Watch Imitation General

Imitation General is a 1958 war comedy film directed by George Marshall and starring Glenn Ford, Red Buttons, and Taina Elg. Set in World War II, the plot revolves around a private in the United States Army who becomes mistaken for a general by the local townspeople and decides to take advantage of the situation. The film begins with Pvt. Charley Truckman (Red Buttons), a hapless soldier who is constantly getting into trouble, accidentally taking shelter in a barn that belongs to a retired general. When he wakes up the next morning, he puts on a general's uniform he finds in the barn and stumbles into town. The townspeople mistake him for a real general and invite him to speak at a war bond rally.

Charley quickly realizes what has happened and decides to take advantage of the situation. He recruits a group of soldiers to help him keep up the charade and they set up a headquarters in a local mansion. With his new authority, Charley is able to give orders and obtain supplies for his ragtag group of soldiers.

Sgt. Jasper T. Gorse (Glenn Ford) is assigned to investigate the new general in town and quickly discovers that Charley is a fake. However, Gorse sees the potential in Charley's scheme and decides to go along with it. Together, they plan to use the false general to launch a surprise attack on the German enemy.

Meanwhile, a beautiful Norwegian spy named Toni (Taina Elg) arrives in town and begins to suspect that the new general is a fake. She decides to investigate and soon finds herself caught up in the scheme. Toni's presence further complicates things for Charley and Gorse as they struggle to maintain the charade and plan the attack.

As the day of the attack approaches, Charley and his soldiers are faced with the choice of revealing the truth or going ahead with the plan. The film ends with a thrilling battle sequence that pits Charley's makeshift army against the German forces.

Imitation General is a lighthearted and entertaining film that combines war and comedy in a unique way. The film's humor is derived from the absurdity of Charley's situation and the reactions of the townspeople and soldiers to his fake authority. Red Buttons delivers a standout performance as the bumbling but likable Charley, while Glenn Ford provides a strong foil as the more serious and experienced Gorse. Taina Elg adds a touch of romance and intrigue to the film as the spy Toni.

Overall, Imitation General is a fun and enjoyable movie that offers a unique take on the war comedy genre. While it may not have the depth or complexity of more serious war films, it provides a welcome escapist diversion with its humor and action.

Imitation General is a 1958 comedy with a runtime of 1 hour and 28 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.5.