in print, it's not often shown on TV. And for good reason. It's based on an autobiographical novel by Marion Hargrove. It dates badly. It was probably nothing more than a light-hearted look at basic training when it was released. But the gags have been done so often, and so much better, that it no longer strikes an audience as funny. "In our battery the portions are so small that instead of hollering come and get it, they holler come and find it." That's one of the better lines. It has a good cast, all right. Not just Robert Walker at his non-neurotic best but Keenan Wynne, Chill Wills, and other familiar types. But it's simply not a very good comedy. If you want funny and basic training, even Laurel and Hardy, or even Abbot and Costello, are funnier on the subject. And if you want a reasonably good, structured comedy on the subject, go to "No Time For Sargeants." A few seconds of Andy Griffeth looking wonderingly out the barracks window and listening to Taps and saying, "Somebody brung his trumpet," packs more laughs than this entire movie.