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Mister Roberts is as clear an encapsulation of director John Ford's views on the American military as was ever made. On the one hand is his ideal soldier: Lieutenant Junior Grade Douglas A. "Doug" Roberts, played by Henry Fonda, Ford's old stand-by actor for populist heroes. On the other is the tyrannical captain of the United States Navy cargo ship Reluctant: Lieutenant Commander Morton, played by James Cagney. Morton represents everything that Ford hated about military types: he is an iron-fisted glory-hound more concerned with his reputation and chances for promotion than the welfare of his men. He forces them to work in awful conditions despite reports that they are getting violently ill, he denies them shore leave, and he fetishizes an absurd palm tree awarded to the ship for its stellar performance record. In his quest for promotion, Morton refuses to let Roberts transfer to another ship, fearing that he will spread gossip about the "disharmony" under his command. Roberts, on the other hand, wants nothing more than to leave the Reluctant and join the crew of a ship that sees active combat. But he wants to fight not out of some thirst for adventure, glory, or recognition, but because he feels like it is his duty. He treats the men under his command with respect and takes the blame whenever they do something wrong. Quiet, composed, eager to serve his country, Roberts is everything Morton isn't. As an examination of the ethics that guided John Ford's direction (both morally and cinematically) for decades, Mister Roberts is invaluable. But as a piece of entertainment, it stumbles and comes up short. The central story detailing the struggle between Roberts and Morton is effective enough and the ending packs an emotional wallop. But the film is stymied by poor performances by many of the extras and Cagney, the latter of which over-acted with such abandon that one can't help but wonder if Ford used his worst takes deliberately. Of course, it would be amiss to not mention Jack Lemmon's Academy-Award-winning role as Ensign Frank Thurlowe Pulver, a lazy officer who spends almost the entire film avoiding Morton. He brings much needed levity in a rather sad and serious story. But in the end Mister Roberts is a film better suited for film scholars and historians than casual viewers.