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FOX GOES TO WAR
Growing up in the 60s meant being surrounded by War. Vietnam played on
the nightly newscasts. TV shows like "Combat," "Garrison's Guerrillas," "The
Rat Patrol" and "Hogan's Heroes" were network staples. As a small boy hooked
on playing 'Army Man' my perspective was different from draft age boys facing
a tour in Vietnam. My father had been in the Air Force and a great Uncle died
in North Africa during WWII. I grew up watching the great patriotic films
from WWII on our old black-and-white TV on the late show. "The Dirty Dozen"
(1967) was the first war movie I saw in the theater. The
exciting-widescreen-Panavision violence blew my nine-year-old mind. My love
of war movies and my country was molded by these images. While love of
country was tested by corrupt leaders during the post-Vietnam/Watergate era I
remained faithful that we would survive. Love of war films didn't falter as
Hollywood began to examine Vietnam in films such as "The Boys in Company C,"
"The Deer Hunter," "Coming Home" and "Apocalypse Now." As much as I relished
these new movies, my cinematic heart remained true to the films I grew up
with: the WWII films. I guess the issues were more cut and dried in that
conflict. It was more comforting to know that we were the good guys. Within
this reality, filmmakers could examine the stresses brought to bear on our
men in uniform.
I spoke of playing 'Army Man.' Every boy does that at one time or
another. I grew up in Memphis. On weekends I would go with my mother and
sister as my sister took her dog to obedience training at the National Guard
Armory on Central Avenue. In those days, the armory had a couple of WWII
vintage armored personnel carriers out front. We would crawl all over those
iron beasts pretending we were in Germany or Africa or Japan. Also setting on
a pedestal in front of the armory was an old, fading B-17 bomber. You may
have heard of it: "The Memphis Belle." The famous war-horse was the subject
of countless plans by my friends and I to climb the fence and enter the body
of this hallowed ghost. At home I would climb on top of the dog-house in the
back yard and pretend I was piloting on of these fierce B-17s on a daylight
raid over Germany. I have loved WWII airplanes ever since.
In the late 1980s I was waiting tables at a restaurant in downtown
Memphis. On this particular weekend, the City of Memphis was dedicating a new
pavilion, which would display the "Memphis Belle" in a more respectable
manner. As I started to take a couple's order I heard the distinct drone of
Pratt and Whitney engines roaring overhead. A chill ran down my spine. My
love for the B-17 had been a lifelong affair. The only time I had ever heard
the sound of Pratt and Whitney engines was from films, most notably the
classic "Twelve O' Clock High." "I'll be right back," I said to my customers
and rushed outside to see three restored B-17s flying over. The rumble from
engines touched something inside that I can only call pride in America, or
respect for my father and grandfather's generation. It is this love of mine
for the WWII film that caused my mouth to water when FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT
announced the up-coming release of their "War Classics" series. I received
these 6 screeners from FOX HOME ENTERTAINEMENT in DVD format. (In fact I
begged the guy at Fox for them! Thanks Jay!) I highly recommend each of the
following movies. They are also available in VHS. For a critique of the DVDs
please click on the links for each film.
TWELVE O' CLOCK HIGH (1949), DVD Review
Henry King's "Twelve O' Clock High" is one of the most powerful films
exploring the stresses which burden a military officer during wartime.
General Frank Savage (Gregory Peck) is a spit-and-polish Army/Air Corp
general. In a meeting with his superior the subject of a hard-luck Bomber
Group is raised. It seems that the demand for more and more bombing runs over
Germany isn't being met by members of the 918 Bomber Group. Savage is sent to
investigate. He discovers that Col. Keith Davenport (Gary Merrill) has
become to attached to the men under his command and suffered a mental
breakdown. It is hard to send men to their deaths if you care about them.
Davenport tried to stay aloof, but the ghosts of his dead men haunt his
sleep. Savage relieves Davenport of command. After reporting back to his
superior, Savage finds himself tapped for the job of whipping the Group into
shape. This is the premise from which one of the greatest American war films
ever flows.
