Onionhead

directed by Norman Taurog
Category: "War"
Year of Release:1958
Date Added:07/21/2025
Date Watched:07/21/2025
Description:Al Woods (Andy Griffith) joins the Coast Guard when his girl Jo (Erin O'Brien) refuses to marry him on a whim. He's assigned as a cook on a tender in Boston even though he's never cooked before. His superior officer, Red (Walter Matthau) wants nothing to do with him at first, but eventually they learn to get along. Ashore, he meets Stella (Felicia Farr), but when she refuses to go to a hotel with him, he dumps her. She marries Red but doesn't care for him — and she's now willing to spend a night with Al. Al suffers under the dictatorial orders of the ship's exec, Higgins. When he finds out Higgins has been stealing money intended for the crew's food, he reports it. He finds out his dad has died and goes home for the funeral. He meets Stella, who now agrees to marry him when she comes to Boston. When his report on Higgins goes through channels, he refuses to rat on the ship and get the captain (James Gregory) in trouble, but he gives the captain his evidence and Higgins is court martialed. Al is sent to Greenland as punishment for not going through channels, but the captain gives him leave to marry Jo.
My Rating:6

Reviews for Onionhead

Review - Onionhead

Odd movie. Sometimes almost slapstick comedy, sometimes serious drama, sometimes more like a a documentary on Coast Guard life. Al is hard to root for — he's sometimes honorable and decent and sometimes a womanizer. It's hard to believe he'd be faithful to a wife. But still, after a slow start, it kept me watching, somewhat to my surprise.

Reviewed by Roger on 2025-07-21 12:37:17

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