Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1958 in VHS
• Released on: 1997-05-27
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Formats: Closed-captioned, Color, HiFi Sound, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of tapes: 1
• Running time: 105 minutes

Customer Reviews

Great Comedy classic with Sal Mineo
One of the brightest comedies of the 1950's,"The Private War of Major Benson", features brilliant performances by Charlton Heston, Julie Adams, and "scene stealer", SAL MINEO, in one of his first featured roles.Heston is "Major "Bernard Benson. A tough battle-scarred officer whose inappropriate comments to a magazine almost get him kicked out of the service. Instead, as a last resort, he is transferred to the Sheridan Military Academy for boys, aged 6-16. Demanding and unsympathetic is how he seems towards the boys, and they retaliate towards Benson. And the school nurse, Kay (Adams), is concerned that Major Benson's unorthodox methods have much to be desired. Many HILARIOUS moments fill this uproariously funny film. Eventually, nurse Kay falls for the stoic, yet big-hearted Benson. A young SAL MINEO steals the film, as Cadet Colonel Sylvester Dusik. He gains much respect for Major Benson, and has some truly comedic moments. Especially in the scene where Sylvester tells the training troups, in a frenzy, "Does everybody in this school have two left feet? Alright you guys, you're gonna keep on drilling till you do it right!" The delivery of these lines, shows Sal also had a terrific flair for comedy, and shows why he was such a meteoric rising young star! Also notable, is 6 year old actor, Tim Hovey, adorable in the role as Tiger, one of the youngest cadets at the academy. Directed by Jerry Hopper, "The Private War of Major Benson" is a true comedy classic.

Gentle Comedy Scores a Touchdown!
Charlton Heston is generally thought of as the hero of epic-style films. But in this family-style comedy, filmed after The Ten Commandents and before Ben-Hur, he proves he has comedy chops. As a hard-driving Army major, he is "punished" by being sent to work at a boy's milatary school. Perhaps unique to the times, the love interest of this film is not, as Major Benson first supposes, a nurse . . . but a full-fledged doctor, beautifully played by Julie Adams. A trove of child actors from that period, plus wonderful William Demarest and quite a few other recognizable familiar faces (including a very young David Jansen, in the first few minutes) round out the cast. A good script and delightful theme song (used also for another Tim Hovey movie, Toy Tiger) make this a very enjoyable experience.

A classic comedy for all time.
Charlton Heston outdoes himself again as the war-hardened, whisky drinking Major who discovers his sensitive side after taking command of an ROTC school in California. Classic lines include: "You'll do it until you get it right." If you love Charlton Heston, you've got to see this movie.