Savage finds himself up against a brick wall at first. The men of the 918
Bomber Group loved Davenport. The former commanders empathic qualities
enabled his men to turn their focus from war to self pity. Savage intends to
refocus the Group so that they will gain self-esteem and pride from a job
well done. (We ought to try that approach in our public schools!) The story
unfolds as General Savage pushes his men toward the task at hand. In the
process, the men of the 918 Bomber Group redeem the tarnish on their
reputation and General Savage learns a powerful lesson about the frailty of
the human psyche.
More a character study than an action film, "Twelve O' Clock High"
contains only one major battle sequence. The tense and exciting daylight
bombing raid which climaxes the film mixes studio footage with real life
aerial combat footage. Unlike some war films which are long on talk and short
on action "Twelve O' Clock High" works. The tension and conflict between both
General Savage and his men, and General Savage and himself is powerful drama.
The viewer sees the results of unending-daily bombing runs on the characters
without actually seeing the missions themselves. It is almost as if Val
Lewton produced a war film instead of a horror film. In the end, action fans
get their fill of excitement.
The acting is superb. Gregory Peck is outstanding as the rigid, aloof,
and aptly named General Frank Savage. He reminds me of a tougher version of
Tom Hank's Captain Miller in "Saving Private Ryan." He is tougher because his
rank is higher and his responsibilities greater. Dean Jagger won an Oscar for
his performance as Major Harvey Stovall, the General's adjutant. His dry wit
provides relief from the tension caused whenever the General is around. The
scene in which he is intoxicated is excellent. Gary Merrill is also quite
good. Another standout performance is given by Hugh Marlowe as Lt. Col.
Gately, the 918 Bomber Groups lazy executive officer. Look fast for Kenneth
Tobey (the evil Deputy Mike from Billy Jack) as a sentry guard who is the
first to suffer the wrath of General Savage. Sam Edwards is quite good as the
doomed Lt. Birdwell. I liked the symbolism of the character's names. Frank
Savage is a frank and to the outside observer, a savage man. Likewise,
Commander Davenport offered his men comfort and from a command viewpoint was
morally lazy. You get the idea. You can play the symbolism name-game for many
of the characters. (I must have to much time on my hands!)
PATTON (1970), DVD Review
For the one or two of you who haven't seen "Patton" here is a brief
synopsis. Franklin J. Schaffner's film biography of WWII general George S.
Patton is probably the greatest screen biography ever made. The lion's share
of the credit goes to George C. Scott for his Oscar winning (and worthy)
performance as the enigmatic poet warrior. "Patton" is not just a story a
brilliant military strategist during the world's greatest conflict; "Patton"
is a complex character study of modern mythological creature. The events of
Patton's life are so varied and diverse that he reminds me of the ancient
Greek and Roman demi-gods. Like Hercules, Patton was a pillar of strength and
discipline. However the human side of his persona reveals him to be flawed
and vulnerable. Vulnerable in the fact that he becomes the victim of small
minded people who thought below his level of military genius.
The film chronicles Patton's life upon assuming command of American
forces in North Africa near the beginning of America's involvement in WWII.
It follows the North Africa campaign, the invasion of Sicily, the Battle of
the Bulge and a brief portion of his life in post-War Berlin. The film stops
short of Patton's freak death in a slow moving automobile accident in late
1945. As strong as Patton's character is, his is not the only strong
character in the film. There are as many clashes with his own colleagues and
allies as there were with the Germans. Karl Malden delivers a standout
performance and the humble General Omar Bradley. He appears as the voice of
reason in juxtaposition to the sometime fanatical stances taken by Patton.
The chemistry between Malden and Scott adds great power to the film. One of
the most interesting relationships in the film is the one between Patton and
British Field Marshall Montgomery (Michael Bates, the priggish prison guard
from "A Clockwork Orange"). Monty is seen through the eyes of Patton
throughout the movie. Patton sees Monty as a grandstanding, prima donna. This
is one of the sharpest angles of Francis Ford Coppola’s script: Patton sees
Monty the same way most of Patton's detractors see him. Patton may admit that
he is a prima donna too, but his contempt for Monty is based on Monty's lack
of insight as a military commander. He hates ineptitude in an officer.
