Richard Widmark stars as Lt. Carl Anderson, a tough Marine officer who has been ordered to take a patrol and capture prisoners who must be interrogated about a Japanese experimental rocket-launching facility in the Pacific Islands. His platoon is split between weary veterans like Lt.Gilfilan (Richard Boone) and Pidgeon Lane (Jack Palance), and nervous recruits such as Coffman (Robert Wagner) and Cpl. Stuart Conroy (Richard Hylton). Despite his own ailments, Anderson must motivate this group of individuals to work as a unit.
Once again returning to the genre to which he was perhaps best-suited, director Lewis Milestone traces the fate of a Marine platoon in the Pacific theater during WWII. The film stars Richard Widmark as the no-nonsense Lt. Carl Anderson, an officer charged with the responibility of leading his unit on a scouting mission to capture prisoners from an experimental rocket-launching facility and bring them back for interrogation. Among his platoon are veterans Pidgeon Lane (Jack Palance), Doc (Karl Malden), and Sgt. Zelenko (Neville Brand), as well as raw recruits Coffman (Robert Wagner) and Cpl. Stuart Conroy (Richard Hylton). Anderson is skilled at subtly motivating the varied group of characters, while suffering himself from crushing headaches. The platoon attacks the island, taking losses on the heavily defended beach. When they try to take a strategic ridge, they're pinned down by rocket fire whose source is impossible to locate. In desperation, Anderson is ordered to take a hand-picked patrol behind enemy lines to bring back prisoners. After some painful losses, they finally return with prisoners. Despite occasional war movie cliches, this is a solid, exceptionally well acted effort, which gives full weight to the terrible human cost of war. The film is also notable for great performances by Malden, Palance, Widmark, Webb, and the very young Wagner.
The film was released in January 1951.
Neville Brand was the fourth most decorated G.I. in WWII.
The face of Jack Palance was surgically reconstructed due to WWII combat injuries.
DVD Features:
Region 1
Keep Case
Full Frame - 1.33
Single Side - Dual Layer
Audio:
Stereo 2.0 - English
Mono - English, French
Additional Release Materials:
Trailers - 1. Original Theatrical Trailer
2. Fox Flix Trailers
Interactive Features:
Interactive Menus
Scene Selection
Art Director
Albert Hogsett: Art Director
Costume Designer
Charles LeMaire: Costume Designer/Wardrobe Director, mid '30s-late '50s
Director of Photography
Harry Jackson:
Director of Photography
Winton C. Hoch:
Music Director
Lionel Newman: Composer/Music Director
Special Effects
Fred Sersen:
Makeup
Ben Nye: Makeup Artist
Review 1:
"Tense....Richard Widmark brings hints of mania to his portrayal of a Marine lieutenant leading his troops to enemy territory..."
Source: Uncut
p.138 07/01/2004
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