In 1941, Al "Onionhead" Woods (Andy Griffith) quits college after a fight with his Jo. He's joining the fight against Hitler.
Unfortunately for the movie, I read the book first and so was vastly disappointed as so often happens when producers, directors and big time actors get involved. .
I think the other reviewers are mostly giving this movie a harder rap than it deserves, and that the 5.9 rating it gets is too low.
The novel by Weldon Hill was pretty amusing but this movie really sucks. Andy Griffith is okay, as far as that goes, but Walter Matthau deserves better.
I just watched the TCM showing tonight. Technically, I skipped out before it ended.
This was one of the main reasons I joined the United States Coast Guard in 1976 and retired in 2006. I was 10 years old when I saw the movie and have been remembering it every day since.
Early in his acting career, Andy Griffith had two breakout roles that brought him fame. One was starring in the very gritty "A Face in the Crowd", the other starring in the teleplay and movie version of "No Time For Sergeants".
I have seen the movie a few times over the years, and usually enjoy it for what it is. Its not a comedy, though it has funny moments, and the characters are interesting even though none of them is really appealing.
Follow-up to Andy Griffith's big hit in "No Time for Sergeants" moves the action to the Coast Guard and WW II. Though more of a serious role this movie is usually advertised as a comedy when it crops up on TV even though there is none of the broad farce from the earlier film.
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