The battle sequences are of epic proportion. From the first tank battle
in North Africa, to the long Battle of the Bulge sequence, "Patton" delivers
the goods for action fans. However, action is not the drawing card of this
classic film. While most war films focus on the grunts who did the dying and
fighting, "Patton" offers a rare glimpse into the world of the military
elite. This is an unforgettable film which should be required viewing.
GUADALCANAL DIARY (1943), DVD Review
Released during some of the darkest hours of WWI, when victory was far
from assured, "Guadalcanal Diary" was and still is a rousing piece of
patriotic, pro-American cheerleading. Following the sneak attack on Pearl
Harbor by the Japanese, America took its own good time in coming into
conflict with the enemy who rained terror and death down on Americans on
December 7, 1941. The first American ground troops to confront the Japanese
landed on the South pacific of Guadalcanal in early August 1942, a full 8
months after Pearl Harbor. (Imagine what modern Americans would be saying if
we took a full 8 months to respond to September 11th.)
Lewis Seiler's "Guadalcanal Diary" follows a group of U.S. Marines who
are among the first wave to hit the tropical beach. Like many of the great
war films from this era, the characters represent a cross-section of American
ethnicities and religions (with the noticeable absent of African Americans.)
Lloyd Nolan delivers on of his best screen performances as Gunnery Sergeant
Hook Malone , the one person that the enlisted men and officers look to.
William Bendix is Corporal Aloyisus T.'Taxi' Potts, the tough New Yorker from
Flatbush. Anthony Quinn is Private Jesus 'Soose' Alvarez, the brave Latin
lover. Richard Jaeckel (in his screen debut) is "Chicken" Anderson, a baby
faced patriot who brags about the girl he writes back home when in fact he
writes his mother. Richard Conte (Barzini from "The Godfather") is Captain
Don Davis, the college educated officer. The list goes on. The thing is,
despite these stereotypes, "Guadalcanal Diary" works in a powerful way. This
is due in part to the source material. "Guadalcanal Diary" was a best seller
written by Richard Tregaskis, a war correspondent who landed with the Marines
and witnessed the nearly four month battle. During transition scenes, there
is a voice over which is composed of text from the book.
What comes through in the film is the unity felt by a diverse group of
people who were drawn together by a common tragedy and by their love for our
country. The battle scenes are well directed. The Japanese are shown to be
fanatical warriors who the Marines don't underestimate. In one sequence
Anthony Quinn is the lone survivor of a battle which ends with the Japanese
mutilating dead Americans with bayonets. This brutal scene is designed to
cause the viewer to hate the enemy. It also serves as justification for the
incineration of Japanese soldiers in caves later in the film. This insight is
not to say that such atrocities didn't occur, when their are a multitude of
such mutilations in the historical record. I point it out to draw the
viewer's attention to the manipulative power of movies. In part, this film is
pro-American propaganda. I may agree with its message (in a historical
context) but it is propaganda nonetheless. During the dark days of 1943,
Americans on the home front needed to see a message of victory to boost its
collective spirit. "Guadalcanal; Diary" fit the bill perfectly. It is still a
rousing, entertaining and exciting film.
A WING AND A PRAYER: THE STORY OF CARRIER X (1944), DVD Review
After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the Navy more than any other branch of
the U.S. armed forces felt the desire to avenge our fallen soldiers and
sailors. The Navy was also in one of the most precarious positions to carry
out such a blow. After the devastating losses suffered on December 7th, the
Navy had to carefully disguise the real loss of ships suffered in order to
prevent the Japanese from landing forces in Hawaii. Naval commanders reasoned
that the Japanese would have to take Midway Island as a prelude to an assault
on Hawaii. A plan was drawn up to convince the Japanese that U.S. Naval
forces were scattered all over the South pacific and thus lure the Japanese
into attacking Midway on our time table. An aircraft carrier was sent on a
circuitous route through out many Japanese held areas with orders to be
spotted by the enemy and to flee when spotted. The aircrews were sent aloft
with orders to run from the enemy without returning fire. In addition to
leading the Japanese to believe that our ships were scattered all over the
ocean, the plan was designed to make them think that our morale was low. This
would cause them to move on Midway where they would encounter a surprise
attack of our own. This is the premise of "A Wing and a Prayer."
