The Horizontal Lieutenant (1962)

Set against the backdrop of 1944, in the throes of World War II, we find our protagonist, Second Lieutenant Merle Wye, nestled behind a desk in Honolulu, yearning for the thrilling escapades of a suave undercover agent. His dreams are seemingly answered when he's assigned his first field operation on the serene South Pacific island of Rodahan. However, this post-war paradise, liberated from the Japanese eight months prior, proves to be more peaceful than perilous. Merle's mission is to apprehend a harmless Japanese soldier named Kobayashi, the only one who didn't surrender. Kobayashi's crime? Pilfering luxury goods from the US army commissary and officers' quarters. Despite the simple nature of the task, the pressure mounts as Merle's new superior, Colonel Charles Korotny, threatens to demote him to the most desolate army outposts if he fails. Adding to Merle's challenges are the overly officious Navy Commander Jeremiah Hammerslag and the love-struck Sergeant Roy Tada, who is more engrossed in his romantic pursuits back home than in army duties. Amidst all this, Merle tries to magnify the importance and danger of his job to win over the heart of the stunning Lieutenant Molly Blue. A former college acquaintance, Molly has transformed into a woman who could easily choose from a sea of men, most of whom outrank Merle. "The Horizontal Lieutenant" perfectly captures the comic misadventures of a desk-bound dreamer thrust into a peculiar field mission, where idyllic island life, military antics, and romantic entanglements conspire to create an engaging and humorous cinematic experience.

The Horizontal Lieutenant is a comedy movie featuring Jim Hutton.

It is possible to buy The Horizontal Lieutenant on Amazon Video, Apple TV and DIRECTV.