wait, is it something about a boat?
it was more about duty and honor, but yes, it used the Navy as a vehicle to tell the story. Damn XS - it's a great, great movie. And I often use the Ensign Pulver reference to explain my own boss-avoidance techniques.
Yes. Henry Fonda, Jack Lemmon, james Cagney. Fonda is Mr Roberts, stuck on a two-bit tub of a navy boat wanting to get transferred to a fighting ship as WW2 is coming to an end. Cagney was the ship's captain, who Roberts hated (and vice versa) who won't give him the transfer and treats all the men with disdain. Lemmon was a young Lt who was aboard and was the comic relief. And then there was the Plam tree... a long ago gift from an admiral to the captain for the outstanding work the ship did providing supplies (and advising the Captain to keep Roberts aboard). You realluy need to see the film to appreciate the line.