Also made in 1949, like Battleground, this movie is similar in that it follows a single squad, but it pales in comparison with the much better Battleground.
Still, for a film of this period, which was filmed shortly after World War Two, it isn't bad. Following a single squad of Marines through the island hopping campaign of the Pacific, the movie does a fair job of portraying the Pacific War in some ways, although probably in a much less violent manner than the actual experience. Using a lot of combat footage, the film is pretty accurate in material details, which as noted in our earlier comments on Battleground, is unusual for the era.
The plot, taking place over a larger expanse of time than Battleground, is quite a bit thinner, but it isn't highly unrealistic either, and the experiences and locals depicted in the film are done well and fairly accurately.
Of course, this is a John Wayne film, but it's a bit unusual as it gives us a glimpse of the broader range that Wayne had than his role typically called for. Sort of anticipating his later role in The Searchers, he's a bit of an antihero in it, although not to the same extent of that later film, which in my view is his best.
Another film worth watching, and together with Battleground, the two very best films about World War Two which were filmed immediately after the war and which have stood the test of time fairly well.
No comments:
Post a Comment