Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.5

Don't Give Up the Ship Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf April 27, 2017

Jerry Lewis is about as “your mileage may vary” an actor as they come, either seducing or repelling audiences with his practiced mugging, pratfalls, and penchant for exaggerating comedic situations. While in possession of a wildly uneven filmography, Lewis seems relatively fresh and invested for 1959’s “Don’t Give Up the Ship,” which is one of his early solo efforts. Eager to please and willing to try out some unusual locations for screen mischief, Lewis is appealingly committed to the picture, which doesn’t always match his energy levels.

Lewis portrays Lieutenant Steckler, a Naval officer about to enjoy a honeymoon with his seriously undersexed bride, pulled away from the bedroom to participate in the hunt for a missing destroyer escort. The plot is odd and somewhat complex for a Lewis picture, requiring a significant amount of exposition to launch in the first act, keeping the star away from his traditional antics for a surprising amount of screen time. Set in a post-WWII world, “Don’t Give Up the Ship” has fun with military interactions and discoveries, including a group of Japanese soldiers who don’t know the war is over, adding pressure to Steckler’s mission. Perhaps most interesting is a climax set underwater, challenging Lewis to dream up elastic shenanigans in a floating realm. Amazingly, he pulls it off.

Don't Give Up the Ship Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

"Newly mastered in HD from a 4K scan," "Don't Give Up the Ship" makes a satisfying impression on Blu-ray. The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation is welcoming, supporting original cinematography with clarity, offering generous detail to support Lewis's antics, highlighting facial particulars and set ornamentation, keeping backgrounds crisp. Textures are also welcome during underwater sequences, selling the surroundings. Delineation is sharp and whites are controlled. Source is in fine shape, with only a few mild scratches and pops of damage detected.

Don't Give Up the Ship Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix is surprisingly hearty, offering a pleasingly loud listening experience that supports the slapstick antics with ideal clarity. Dialogue exchanges sound good, preserving performance detail and manic behavior, without muffling issues. Scoring supports as intended, with defined instrumentation. Atmospherics are evocative, capturing interior echo and underwater pressure.

Don't Give Up the Ship Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

There is no supplementary material on this disc.

Don't Give Up the Ship Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Don't Give Up the Ship" isn't consistent, and one can sense Lewis straining to make flatlining scenes funny, but there's plenty of spirited action to enjoy, and the feature's unexpectedly open appreciation for the promise of marital sex is amusing. Perhaps this isn't premiere Lewis, but "Don't Give Up the Ship" has its share of laughs and strange visuals, keeping it engaging, but far from a classic.