What Did You Do in the War, Daddy? is a 1966 comedy film directed by Blake Edwards and written by William Peter Blatty. It stars James Coburn and Dick Shawn, and the story follows a U.S. Army unit in Sicily that ends up in a comic standoff with Italian soldiers during World War II.

Quick Scoop

The film’s central joke is that the Italians are willing to surrender if they can finish a soccer match and wine festival first, which leads to confusion, romance, and unintended chaos as both sides try to maintain appearances.

What it is

It is a wartime comedy rather than a serious war drama, and it plays the Allied invasion of Sicily for satire and farce. The title echoes a famous World War I recruitment poster, though the movie itself is set in World War II.

Why people mention it

People usually bring it up because of the unusual title and its absurd premise, which makes it stand out among war films. It is also noted as one of Blake Edwards’s later comedy films from the 1960s.

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