Henry Hathaway's "A Wing and a Prayer" follows the men of the aircraft
carrier with the thankless job of conning the enemy. The focus of the film is
on the senior flight officer, Commander Bingo Harper (Don Ameche) and the men
of the 5th torpedo squadron lead by Lieutenant Commander Edward Moulton (Dana
Andrews). Here too, we have the stereotype characters designed to show what a
melting pot. You even have an African American sailor in one scene who is
called upon to deliver his lines in a normal voice. It was unusual to find a
black character in 1944 who didn't talk in a shuffling "yeah boss" voice. It
is only one scene, but it shows that at least one person on this film crew
was a forward thinking American.
Dana Andrews squadron includes Henry Morgan and Richard Jaeckel among
others. Even more than "Guadalcanal Diary," "A Wing and a Prayer" illustrates
the frustration felt by a country just itching to fight. It also illustrates
the historical significant of planning and patience when it comes to warfare.
The incredible American victory at the Battle of Midway in which we sank 4
Japanese aircraft carriers almost insured that America would emerge
victorious. I enjoyed Don Ameche's performance more than anything else in the
film. His Commander Harper is a tough-as-nails, no-nonsense commander. While
his performance doesn't exhibit a wide range of emotions, I enjoyed seeing a
younger Don Ameche at work. I enjoyed his later work in "Trading Places" and
"Cocoon." It was nice to see another side of him.
HALLS OF MONTEZUMA (1950), DVD Review
Lewis Milestone directed the greatest anti-war film ever, "All Quiet on
the Western Front." In "Halls of Montezuma," Milestone mixes some of that
anti-war sentiment with all the elements usually found in rousing, patriotic
post WWII films of the late 40s and early 50s. This element comes into play
when certain characters deal with the issues of their mortality in combat or
the issue of killing another human being. Another unique aspect of "Halls of
Montezuma" is its depiction of the Japanese. "Halls of Montezuma" focuses on
one group of U.S. Marines as they invade yet another South Pacific island on
the road to victory. All of the standard stereotype characters are present.
What sets this film apart is the excellent cast and a storyline obviously
influenced by America's growing love affair with psychology in the 50s.
As the troops await the launch of amphibious landing crafts, Lieutenant
Colonel Gilfillan (Richard Boone) tells his men, "In the past, we've always
said the only good Jap is a dead Jap. That has changed, a Jap prisoner who
talks is also a good Jap." He makes reference to the slaughter and mutilation
of American troops on Guadalcanal (see the Anthony Quinn scene in the above
review) which was used by commanders to raise the ire of his troops against
the enemy. For this invasion, his men need to put aside those images for the
sake of obtaining intelligence about enemy positions.
The squad which is the focus of this film is lead by Lieutenant Carl
Anderson (Richard Widmark). He is a former high school chemistry teacher who
suffers from pressure migraines. The only one who knows of his condition is
Cpl. C.E. 'Doc' Jones (Karl Malden), a corpman who provides the Lieutenant
with pain killers. Anderson's migraines come from "being scarred to many
times but refusing to run away." One of Anderson's former students, Corporal
Stuart Conroy (Richard Hylton) begs Anderson' to put him on the sick list
prior to the invasion as he is in mortal terror of death. Anderson picks up a
piece of chalk and raises his hand to sick list chalk board. Flashback.
Anderson and Conroy are in a high school class room two years earlier. Conroy
is the new student in class. When the teacher calls on Conroy to introduce
himself, he can't: he stutters. The other students laugh at the new kid.
