I'm 62 yrs old and had thought I'd seen every b&w WWII film made in the USA. I saw this film today for the fist time. I was completely surprised by the performance of Jimmie Rogers and several of the Filipino actors. Not enough attention has been paid to the sacrifices made by the Filipine people during WWII. I think this film had a certain raw elegance that rises above the sometimes stilted dialog and,thus,deserves more air-time.
I remember Jimmie Rogers as a singer in the 1950's. I was surprised and impressed with his acting in this film. He played the young soldier thrust into a position of leadership by world events and, like so many other young men (me among them), tried his best. He was thoughtful and serious, but not ponderous as he tried to lead other young men through the moral/ethical mine field that war represents. Also,this film is worth your time just for the opportunity to see a very young Jack Nicholson at work. I must also add here that I am definitely a sucker for black & white films. I think Ted Turner should be drawn and quartered. for colorizing the classics!
Finally, all of the Filipine actors had decent, meaningful dialog and were shown to be the resourceful, dedicated and very effective fighters that they,in fact, were. Joe Bradley Virginia Beach, VA
I remember Jimmie Rogers as a singer in the 1950's. I was surprised and impressed with his acting in this film. He played the young soldier thrust into a position of leadership by world events and, like so many other young men (me among them), tried his best. He was thoughtful and serious, but not ponderous as he tried to lead other young men through the moral/ethical mine field that war represents. Also,this film is worth your time just for the opportunity to see a very young Jack Nicholson at work. I must also add here that I am definitely a sucker for black & white films. I think Ted Turner should be drawn and quartered. for colorizing the classics!
Finally, all of the Filipine actors had decent, meaningful dialog and were shown to be the resourceful, dedicated and very effective fighters that they,in fact, were. Joe Bradley Virginia Beach, VA