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{{work}}
''[['''Mister Roberts]]''''' began as a 1946 novel about the struggles of a junior officer aboard a US Navy supply ship that's suffering under the command of [[The Neidermeyer|a tyrannical captain]]. The novel was then converted into a 1948 Broadway theatrical production, starring [[Henry Fonda]] in the titular role, which became a Tony Award winner and a long-running production. By 1955 Hollywood took notice and converted the play into a film starring Fonda as Roberts, [[Jack Lemmon]] as the eager Ensign Pulver, [[James Cagney]] as Captain Morton, and [[William Powell]] as Doc, Roberts' ally in the long-standing war against Morton.
 
 
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{{tropelist}}
* [[Anti-Hero]]: A mild version. Roberts is clearly a model officer, but under Morton's cruel command he becomes rebellious.
* [[Armed Farces]]
* [[Be Careful What You Wish For]]: Roberts wants to serve in combat. {{spoiler|He dies during a kamikaze hit within weeks of his transfer to a destroyer.}}
* [[Bittersweet Ending]]: {{spoiler|Roberts gets the transfer to combat duty he wanted, but dies as soon as he gets there. Doc insists that Roberts' last letter to the crew of the Reluctant be posted instead of the news of his death. Ensign Pulver, who had been afraid of confronting Captain Morton the whole movie, realizes he's letting Roberts down... and charges to the replacement palm tree, tosses it overboard despite the guard, and storms into the Captain's office:}}
{{quote|'''Pulver''': {{spoiler|Captain! It is I, Ensign Pulver, and I just threw your stinking palm tree overboard! Now what's all this crud about no movie tonight?}}}}
* [[Breakout Role]]: Lemmon as Pulver. It won him [[Academy AwardsAward|Best Supporting Actor]] and launched his career.
* [[The Captain]]: Morton, only in title. He's really [[The Neidermeyer]]. Roberts is the one really running the ship. And Morton knows it. Which is one of the reasons - the other is sheer spite - why Morton refuses to let Roberts go.
* [[Corpsing]]: Cagney reportedly had to ask Lemmon to run through one of their scenes several times before filming to get this out of his system, and still just barely managed to keep a straight face.
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* [[The Neidermeyer]]: Not the [[Trope Namer]] but as close to [[Trope Codifier]] as Hollywood would allow during that era.
* [[New Meat]]: Pulver.
* [[Officer and a Gentleman]]: Roberts. Which upsets the higher-ranking Morton, whose life before The War made him a captain was getting ordered about by high-class Naval officers.
* [[Persona Non Grata]]: It's understandable why the crew of the "Bucket" would not be allowed ashore on Elysium again, after hearing what they did while on liberty there.
* [[Reality Is Unrealistic]]: Yes the US Navy really did make a fuss about shirts. The reason wasn't just pettiness though. It was found out by the medical branch that shirts provided protection against burns in the case of an explosion.
* [[Soldiers Atat the Rear]]: The USS Reluctant is far from the front lines.
* [[Took a Level Inin Badass]]: When Pulver realizes it's up to him to stand up to the tyrannical Captain.
* [[Villainous Breakdown]]: The captain has one when confronting Roberts for the last time.
* [[Well -Intentioned Replacement]]: After giving away Ensign Pulver's half bottle of whiskey as a bribe to secure a visit to a liberty port, the officers discover that Pulver had promised it to a nurse. They create a substitute out of medical alcohol, Coca-Cola and hair tonic. It is surprisingly effective.
* [[World War II]]{{context|reason=Is this a trope?}}
 
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Sea Stories{{PAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:Film]]
[[Category:Films of the 1950s]]
[[Category:MisterSea RobertsStories]]
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