They Were Expendable. / Street Date May 13, 2000 / 19.95 Starring Robert Montgomery, John Wayne, Donna Reed, Jack Holt, Ward Bond, Marshall Thompson, Cameron Mitchell Cinematography Joseph H. August Production Designer Three outlaws on the run risk their freedom and their lives to return a newborn to civilization. Since the acquisition of the film rights of William L. White's They Were Expendable MGM sought Ford to direct a film based on the book; Ford continually refused due to his serving in the Navy Field Photographic Unit. He turned to Montgomery, who had actually commanded a PT boat, to temporarily take over for him as director. Original Book. (The destroyer was originally meant to be a "torpedo boat destroyer.") They Were Expendable, American war film, released in 1945, that was based on a book of the same name by William L. White. Additional U.S. naval aircraft from nearby naval air stations in Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Key West were temporarily remarked and used to simulate Japanese aircraft in the film. Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? See it if you can. A reverence for authority. John Stryker is hated and feared by his men, who see him as a cold-hearted sadist. They Were Expendable, DVD, Repackaged, Special Packaging, Subtitled, Standard Screen, War-World War II, 012569798625 The usual technique was not to attack at full speed with flags flying, but to sneak up as quietly as possible on an enemy ship, launch the torpedoes, then get out quickly. They Were Expendable ( 1945) They Were Expendable. 12 of 14 people found this review helpful. Is there glory in defeat? It is notable for its stark portrayal of bravery in the face of sometimes hopeless situations during World War II , and it became a well-respected depiction of that war. U.S.N.R. "[8], Douglas Shearer was nominated for the Oscar for Best Sound Recording, while A. Arnold Gillespie, Donald Jahraus, R. A. MacDonald and Michael Steinore were nominated for Best Effects. The Japanese troops are approaching but Dad says they will have to fight to get him. Made near the end of WWII in 1945, They were Expendable, tells the story of how PT boats came to be used by the United States Navy. But even in defeat there is victory. A biography of Navy flier-turned-screenwriter Frank W. "Spig" Wead. They Were Expendable. As he and his second-in-command, Lieutenant "Rusty" Ryan, desperately try to prove the newly-founded naval unit's worth, the enemy launches a devastating all-out attack--and despite the PT boat flotilla's undeniable success--the considerably outnumbered and outgunned American soldiers are fighting a losing battle. Lt. J.G. This movie was based on William L. White 's book "They Were Expendable", which covered the exploits of Lieutenants John Bulkeley and Robert Kelly. No bravura acting is apparent, and none is called for. Expecially noted by the smooth facial contours (despite the thin moustache), and the long narrow hands. 5 stars Movie review : As Wayne emerges from cover there is a shot of him staring bleakly at his burning boat, then the seawater cascades over his figure forming a black-and-white rainbow as it does so. Neither knows what happened to Sandy who was trapped on Bataan. [1] The characters John Brickley (Montgomery) and Rusty Ryan (Wayne) are fictionalizations of the actual subjects, John D. Bulkeley (Medal of Honor recipient) and Robert Kelly, respectively. They Were Expendable 1945 Full movie online MyFlixer MyFlixer is a Free Movies streaming site with zero ads. Crews without boats are sent to fight as infantry. While a work of fiction, the book was based on actual events and people. Available on. The movie in this case is They were Expendable,directed by John Ford and starring John Wayne. It didn't happen that way.Nevertheless, this is an honest movie. Then the war begins and it turns out that they … At the beginning of the film some Navy Brass, after watching a demonstration of the boats, decide to pass on them. MacArthur's complexity couldn't be dealt with, and shouldn't have been. Lots of booze. Then the war begins and it turns out that they … Cast & Crew Director: John Ford, Robert Montgomery Writer: At the beginning of the film some Navy Brass, after watching a demonstration of the boats, decide to pass on them. We lose, although we've done the best we can. Was this review helpful to you? The enemy aren't referred to as Nips, nobody calls them names or tries to explain their motives. In real life, as Richard Tregaskis has reported, the engines delivered about 40 knots when new -- fast, but not that fast. Take a look ahead at all the major movie releases coming to theaters and streaming this season. And one of our boys can't kill a dozen of their boys. And so, Gibson concludes, ‘like all pawns, they were expendable.’ A s the Kurds see it, their perennial status as pawns in the game of stronger powers began in 1923 with the Treaty of Lausanne, which cheated them out of the independent state they thought they had been promised in the Treaty of Sèvres three years earlier. The extra appears very briefly when Boat 41 is being taken by the Army. It is about a PT boat squadron,during the Japanese invasion of the Philippines.Great action,a love story thrown in for good measure and a memorable ending.One of John Ford's best films. Encumbered by women who must be evacuated, Brittles finds his mission imperiled. Approved | 2h 15min | Drama, War | 31 December 1945 (USA) 1:36 | Trailer. According to an Oct 1944 HR news item, They Were Expendable was taken off the "inactive" list following a revival of military action in the Philippines. However, Buckley does the driving and the soldier sits in back, sometimes cringing and nervous looking. Overview System Requirements Related. Montgomery did so well that within a few years he began directing films. Action, Certificate: