When Willie Comes Marching Home

1950
Approved
1h 22m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

Corinne Calvet, Dan Dailey, and Colleen Townsend in When Willie Comes Marching Home (1950)

Willie Kluggs enters the service with hopes of going overseas, but his uncanny marksmanship keeps him at home as a shooting instructor... much to his embarrassment.Willie Kluggs enters the service with hopes of going overseas, but his uncanny marksmanship keeps him at home as a shooting instructor... much to his embarrassment.Willie Kluggs enters the service with hopes of going overseas, but his uncanny marksmanship keeps him at home as a shooting instructor... much to his embarrassment.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.4/10

864

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 1 win & 2 nominations total

Photos10

+ 4

Top cast99+

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Dan Dailey

William 'Bill' Kluggs

Corinne Calvet

Yvonne Le Tete

Colleen Townsend

Marjorie 'Marge' Fettles

William Demarest

Herman Kluggs

Jimmy Lydon

Charles 'Charlie' Fettles
(as James Lydon)

Lloyd Corrigan

Maj. Adams

Evelyn Varden

Mrs. Gertrude Kluggs

John Mitchum

Schreves
(scenes deleted)

Paul Picerni

Kerrigan
(scenes deleted)

Luis Alberni

Barman
(uncredited)

Michael Alvarez

Soldier
(uncredited)

Beau Anderson

Soldier
(uncredited)

Frank Baker

Jackie Barnett

Soldier
(uncredited)

Gregg Barton

Colonel
(uncredited)

Norman Bergman

Musician
(uncredited)

Whit Bissell

Lt. M.J. Hanley - Psychiatrist
(uncredited)

George Blagoi

German officer
(uncredited)

Director
- John Ford
Writers
All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Was an announced movie in "MASH" (1970).

Goofs
Bill Kluggs is described as a phenomenal shot and proudly displays the Sharpshooter badge he earned in basic training on his dress uniform. But the best shooters in the military receive an Expert badge. Sharpshooter is a step down from Expert with Marksman being a step down from that. If he's actually the best shot in his outfit, he should have a higher rating than Sharpshooter.

Quotes
William 'Bill' Kluggs: Somehow that stop-off at Loring Field began to stretch out like a visiting mother-in-law.

Connections
Referenced in M*A*S*H (1970)

Soundtracks
When Johnny Comes Marching Home
(uncredited)
Written by Louis Lambert (pseudonym of Patrick Gilmore)
Played during the opening credits
Reprised by the fireman's band for Bill Klugg's first leave home
Reprised at the end

User reviews18

Review

Featured review

Fair Ford

When Willie Comes Marching Home (1950)

** (out of 4)

John Ford's comedy about a man (Dan Dailey) who joins the Army to become a war hero but he ends up in the recruiting section back in his hometown, which gets the people there thinking he's a coward. I'm not sure what it is but these Ford comedies just aren't working for me. The whole idea is that the character is a very brave man but due to his placing, people thinks he's a coward. This one joke runs throughout the entire film and it just never made me laugh. I never got bored with the film but without any laughs there's really not much else going on. Dailey is very good in his role and keeps the film moving along. Colleen Townsend and William Demarest are also good as his parents. The film is a comedy but as expected Ford treats the war stuff very serious including during the opening when we hear about the attack of Pearl Harbor. This film shares a lot with Preston Sturges's Hail! The Conquering Hero but that film works a lot better. Vera Miles has her film debut here but I didn't spot her.