Soldier in the Rain

His own soda pop machine. Air conditioning. The finest cotton underwear. Someone else doing the work. That’s M/Sgt. Maxwell Slaughter’s (Jackie Gleason) game – and man, can he play it. Just ask Supply Sgt. Eustis Clay (Steve McQueen), who idolizes the big, shrewd, supremely self-confident older man. Maybe someday they can go into business together. In the meantime, how about a hot double date? So Clay fixes Slaughter up with a teenybopper named Bobby Jo (Tuesday Weld), a move that sets off a chain reaction of laughs and drama. Gleason and McQueen make a surprisingly engaging comedy team in this overlooked gem (co-scripted by Blake Edwards, who at this time was also embarking on The Pink Panther movie series) that showcases both stars’ unique talents.