Passed The planes return and they bomb it and strafe it until it erupts in flame, sending a geyser of seawater into the air. Wayne, as his exec, follows orders competently and even is rather moving when he recites Robert Louis Stevenson's epitaph during a funeral scene, foreshadowing his famous scene when he's given the gold watch in "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon." $3.99 Rent HD. With the mounting Japanese onslaught against the doomed American defenders at Bataan and on Corregidor, the squadron is assigned to evacuate General Douglas MacArthur, his family, and others to Mindanao, where an airplane will take them to Australia. They were developed during WWI, when ships were mainly designed to be big enough to outshoot other big ships, and torpedoes hadn't proved themselves. While waiting for the plane, Rusty meets Ohio. HoloLens PC Mobile device Xbox 360 Trailer. They Were Expendable and Back to Bataan. They Were Expendable is a series of retreats as the islands are overrun. But that has nothing to do with the movie except that these observations reveal the major action scenes to be what Gallagher calls a boy's matinee program. The title says it all about the Navy's attitude towards the PT-boats and their crews. The MTBs were glamorous duty. Use the HTML below. Rusty manages to make a last phone call to Sandy, now on Bataan, to explain he will not be able to see her but before they can say goodbye, the connection is cut off. [9] It was also named to the "10 Best Films of 1945" list by The New York Times. Drama 1946 2 hr 9 min. Mildly faded. In December 1941, Lt. John "Brick" Brickley (Robert Montgomery) commands a squadron of U.S. Navy PT boats, based at Cavite in the Philippines, in a demonstration of its capabilities, but the admiral in charge is unimpressed. Sometimes this is a weakness, due not to Ford and his crew but to the strictures of the time. Finally, the last boat is turned over to the Army for messenger duty. Description. But when their boots hit the beaches, they begin to understand the reason for Stryker's rigid form of discipline. Actor Ian Keith was offered the role of General MacArthur, but declined the part. But it is only a matter of time before the Philippines fall. In 1863, a Union outfit is sent behind Confederate lines in Mississippi to destroy enemy railroads but a captive southern belle and the unit's doctor cause frictions within ranks. Also the torpedoes malfunctioned frequently, and the launching mechanism used gunpowder which flashed when ignited and revealed the boat's position. During World War II, Lt. Brickley and Lt. Ryan put on a demonstration of PT Boat speed and maneuverability in … Brick's boats sink the cruiser, after which the squadron is unleashed, achieving increasing success, though at the cost of both boats and men. They Were Expendable They Were Expendable is a 1945 American war film directed by John Ford, starring Robert Montgomery and John Wayne, and featuring Donna Reed. Jim Gordon's command of the famed American mercenary fighter group in China is complicated by the recruitment of an old friend who is a reckless hotshot. It was a success, and for good reason.It's got about everything you'd expect in a war movie released during that year, and it's finely done. In 1942, after the fall of the Philippines to the Japanese, U.S. Army Col. Joseph Madden stays behind to organize the local resistance against the Japanese invaders. Released only a few months after the Japanese surrender in 1945, They Were Expendable is a film about American sailors, particularly PT boat crews during the Japanese invasion of the Philippines, having to face down their gradual but assured defeat in the losing campaign. Is there glory in defeat? Ward Bond is a hearty boatswain's mate. They Were Expendable: A Critique of John Ford's 1945 War Film by David M. Cross THEY WERE EXPENDABLE is a story of defeat. Orange hue on spine of DJ. The boats successfully take MacArthur to his destination where he and his family are flown to Australia. Donna Reed, looking enchanting, is Wayne's aborted love interest. Western, Certificate: Passed 1945 134 minutes. This region closely approximated the South West Pacific Theater. This soldier appears first at the dock where the Lucien P Libby is being loaded. Made near the end of WWII in 1945, They were Expendable, tells the story of how PT boats came to be used by the United States Navy. Montgomery was himself a Pacific PT-boat commander and a valorous Bronze Star recipient. (Couple tiny nicks at top edge. In WWII they served in every theater and were valuable assets. A merchant ship's crew tries to survive the loneliness of the sea and the coming of war. [3] Both the film and the book, which was a best-seller and excerpted in Reader's Digest and Life,[4] depict events that did not occur, but were believed to be real during the war; the film is noted for its verisimilitude. SYNOPSIS They Were Expendable is based on the real-life heroics of PT Boat squadron leader John Bulkeley, and the defense of the Philippines from December 1941 through April 1942. Written by Ford filmed the Academy Award-winning* documentary Battle of Midway. The final two boats pull into a small ship yard for repairs which is run by "Dad" (Russell Simpson). During this time Ford met Lieutenant John D. Bulkeley during the preparation of the Normandy Invasion[6] and later sighted Bulkeley's former executive officer Robert Montgomery on D-Day.