Anderson takes Conroy under his wing and helps him over come the fear which
leads to his stuttering, Flash forward to graduation day and Conroy is the
student graduation speaker. Flash forward to the present time. Anderson shows
his student the sick list chalk board on which he has written the date the
two first met. The message is not lost on Conroy. He composes himself and
joins the other troops. The other troops include Whitney (Martin Milner from
TV's Adam-12), Pvt. Slattery (Bert Freed, Mr. Posner from Billy Jack), the
oldest private in the marines and the company bootlegger, Pvt. Coffman
(Robert Wagner) the surprisingly reliable pretty boy, rich kid, Pigeon Lane
(Jack Palance), a palooka boxer and Pvt. 'Pretty Boy' Riley (Skip Homier), a
poor kid from a no-account family who "doesn't want to end up a nobody."
Palance is excellent in a rare sympathetic role. There is also the welcome
surprise of a non-wooden rperformance by Jack Webb as a war correspondent!
The battle scenes are excellent. I watched all of these films in a
two-day marathon. It maybe that the lush color photography dazzled me in
contrast to the three black and white films I watched before this. There is
one sequence in which the men are hunkered down on fox holes at night. They
are sporadically lit up by flares which float down at irregular intervals. In
the distance, a Japanese soldier yells taunts and threats. The men's nerves
are tested as the long night drags on. The scene is visually exciting and
psychologically tormenting. I was reminded at once of the 'Dou-Long Bridge'
sequence from Francis Ford Coppola's "Apocalypse Now." 29 years before
Coppola's near masterpiece was released, Lewis Milestone achieved the same
effect in this one scene, and for a lot less money.
The second half of the film deals with Anderson leading a squad of six
men on a mission to capture some Japanese soldiers who may be able to help
the Marines find the location of Japanese rocket launchers which are
devastating their troops. It is during this sequence that "Halls of
Montezuma" differs from other war films of the period in its depiction of the
Japanese. The enemy soldiers are presented as more than simian murderers. The
human side is shown. There is a grudging admiration shown by some of the
Marines as they realize the Japanese soldiers are fighting men who believe in
their country. These scenes are subtle and subversive given the time the
movie was filmed. Milestone isn't painting a pro-Japanese picture by any
means, but rather, trying to deal with the characters in a realistic manner.
Whenever foes come into contact for an extended period of time there is the
possibility of interaction on a human level without abandoning the status of
enemy. This element is kind of ironic given the fact that "Halls of
Montezuma" has more anti-Oriental racial epitaphs than any of the other films
in this set.
The movie ends with the surviving characters scarred, both physical and
psychological, moving on to other battles. I enjoyed "Halls of Montezuma"
more than I thought I would. Leonard Maltin only gave it 2 and 1/2 stars. I
believe it rates three full stars. The surprisingly deep characters and
excellent performances along with inventively photographed battle sequences
make "Halls of Montezuma" a gem from the 50s which should be rediscovered by
a new generation.
THE YOUNG LIONS (1958), DVD Review
Of all the films reviewed in this retrospective, only "The Young Lions"
focuses primarily on the moral issues facing soldiers during WWII. Based on a
novel by Irwin Shaw by Edward Anhalt, Edward Dmytrk's film is part soap
opera, part war film and part character study. The WWII experience is shown
through the eyes of three soldiers, 2 American and 1 German. The powerhouse
casting of Marlon Brando, Montgomery Cliff and a suprisingly good Dean Martin
as the lead characters makes the 2 hour and 37 minute running time breeze by.
Three excellent performances by Barbara Rush, Hope Lange and the sexy May
Britt (the ex-Mrs. Sammy Davis Jr.) as the male character's various love
interests also add to the on screen glamour. Don't get me wrong when I say
the film is part soap opera, "The Young Lions" deals with some very serious
issues: anti-Semitism among American soldiers, using connections to avoid
military service, blindly following immoral orders among the usual big issues
concerning to kill another human being even in wartime.
Christian Diestl (Marlon Brando) is a dashing ski-instructor in Bavaria.
