The novel, Mister Roberts, was an instant hit after being published in 1946 and was quickly adapted for the stage and screen. The title character, a Navy Lieutenant Junior Grade, defends his crew against the petty tyranny of the ship's commanding officer during World War II. Nearly all action takes place on board a backwater cargo ship, the USS Reluctant, that sails, as written in the play, from apathy to tedium with occassional side trips to monotony and ennui. This irreverent, often hilarious story about the crew of the Reluctant has enjoyed wide and enduring popularity. Heggen based his novel on his experiences on board the USS Virgo in the South Pacific during World War II, and began it as a collection of short stories. It was subsequently adapted as a play, a feature film, a television series, and a television movie. The film version with Henry Fonda, James Cagney and Jack Lemmon is one of the most popular movies of WWII.