The Admiral Was a Lady
Encyclopedia
Plot summary
After an odd prologue through American history, the film begins in 1945 where the events in the film concern recently discharged veterans of World War II. Jean Madison, a former WAVEWAVES
The WAVES were a World War II-era division of the U.S. Navy that consisted entirely of women. The name of this group is an acronym for "Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service" ; the word "emergency" implied that the acceptance of women was due to the unusual circumstances of the war and...
Ensign comes across a gang of ex-Army Air Corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
crew of an A-20 Havoc light bomber named Cynthia who are living high as unemployed members of the "52-20" club; a program where unemployed American veterans received $20 unemployment benefits for 52 weeks. When receiving her cheque at the unemployment office, Jean meets their leader, Jimmy Stevens who recruits her into his gang. Jimmy has proven his men are looking for work by displaying a classified advertisement they have placed in the newspaper advertising "Combat Crew
Aircrew
Aircrew are the personnel who operate an aircraft while in flight. The composition of the crew depends on the type of aircraft as well as the purpose of the flight.-Civilian:*Aviator** Pilot-in-command** First officer** Second officer** Third officer...
for hire; eager and willing to drop bombs" but they have had no offers of employment in the postwar world.
Jimmy instructs her how to avoid the cheque cashing fees by opening an account with a bank where she is rewarded with a cermaic piggy bank
Piggy bank
Piggy bank is the traditional name of a coin accumulation and storage receptacle; it is most often, but not exclusively, used by children. The piggy bank is known to collectors as a "still bank" as opposed to the "mechanical banks" popular in the early 20th century. These items are also often used...
that they show her how to pawn for some more money. She then closes her account to draw out her money until she rejoins another bank when her next cheque comes in.
Former taxi driver Ollie drives a sound truck
Sound truck
A sound truck is a vehicle equipped with loudspeakers, typically used to play loud political or commercial messages, but are also used in evacuations. The use of sound trucks for advertising is illegal in many jurisdictions....
to advertise a music company that the gang uses for their transportation, and have the use of a radio and a piano from the music company. The gang lives free and luxuriously in an aircraft factory where Jimmy is a night watchman. Eddie has used his talent as an interior decorator to make furniture out of surplus aircraft parts and military equipment. They dine free at an exclusive private club's swimming pool where Mike is a lifeguard and gets the gang's meals as his salary. Jimmy's fast talking gets them the use of a speedboat for an ocean jaunt.
The gang's freewheeling lifestyle nearly comes to an end where they are summoned to juke box manufacturer Peter Pedigrew. Pedigrew has had private detectives following Jean and observed the crew in action. He threatens to hire the crew and end their idylic lifestyle unless they keep Jean with them until her former fiancee Henry arrives. Pedigrew explains that his ex-wife Shirley who he has twice divorced is intending on marrying Henry and has poisioned Henry's mind against Jean. Pedigrew schemes the only way he can regain his fortune is to remarry Shirley and stop paying her alimony
Alimony
Alimony is a U.S. term denoting a legal obligation to provide financial support to one's spouse from the other spouse after marital separation or from the ex-spouse upon divorce...
. Therefore he wants Henry and Jean back together.
Jean, who the gang has nicknamed "The Admiral" is amazed, then disgusted by their spending more effort thinking of ways to avoid work then being productive members of society. However, she discovers that they are living a dark secret. Jimmy feels strong guilt for Mike's injury suffered in a crash of their plane that he piloted during the war. Jimmy, the former head of an employment agency
Employment agency
An employment agency is an organization which matches employers to employees. In all developed countries there is a publicly funded employment agency and multiple private businesses which also act as employment agencies.-Public employment agencies:...
will not work until all his crewmen have resolved their psychological and physical problems from the war and are able to pick up their past lives. Jimmy demonstrates his altruism by taking Mike's place in a boxing match that due to his injuries could kill Mike. Jimmy, never in a ring in his life, goes the distance taking the beating so Mike can keep his fee that he was paid.
Eddie has refused to return home to his fiancee who had had told false stories that he was wealthy. When Jimmy convinces Eddie that his fiancee loves him no matter what, Eddie leaves the gang to marry his fiancee and start a career as a decorator. Mike and Ollie team up in a business financed by Pedigrew. With his crew safely home, Jimmy marries the Admiral and begins a career in advertising and public relations.
Cast
- Edmond O'BrienEdmond O'BrienEdmond O'Brien was an American actor who is perhaps best remembered for his role in D.O.A. and his Oscar winning role in The Barefoot Contessa...
as Jimmy Stevens - Wanda HendrixWanda HendrixWanda Hendrix was an American film and television actress.Born Dixie Wanda Hendrix in Jacksonville, Florida, Hendrix was performing in her local amateur theater when she was seen by a talent agent who signed her to a Hollywood contract...
as Jean Madison (the Admiral) - Rudy ValleeRudy ValléeRudy Vallée was an American singer, actor, bandleader, and entertainer.-Early life:Born Hubert Prior Vallée in Island Pond, Vermont, the son of Charles Alphonse and Catherine Lynch Vallée...
as Peter Pedigrew (jukebox king) - Johnny Sands as Eddie Hoff
- Steve BrodieSteve Brodie (actor)Steve Brodie was an American movie and television actor.Born John Stevenson in El Dorado, Kansas, he took his screen name from the Steve Brodie who claimed that he jumped from the Brooklyn Bridge in 1886 and survived...
as Mike O'Halloran - Boxer - Richard ErdmanRichard ErdmanRichard Erdman is an American film and television actor and director.-Notable roles:...
as Oliver 'Ollie' Bonelli - Hillary BrookeHillary BrookeHillary Brooke was an American film actress best known for her work in Abbott and Costello and Sherlock Holmes films...
as Mrs. Shirley Pedigrew (Peter's ex-wife) - Richard Lane as Marty Gruber (fight promoter)
- Garry Owen as Watson Jones (private detective)
- Fred Essler as Benny (pawnbroker)
Marvelle Andre, Jean Bane, Lane Chandler
Lane Chandler
Lane Chandler was an American actor specializing in Westerns.-Early life:He was born as Robert Chandler Oakes on a ranch near Culbertson, Montana, the son of a horse rancher. At an early age, the family relocated to Helena, Montana, where he graduated from high school...
, James Conaty, Warren Douglas, Ralph Dunn
Ralph Dunn
Ralph Dunn was an American film, television, and stage actor.Career=Dunn was born in Titusville, Pennsylvania. Dunn's father was a veterinarian for the U.S. Army during WWI, and his mother was an actress...
, Sam Finn, Sam Flint, June Glory, John Halloran, Phil Harron, Eddie Kane
Eddie Kane
Eddie Kane was an American actor who appeared in over 250 productions from 1928 to 1959.Some of his more famous films include The Public Enemy , The Mummy , Mr. Deeds Goes to Town , Mr...
, Mike Lally, Larry Mancine, Frank Marlowe, Spec O'Donnell
Spec O'Donnell
Spec O'Donnell was an American film actor. He appeared in 191 films between 1923 and 1978.He was born in Fresno, California and died in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles.-Selected filmography:* Why Girls Say No...
, Eddie Parks, Bob Rich
Bob Rich
Bob Rich is an American cartoonist. He received the U.S. National Cartoonist Society Newspaper Illustration Award for 2003.-External links:*...
, Jack Roper, Brick Sullivan, Lurene Tuttle
Lurene Tuttle
Lurene Tuttle was a character actress, who made transitions from vaudeville to radio, to films and television. Her most enduring impact was as one of network radio's most versatile actresses...
, and Ralph Volkie appears uncredited.