What Did You Do in the War, Daddy? is a 1966 comedy DeLuxe Color film written by William Peter Blatty and directed by Blake Edwards for the Mirisch Company in Panavision. It stars James Coburn and Dick Shawn. Filming was at Lake Sherwood Ranch in Thousand Oaks, northwest of Hollywood. In what had been a cow pasture, designer Fernando Carrere fabricated a storybook Sicilian village which added $800,000 to the production's already elevated $5.5 million budget.
Plot
During the Allied invasion of Sicily, an outfit of U.S. soldiers is assigned to capture the small town of "Valerno", but upon arrival, they discover that the Italian Army garrison led by Captain Fausto Oppo (Sergio Fantoni) have been expecting them. They will willingly surrender and turn themselves over to the Americans' rule, provided they are permitted to complete a soccer match and a wine festival.
Romance and frivolity ensue, as a reluctant, by-the-book Capt. Cash (Dick Shawn) is persuaded by easy-going Lt. Christian (James Coburn) to go along with the locals' wishes. Christian convinces Cash to send a message to headquarters that they have encountered resistance. During an aerial reconnaissance of the town, the Germans mistake the festival for an attack. A nearby German Panzer unit is ordered to come to the Italians' aid, but the Americans accidentally end up conquering all.
Cast
James Coburn as Lieutenant Jody Christian
Dick Shawn as Captain Lionel Cash
Sergio Fantoni as Captain Fausto Oppo
Giovanna Ralli as Gina Romano
Aldo Ray as Sergeant Rizzo
Harry Morgan as Major Pott
Carroll O'Connor as General Max Bolt
Leon Askin as Colonel Kastorp
Rico Cattani as Benedetto (as Henry Rico Cattani) Jay Novello as Mayor Giuseppe Romano Ralph Manza as Waiter Vito Scotti as Frederico Johnny Seven as Vittorio Art Lewis as Needleman William Bryant as Minow Kurt Kreuger as German Captain
Production
The title of the film came to Edwards when he was asked the question by his son Geoffrey. As Edwards was having marital problems at the time, he did not want to leave the United States, so Mirisch Productions agreed to film the movie in Lake Sherwood, California, for $5 million that included the construction of a large Italian village set. In his study of Edwards, Myron Meisel stated that Coburn imitated Blake Edwards' mannerisms throughout the film.
The film was the first of what was originally intended to be six Mirisch-Geoffrey Productions between Edwards and the Mirisch Company. Only one other film, The Party, was completed.
William Peter Blatty recalled that Edwards and he originally agreed to make the film grim and without comedy for the first 20 minutes. This idea was shelved when, during the scene where Captain Cash visits Charlie Company at their chow line, he holds out his hand and one of the GI mess orderlies ladles beans into the captain's hand.
Reception
The film grossed $2,650,000 at the box office.
On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 50% based on 12 reviews, with an average score of 5.80/10.
Music
The score is by Henry Mancini. It includes "The Swing March" and "In the Arms of Love".