Watch The Private War of Major Benson For Free

Strong and Moving!

I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

Excellent, Without a doubt!!

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

This is one of our family's favorite movies and always reminds me of growing up watching old films with my grandparents and hearing not only the original filmography and individual actor bios straight from the generation that knew them best, but to hear about what was and wasn't accurate about the academies like the one in the film. Apparently there were a few "Major Bensons" after the war and several academies in need of a firm-but-empathetic hand. The curmudgeon Benson ends up learning just as much as a leader as his young charges at the academy learn about diligence and dignity for a job well done. (No Spoilers, go watch it on Netflix/Amazon.)

Cutesy little comedy that tries hard but trips over its own obviousness. Hard-nosed army Major Charlton Heston is unwillingly dispatched to a lax military school to shape up the boys' failing ROTC program. There's an immediate clash of backgrounds that provides some comedic potential, but I suspect this is a film Heston would just as soon forget. The trouble is he's miscast-- Moses just doesn't do pratfalls well. And here, unfortunately, he does a lot of them. The comedy is clumsily done, with a real lack of timing , and is not helped by the many blaring close-ups of the precious little Tim Hovey, who I'm sure many find adorable-- which he may be, but in very small doses. After about the 20th close-up of "how cute I am", my dinner began to rebel. I kept wishing a really digestible kid like Alfalfa or Spanky had been available . With a more jaundiced eye, better direction, and appropriate casting, this might have made a humorous little 90 minutes. As it stands, the only interest is to aficionados of early Sal Mineo.

It was shown frequently on television, in the 1960s and 1970s, usually around Christmastime, probably due to its school setting, with nuns and kids, remotely resembling "The Sound of Music" (1965) without the music, and even lead actress Julie Adams resembling Julie Andrews (both Libras to boot!). Reviewing my VHS tape of the film recently (not on DVD yet), the movie remains surprisingly enjoyable, funny, tender and clever (script nominated for Academy Award), a big hit in 1955. Charlton Heston, in only a handful of comedies throughout his career, is very good as the hard-nosed Major who is assigned to military school by his superiors to soften his image, unaware its for kids and run by nuns! Adams, in one of her best roles and films, (until her "The Last Movie" role - 1971), effectively and warmly plays the school's doctor, not nurse, as other reviewers stated, and stands firm to Heston's shenanigans, not taking a subordinate role in all the proceedings. Child actor Tim Hovey is a revelation as "Tiger" who also helps melt Heston, with capable William Demarest as a caretaker and the marvelous Nan Bryant as the Mother Superior. Good color, filmed on location, direction, nice finale.

You won't believe it, but Charlton Heston is a truly funny man. You'll enjoy this movie, if only for the dialogue.