Wake Me When The War Is Over
Encyclopedia
Wake Me When the War Is Over is a 1969
American
comedy
made-for-TV
film starring Ken Berry
and Eva Gabor
, and directed by Gene Nelson
. It first aired on ABC
.
Roger Carrington (Berry), a soldier fighting for the United States Air Force
during the closing days of World War II
. After accidentally falling out of a plane and landing in German territory
, he is hidden by a local baron
ess named Marlene (Gabor). Luckily, Marlene is against the Nazis
, and sympathizes with Carrington, taking him under her wing to recover, and eventually falling in love with him. Unfortunately, when World War II ends, Marlene realizes that Carrington will leave when he finds this out. Not wanting him to go yet, she decides not to tell him about the war ending so he will stay, and she manages to keep him with her for nearly five years. Around then is when Carrington convinces himself that it's his duty to continue fighting and he leaves Marlene's estate, not realizing he's now in a peacetime country. The only problem is, no one can tell him the war is over because no one around him speaks English
. The plot is similar to the 1965 film Situation Hopeless... But Not Serious
.
1969 in film
The year 1969 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* Last year for prize giving at the Venice Film Festival until it is revived in 1980...
American
Cinema of the United States
The cinema of the United States, also known as Hollywood, has had a profound effect on cinema across the world since the early 20th century. Its history is sometimes separated into four main periods: the silent film era, classical Hollywood cinema, New Hollywood, and the contemporary period...
comedy
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
made-for-TV
Television movie
A television film is a feature film that is a television program produced for and originally distributed by a television network, in contrast to...
film starring Ken Berry
Ken Berry
Kenneth Ronald "Ken" Berry is an American dancer, comedic actor and singer. He began on stage as a dancer and later starred in television sitcoms.-Life and career:...
and Eva Gabor
Eva Gabor
Eva Gabor was a Hungarian-born socialite and actress. She was widely known for her role on Green Acres as Lisa Douglas, the wife of Eddie Albert's character, Oliver Wendell Douglas, Duchess in the 1970 Disney film The Aristocats, and Miss Bianca in Disney's The Rescuers and The Rescuers Down Under...
, and directed by Gene Nelson
Gene Nelson
Gene Nelson was an American dancer, actor, screenwriter, and director.-Biography:Born Leander Eugene Berg in Astoria, Oregon, he moved to Seattle when he was one year old. He was inspired to become a dancer by watching Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers films when he was a child...
. It first aired on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
.
Plot
The film tells the story of LieutenantLieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
Roger Carrington (Berry), a soldier fighting for the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
during the closing days of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. After accidentally falling out of a plane and landing in German territory
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
, he is hidden by a local baron
Baron
Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
ess named Marlene (Gabor). Luckily, Marlene is against the Nazis
National Socialist German Workers Party
The National Socialist German Workers' Party , commonly known in English as the Nazi Party, was a political party in Germany between 1920 and 1945. Its predecessor, the German Workers' Party , existed from 1919 to 1920...
, and sympathizes with Carrington, taking him under her wing to recover, and eventually falling in love with him. Unfortunately, when World War II ends, Marlene realizes that Carrington will leave when he finds this out. Not wanting him to go yet, she decides not to tell him about the war ending so he will stay, and she manages to keep him with her for nearly five years. Around then is when Carrington convinces himself that it's his duty to continue fighting and he leaves Marlene's estate, not realizing he's now in a peacetime country. The only problem is, no one can tell him the war is over because no one around him speaks English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. The plot is similar to the 1965 film Situation Hopeless... But Not Serious
Situation Hopeless... But Not Serious
Situation Hopeless... But Not Serious is a 1965 comedy film starring Alec Guinness, Mike Connors and Robert Redford. It is based on the novel The Hiding Place by Robert Shaw....
.
Cast
- Ken BerryKen BerryKenneth Ronald "Ken" Berry is an American dancer, comedic actor and singer. He began on stage as a dancer and later starred in television sitcoms.-Life and career:...
as Roger Carrington - Eva GaborEva GaborEva Gabor was a Hungarian-born socialite and actress. She was widely known for her role on Green Acres as Lisa Douglas, the wife of Eddie Albert's character, Oliver Wendell Douglas, Duchess in the 1970 Disney film The Aristocats, and Miss Bianca in Disney's The Rescuers and The Rescuers Down Under...
as Baroness Marlene - Werner KlempererWerner KlempererWerner Klemperer was a comedic and dramatic actor, best known for his role as Colonel Klink on the CBS television sitcom, Hogan's Heroes.-Early life:...
as Erich Mueller - Danielle De MetzDanielle De MetzDanielle De Metz is a French actress best known for her numerous guest appearances in television shows throughout the 1960s.De Metz guest starred in such shows as Dr...
as Eva - Hans ConriedHans ConriedHans Georg Conried, Jr. was an American comedian, character actor and voice actor.-Early years:He was born on April 15, 1917 in Baltimore, Maryland to Hans Georg Conried, Sr. and Edith Beyr Gildersleeve. His mother was a descendant of Pilgrims, and his father was a Jewish immigrant from Vienna,...
as Erhardt - Jim BackusJim BackusJames Gilmore "Jim" Backus was a radio, television, film, and voice actor. Among his most famous roles are the voice of Mr...
as Colonel - Parley BaerParley BaerParley Edward Baer was an American actor in film, television, and radio.-Radio:Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, Baer had a circus background, but began his radio career at Utah station KSL...
as Erhardt's Butler