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The Sad Sack poster
5.7 / 10(34 votes)IMDbNR19571h 38mUnited States of America

The Sad Sack

“The Lovable Laughable GI Goof!”

Synopsis

Private Meredith Bixby is so out of step in the Army that his six weeks of planned basic training has now stretched to 17 months. After he loses a tank, WAC Major Shelton, a psychologist, is assigned to make a good soldier out of him. She requests Corporal Dolan and Private Stan Wensalawsky to help with the training. Dolan and Stan both have scores to settle with Bixby and their "guidance" leads to more mishaps. Sergeant Pulley has them shipped out to Morocco. On leave in North Africa, Bixy wanders alone into a bar, has a few Moroccan Delights, which he thinks are malted milks, and becomes convinced that exotic singer-dancer Zita is THE girl for him.

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Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes

Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.

Sad Sack ≣ 1957 ≣ Trailer

Type: Trailer • Published 2021-04-29

Release History & Theatrical Window

Theatrical Premiere

November 27, 1957

Wide Cinema Exhibition

Key Information & Fast Facts

Director
George Marshall
Screenplay & Story
Edmund Beloin, Nate Monaster
Original Score
Walter Scharf
Original Title
The Sad Sack
Country of Origin
United States of America
Spoken Languages
English, French
Runtime
1h 38m
Production Studios
Hal Wallis Productions

Creative Leadership & Key Crew

Director

George Marshall

Screenplay & Story

Edmund Beloin, Nate Monaster, George Baker

Original Score & Music

Walter Scharf

Director of Photography

Loyal Griggs

Film Editing

Archie Marshek

Producers

Hal B. Wallis

Literary Origin & Source Material
Characters:George Baker

Department Leadership Roster

George Marshall

George Marshall

Director

Edmund Beloin

Screenplay

Nate Monaster

Screenplay

Archie Marshek

Editor

Loyal Griggs

Director of Photography

Hal B. Wallis

Hal B. Wallis

Producer

Walter Scharf

Walter Scharf

Original Music Composer

Edith Head

Edith Head

Costume Design

Age Classification & Content Advisories

Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.

Primary: NR

NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.

International Certification Matrix

United States (MPAA)NR

Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.

Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Sad Sack.

Featured In Curated Collections

Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Sad Sack.

Comic Book and Graphic Novel Adaptations

These live-action and animated feature films, TV movies, TV series and short films are based on English-language comic books and graphic novels except Marvel Comics, DC Comics, Archie Comics, Vertigo Comics, Image Comics, Dark Horse Comics, Dynamite Entertainment, Oni Press, Icon Comics, Boom! Studios and IDW Publishing.

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Sad Sack

Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.

What is The Sad Sack about?

Private Meredith Bixby is so out of step in the Army that his six weeks of planned basic training has now stretched to 17 months. After he loses a tank, WAC Major Shelton, a psychologist, is assigned to make a good soldier out of him. She requests Corporal Dolan and Private Stan Wensalawsky to help with the training. Dolan and Stan both have scores to settle with Bixby and their "guidance" leads to more mishaps. Sergeant Pulley has them shipped out to Morocco. On leave in North Africa, Bixy wanders alone into a bar, has a few Moroccan Delights, which he thinks are malted milks, and becomes convinced that exotic singer-dancer Zita is THE girl for him.

Who directed The Sad Sack?

The Sad Sack was directed by George Marshall.

Who stars in The Sad Sack?

The principal cast of The Sad Sack includes Jerry Lewis, David Wayne, Phyllis Kirk, Peter Lorre, Joe Mantell.

When was The Sad Sack released and how long is it?

The Sad Sack was released in 1957 with a total runtime of 1h 38m.

Who composed the musical score for The Sad Sack?

The original motion picture soundtrack for The Sad Sack was composed by Walter Scharf.

Is The Sad Sack based on a book or true story?

The Sad Sack is adapted from the following source material: Characters: "George Baker".

What is the age rating and content advisory for The Sad Sack?

The Sad Sack holds official age classifications: US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).