Stand by for Action (1942): cast, story & where to watch
1942 · Film · ★ 7
Released in 1942, Stand by for Action is an action, comedy, drama and war film directed by Robert Z. Leonard, running about 109 minutes. “The mightiest naval drama of all time!” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. U. S. Navy Lieutenant Gregg Masterman, of The Harvard and Boston Back Bay Mastermans, learned about the sea while winning silver cups sailing his yacht. He climbs swiftly in rank, and is now Junior Aide to Rear Admiral Stephen Thomas.
Who’s in it. Stand by for Action stars Robert Taylor as Lieut. Gregg Masterman, Charles Laughton as Rear Admiral Stephen Thomas, Brian Donlevy as Lieut. Cmdr. Martin Roberts and Walter Brennan as Chief Yeoman Henry Johnson, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 7.0/10, Stand by for Action has been warmly received by audiences.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on TCM and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Stand by for Action page.
If you liked it. Fans of Stand by for Action tend to enjoy The Dark Knight, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Inception and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Stand by for Action (1942)?
- In US, Stand by for Action is available to stream on TCM, and rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is Stand by for Action worth watching?
- Stand by for Action holds an audience score of 7.0 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy action, comedy, drama and war. Most viewers rate it highly.
- Who stars in Stand by for Action?
- Stand by for Action stars Robert Taylor, Charles Laughton, Brian Donlevy, Walter Brennan and Chill Wills.
- When was Stand by for Action released?
- Stand by for Action was released in 1942, with a runtime of about 109 minutes.