[7]. Be sure to check it out when you have the chance. They Were Expendable (1945) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. She doesn't have much screen time, but good use is made of what she has, and after all, it's hard to bang a full-blown romance into this kind of film. $9.99 Buy HD. We let you watch movies online without having to … The film, which received extensive support from the Navy Department, was shot in Key Biscayne, Florida[8] and the Florida Keys. [10], 1945 film by John Ford, Robert Montgomery, For the rock group originally called They Were Expendable, see, "They Were Expendable (1945) - Notes - TCM.com", "The 18th Academy Awards (1946) Nominees and Winners", At Close Quarters – PT Boats in the United States Navy by Captain Robert J. Bulkley, Jr., USNR (Retired), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=They_Were_Expendable&oldid=1003887004, Films about the United States Navy in World War II, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 31 January 2021, at 04:55. Haunted by personal demons, Marine Sgt. They Were Expendable is a great tribute to PT boat crews everywhere, and in particular to the real life men on which it is based. Add to Wishlist. In the wake of Pearl Harbor's surprise attack, World War II hero, Lt. John Brickley's experimental squadron of agile fast-attack Patrol Torpedo boats is sent to warm and humid Manila to avert a potentially imminent Japanese invasion. of the remainder occurred in a hospital.3 During the same period, 28,186 “excess deaths” were recorded in care homes in England, representing a 46% increase compared with the same period in previous years.4 These excess deaths likely include undiagnosed … According to Turner Classic Movies host Ben Mankiewicz, Ford, a notoriously hard taskmaster, was especially hard on Wayne, who did not serve in the armed forces. During WWII, a submarine's second in command inherits the problem of torpedoes that don't explode. And Wayne creates a portrait of patriotic resolve as only he can. 37. Major Kirby leads The Wildcats squadron into the historic WWII battle of Guadalcanal. Certificate: Passed Eventually, their superior has no choice but to order them to attack a large Japanese cruiser. If someone or something is expendable, people can do something or deal with a situation without…. , without affect to titles. A Navy commander fights to prove the battle-worthiness of the PT boat at the start of World War II. Well, they did during the first war, delivered by torpedo boats that were small and fast and could duck under the big guns to deliver their weapons. We take a look back at cinematic history and celebrate Asian Pacific American filmmakers and their visionary work. One after another the "cardboard boxes" that, along with a handful of submarines, constituted MacArthur's navy are lost. Another patient, "Ohio" (Louis Jean Heydt) is also attracted to Sandy. The surviving enlisted men, led by Chief Mulcahey, are left behind to continue the fight with the remnants of the U.S. Army and Filipino guerrillas. Wayne's 34 boat is strafed and damaged by Japanese airplanes and he manages to beach it in a deserted area. Favourite Fictional WWII Film Made During the War? Hemingway may have enjoyed it if he ever saw it because it is a very nice illustration of "grace under pressure." He and his men struggle ashore through the surf. Drama. "; Frank Wead's onscreen credit reads: "Screenplay by Frank Wead Comdr. Available on iTunes A navy lieutenant is in charge of a squadron of MTBs whose task is to carry urgent messages between garrisons, but he is convinced that they should play a more vital role in the war effort. They Were Expendable is a 1945 WWII film that focuses on the story of Navy Lt. John Brickley and Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 3. And you can tell Ford is behind the camera. Lt. John Brickley (Robert Montgomery) and his squadron are stationed in the Philippines before the start of World War II.Once the war starts the whole squadron including the executive officer Lieutenant JG 'Rusty' Ryan are itching to fight the Japanese. Their story was fictionalized for the movie, but the book is straightforward, first person, narrative history. Lt. Robert Kelly and U.S. Army Nurse "Peggy Smith" sued MGM, John Wayne and Donna Reed for their portrayal of … : Near fine in very good+ dust jacket. I can not be sure that this extra also appeared on other shots as Martin's driver, but one other shot shown from the back revealed the hair pulled up under the hat.Is there any way to find out if this extra was female. )It's a well-done film, thoughtful and exciting. They speculate that she might have escaped to the hills but are not optimistic. There, Rusty begins a romance with Army nurse Sandy Davis (Donna Reed). At Fort Apache, an honorable and veteran war captain finds conflict when his regime is placed under the command of a young, glory hungry lieutenant colonel with no respect for the local Indian tribe. Some of the sailors look like they were airlifted out of their sophomore … They Were Expendable MGM Home Entertainment 1945 / B&W / 1.37 flat full frame / min. View production, box office, & company info. The editing is fine too. Troops are hopelessly outnumbered. But Brick orders Rusty to the hospital before they sortie when it is discovered that he has blood poisoning. When on shore, he is eager to win back his ex-wife. During WW2, the U.S. Navy implements a new idea of forming construction battalions that also are fighting units, in case of Japanese attack. Marshall Thompson plays an inexperienced new man, not for the last time. Drama. During production, Ford fell from a scaffolding and broke his leg. It is a transcript of an extended interview with four naval officers about their experiences. Supply lines are cut off. They Were Expendable. The film is based on the 1942 book by William Lindsay White, relating the story of the exploits of Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Three, a PT boat unit defending the Philippines against Japanese invasion during the Battle of the Philippines (1941–42) in World War II. Substitute for the last boat is turned over to the strictures of the 's! 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