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Reviews
A Walk in the Sun (1945)
Finest WWII movie ever made
Story of a single morning with the men of an infantry platoon, without officers and top sergeants that completes its mission in Italy. Finest WWII movie ever made. The characters make the movie. The roles are so strong that almost anyone could have played them. The movie is really about the different people who go to war. Most of the characters are described in the introductory narration and the long landing barge seen. Their complexity increase as the movie progresses. The battle scenes are great but less graphic than Private Ryan. The movie is a cut above Saving Private Ryan due to the character development.
The Purple Heart (1944)
Contains the most moving patriotic speech ever in movies
The story of the fate of a captured American bomber crew from the first air raid on Tokyo. Dana Andrews final speech (taken from a Portugese reporter's news story) to the court is the most moving ever made in a motion picture. Purple Heart produced such a strong emotional response that it was banned in many American cities as detrimental to the war effort.
The Fallen Sparrow (1943)
Garfield's tough passionate character in a watchable plot
Most of Garfield's movies are too old and mired in the great depression to hold up. Although it creaks, this one holds up well as it was released 1943. His portrayal of a tough guy recovering from post traumatic stress is unusual. Is he plagued by auditory hallucinations or does he really hear that fiend dragging his foot outside his door ? Like most film noirs the good guys triumph but they don't find happiness.
An interesting characterization by Maureen O'Hara as the mysterious woman who seems to share her love with Garfield. Most female characters weren't this deep or complicated. Her role is a very different from her roles as John Wayne's former wife. In a feminine way she is tougher than Garfield's character.
Like any movie made in 1943 the plot is anti fascist. But as someone who fought in the Spanish Civil War, Garfield's character should lean to the left. Yet he is part of a wealthy uptown crowd.
If you like John Garfield but find his movies of the depression too distant to appreciate, try this one.
Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970)
Looks better now than 32 years ago.
I paid to see this film in the theater in 1970 and was very disappointed. However, it actually looks good in comparison to last summer's Pearl Harbor. The movie is a docu-drama of the events and personalities leading up to the attack on December 7, 1941. The one historical element left out of the movie is the Japanese spy system that identified the targets. This attack was probably the most pivotal event in the twentieth century. I believe that the movie suffered from too many characters and too much attention to accuracy in detail. The film was released at a time when no war movie had a chance of success, the height of the Vietnam War.
Of the movies made about Pearl Harbor this is the best with the possible exception of John Ford's 30 minute version released in 1942.
Across the Pacific (1942)
John Houston and Bogart always entertaining
Pre WWII spy film with Bogart attempting to prevent a sneak attack on the Panama Canal. The US knew an attack was coming but didn't know where. In this movie the attack comes on the Panama canal rather than Pearl Harbor. General Marshal thought the first attack would come on the Canal. They must have been working on this movie before Pearl Harbor then waited to release it. In the movie the US and Japan are not at war. Good acting and a good story make this somewhat dated film watchable.
She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949)
Second Best of the Ford Trilogy on the US Calvary
The underlying conflict between Fonda and Wayne made Fort Apache the best of the Trilogy. This one is almost as good. Perhaps John Wayne best performance. An unusual role for Wayne as an old man at the point of retirement in this stage of his career. He plays a sentimental old officer. John Agar and Joanne Dru handle the romance. He plays very different character than Ethan Edwards in the searchers.
A Walk in the Sun (1945)
Finest WWII movie ever made
Story of a single morning with the men of an infantry platoon, without officers and top sergeants that completes its mission in Italy. Finest WWII movie ever made. The characters make the movie. The roles are so strong that almost anyone could have played them. The movie is really about the different people who go to war. Most of the characters are described in the introductory narration and the long landing barge seen. Their complexity increase as the movie progresses. The battle scenes are great but less graphic than Private Ryan. The movie is a cut above Saving Private Ryan due to the character development.
A Walk in the Sun (1945)
Finest WWII movie ever made
Story of a single morning with the men of an infantry platoon, without officers and top sergeants that completes its mission in Italy. Finest WWII movie ever made. The characters make the movie. The roles are so strong that almost anyone could have played them. The movie is really about the different people who go to war. Most of the characters are described in the introductory narration and the long landing barge seen. Their complexity increase as the movie progresses. The battle scenes are great but less graphic than Private Ryan. The movie is a cut above Saving Private Ryan due to the character development.