It is New Years Eve, 1938. He is romancing Margaret Freemantle (Barbara
Rush), an American tourist on holiday. He convinces her to stay one more
night and see in the New Year with him. She reluctantly agrees even though
she has a lover in America. As the clock strikes mid-night, one of the guests
proposes a toast to Hitler. Margaret is uneasy about the festive atmosphere
and walks out of the party. Christian follows her. She is surprised to see
such support for Hitler in this small town. Christian says he isn't a
political person, but that he believes Hitler will make things better for
Germans like himself. He is sick of surviving on "tips from foreign
tourists." Christian's dream of medical school was dashed by the class system
in place at the time. he believes Hitler will make a change for the better.
Christian is a naive idealist whose principles will be put to the test.
Mike Whiteacre (Dean Martin) is a successful crooner. He is informed by
the draft board that he is classified 1-A. The fact that he is about to begin
a big Broadway show is of no importance for the draft board. Vowing to
appeal, Mike leaves the conference room. He runs into Noah Ackerman
(Montgomery Cliff). Noah is a small town rube who left California to find
work in New York. Uncle Sam has a job for him. He tells Mike that he has
heard him sing. Mike invites him to share a drink and later invites him to a
party at his home that night. At the party we discover that Margaret is
Mike's girlfriend. Mike also invited a girl for Noah. Hope Plowman (Hope
Lange) is a Vermont girl working and living in Brooklyn. She and Noah begin
to talk. They leave for a walk. Noah tries to impress her by being a suave
New Yorker. He kisses her and she is upset. He realizes that he really likes
her and comes clean. They strike up a romance and fall in love. The only
problem facing them is getting the approval of her prim and proper Yankee,
WASP father. Turns out that Ackerman is Jewish.
Following this introduction of the main characters, the film glides back
and forth from North Africa, basic training in America, Vermont, Brooklyn,
Manhattan, Paris, Berlin and eventually climaxing at a Nazi death camp.
Anhalt’s script is peopled with three dimensional characters who are neither
all-good or all-evil. Brando is excellent as the conflicted Christian. He is
witness to the Gestapo touring teens in Paris, to a take-no-prisoners battle
in North Africa, and the shocking revelation that the Hitler he once admired
had perpetrated the Holocaust. Needless to say, Brando's character under goes
some heavy changes during the course of the movie.
Montgomery Cliff almost reprises his role a Robert E. Lee Pruitt in "From
Hear to Eternity" with a bit of Sinatra's Maggio from the same film thrown
in. His Ackerman knows what he wants and goes after it. What he wants is to
marry Hope. He also feels no conflict about being drafted. In basic training
he is ostracized for being Jewish. When the entire platoon is punished for a
mistake Noah makes, he is set upon by his fellow soldiers. When $20.00 he was
saving to buy Hope a birthday present is stolen, he posts a note saying he
wants to meet the thief to get satisfaction with his own hands. The 135 pound
man is no match for the four burly soldiers (look fast for Peckinpah regular
L.Q. Jones as one of the four!) who step forward to claim responsibility for
the theft. Noah's tenacity and ability to take a beating from each of the
soldiers without giving up earns him the respect of the soldiers who once
ridiculed him. Mike on the other hand thinks he is crazy. He tries to have
their brutal Captain intervene, but with no luck. When Mike's connections
finally kick in, he takes a cushy transfer to a desk job in London.
I'll stop here for those of you who haven't seen the movie. My only real
complaint with the film was the fact that it was filmed in Black and White.
The beautiful widescreen, cinemascope photography cries out for color. There
is a minimal amount of combat action. This is a character study. Combat comes
into play only when the action has a direct effect on the soul of the
characters. What combat there is, is well done. There are a host of great
supporting performances. As I said before, the three female leads are quite
good. May Britt is absolutely Hot! Maximillian Schell stands out as
Christians superior officer. He desires to gain power from his army service.
He never thinks that he has backed the wrong horse until it is to late. Lee
Van Cleef has a small role as a drill sergeant. "The Young Lions" is a film
to watch when you are in a serious mood, or need to get a Brando fix. He is
rugged and handsome in this film. He delivers a great performance which is
the cornerstone of the movie.
Rusty White
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