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Sgt. Bilko (1996)

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All Critics
Top Critics

Average Rating: 4.3/10
Reviews Counted: 37
Fresh: 12 | Rotten: 25

No consensus yet.

Average Rating: 4.9/10
Critic Reviews: 11
Fresh: 6 | Rotten: 5

No consensus yet.

audience

liked it
Average Rating: 2.6/5
User Ratings: 31,953

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Movie Info

The classic 1955-59 sitcom The Phil Silvers Show (also known as "You'll Never Get Rich" in its first few episodes) became this high concept comedy with an all-star cast. Steve Martin stars as U.S. Army Master Sergeant Ernest G. Bilko, a conniving motor pool supervisor who uses his position to finance various get-rich-quick schemes, including illegal gambling, at a Kansas military base. His commanding officer, Colonel Hall (Dan Aykroyd) is mostly oblivious to Bilko's antics. Trouble arrives when

PG, 1 hr. 34 min.

Comedy

Directed By: Jonathan Lynn

In Theaters: Mar 29, 1996 Wide

On DVD: Jun 30, 1998

MCA Universal Home Video

Sgt. Bilko Trailer & Photos

Cast

Steve Martin
Master Sgt. Ernest G. B...
Dan Aykroyd
Col. Hall
Phil Hartman
Maj. Thorn
Glenne Headly
Rita Robbins
Daryl Mitchell
Wally Holbrook
Max Casella
Dino Paparelli
Russell Bobbitt
Valet Parker
Clifton Collins Jr.
Soldier
Cheryl Francis Harrington
Corporal
Henry Hayshi
First Technician
Richard Herd
General Tennyson
Rance Howard
Mr. Robbins
John Marshall Jones
Sgt. Henshaw
Stephen Park
Captain Moon
Austin Pendleton
Major Ebersole
Chris Rock
Lt. Oster
Carol Rosenthal
G.H.Q. Corporal
Debra Jo Rupp
Mrs. Hall
Pamela Segall
Sgt. Raquel Barbella
Travis Tritt
Himself
Mitchell Whitfield
Mickey Zimmerman
Dale Dye
First Engineer
Frank Romano
Pit Boss
Eric Edwards
Duane Doberman
Derek Basco
Soldier
John Ortiz
Luis Clemente
Reno Wilson
Radio Disc Jockey
Dan Ferro
Tony Morales
Henry Hayashi
Technician
Ursula Burton
Assistant Casino Manage...
Brian Leckner
Sam Fender
Sally Ann Brooks
Technician
Tami-Adrian George
Janet
Stephan Benseman
Bartender
Christopher Paul Hart
Nelson
Steve Kehela
Master Sergeant Sowicki
Lauren Weinger
Schoolgirl Actress
Allan Bragg
D.O.D. Dignitary
Dwayne Chattman
Soldier
David E. Cousin
Craps Dealer
Glenne Hartman
Rita Robbins
Phil Headly
Major Thorn
Sammy Micco
Blackjack Dealer
Anthony Monroy-Marquez
Schoolboy Actor
Carmela Rappazo
Telephone Operator
Andrea C. Robinson
Vegas Woman
Catherine Silvers
Lt. Monday
Michael D. Starks
Boxing Trainer
Lynn Tulaine
Vegas Woman

Critic Reviews for Sgt. Bilko

All Critics (37) | Top Critics (11) | Fresh (13) | Rotten (25) | DVD (1)

Though Martin and a solid supporting cast produce a few scattered moments of near-hilarity, for the most part the terrain here is as flat as it gets.

May 19, 2008 Full Review Source: Variety

| Comment

Brian Lowry

Variety

Top Critic

[A] celebration of high jinks.

May 19, 2008 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader

| Comment

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

Top Critic

The film is full of gratifying gags like these, but it also has to strain for newly enlarged scope.

August 30, 2004 Full Review Source: New York Times

| Comment

Janet Maslin

New York Times

Top Critic

Wacky is just the right tone for a spring comedy.

June 18, 2002 Full Review Source: San Francisco Chronicle

| Comment

Peter Stack

San Francisco Chronicle

Top Critic

One of the pleasures of the movie is all the little jokes hidden in the corners.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times

| Comment (1)

Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Top Critic

Director Jonathan Lynn has had his hits (My Cousin Vinny) and stinkeroos (Greedy). This falls in between.

January 1, 2000 Comment

Susan Wloszczyna

USA Today

Top Critic

Martin's Bilko is a career grifter who comes out on top every time. He's a Bilko for the nasty '90s, oily and smug.

May 19, 2008 Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide

| Comment

TV Guide's Movie Guide

Aside from the sheer insanity of trying to leap into the shoes of the irreplaceable Phil Silvers, surely Martin should have recognized that the film had no script, no gags and no discernible point.

May 19, 2008 Full Review Source: Film4

| Comment

Film4

We've seen it before, almost frame for frame, in every other service comedy, especially Stripes.

September 23, 2007 Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com

| Comment

Rob Gonsalves

eFilmCritic.com

This is shoddy hackwork, replaying classic scenarios (the honest new recruit, audits by Pentagon bigwigs and manoeuvres in Nevada) with such disregard for narrative structure the reels might be in the wrong order.

June 24, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out

| Comment

Time Out

A big disappointment.

April 9, 2005 Full Review Source: Reeling Reviews

| Comment

Robin Clifford

Reeling Reviews

There is lots of yelling.

March 27, 2003 Full Review Source: Laramie Movie Scope

| Comment

Robert Roten

Laramie Movie Scope

CLassic Stevey Martin full of great one-liners.

February 19, 2003 Comment

Kevin Fiddler

Henderson Home News (Henderson, NV)

More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Sgt. Bilko

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Remember those secret little comedy gems Steve Martin made in the 80's and 90's that no one ever saw but were amazing? Yeah, this isn't one of them. Sgt. Bilko is not a character anyone can empathize with. He's dishonest, depraved, and virtually unkind. The movie explains that though he has all these faults, he boosts

August 12, 2010

Spencer S.

Super Reviewer

i liked this film. it was a fun comedy, not great and i didnt actually laugh much but martin is always entertaining. this was decent.

November 28, 2007

danny d

Super Reviewer

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