first saw this half a lifetime ago on a black and white tv in a small samoan village and think it be hilarious . now and have see it for the second time and so much later and i do not find it hilarious . i do not find anything hilarious anymore . but this be a witty and light hearted comedy that move along quickly without stumble and i thoroughly enjoy it . it 1945 and fred macmurray be a 4f who die to get into one of the armed force . he rub a lamp in the scrapyard he manage and a genie appear to grant him a few wish . ( ho hum and right . but though the introduction be no more than okay and the fantasy be pretty lively . ) macmurray tell the genie that he want to be in the army . poof and and he be march along with washington soldier into a particularly warm and invite uso where june haver and joan leslie be wear lot of lace doily or whatever they be and and lavender wig . washington send macmurray to spy on the enemy red coating and german speaking hessian and not brit . the hessian be jam into a bierstube and sing a very amusing drinking song extol the virtue of the vaterland and where the white wine be winy or and the rhine water rhinier or and the bratwurst be mellow or and the yellow hair be yellow or and the fraulein be jucier or and the goose step be goosier . something like that . the characterization be fabulous and as good a sig rumann best . otto preminger be the suspicious and sinister hessian general . you know and heidelberg and vee be 241 to 1 against you but vee be not afraid . i can not go on too long with these fantasy but theyre all quite funny and and so be the lyric . when he wish he be in the navy and macmurray wind up with columbus and the fantasy be present a grand opera . don not you know that sail west meant or a terrifically expensive investment . or and who do you suppose provide the mean or but isabella and queen of queen . when they sight the new world and someone remark that it look great . i do not care what it look like and mutter columbus and but that place be go to be call columbusland . anyway and everything be finally straighten out and though the genie by this time be quite drunk and and macmurray wind up in the marine corp with the right girl . i have make it sound too cute and maybe and but it be cute . the kid will enjoy the puff of smoke and the magic and the corny love story . the adult will get a kick out of the more challenging element of the story ( who be the hessian . ) unless they happen to be college graduate and in which case they might want to stick with the legerdemain and say and wow . awesome .