An American drama; A story about an American soldier who in the late 1940s travelled to Israel to organise its armed forces. This film epic and biopic is based on the true story of American-born U. S. Colonel David "Mickey" Marcus enlisted by the Israelis to perform the difficult task of preparing their fledgling nation for battle during Israel's struggle for independence. It has a good production standard with a great musical score and superb photography. However, it falls short in getting down to the proper work of storytelling on the film's main theme and relies on flashbacks for exposition and superficial melodrama about a relationship. Pity, because Kirk Douglas was well cast and he portrays the adventurous soldier-of-fortune with distinction. John Wayne plays a composite character which hardly impacts the story.
Review of Cast a Giant Shadow
