Never So Few (1959)

Director:

John Sturges

Writers:

Millard Kaufman (screenplay)
Tom T. Chamales (novel)

Release Date:

7 December 1959 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | War

Tagline:

Kiss by kiss the time ran out and never so few were the moments left for love!

Plot:

Captain Tom Reynolds and his band of skilled O.S.S. operatives are in WWII Burma to train the Kachin natives in modern warfare...

Plot Keywords:

American Soldier | Military | Soldier | Jungle | WWII

Cast

Frank Sinatra	...	Capt. Tom Reynolds
Gina Lollobrigida	...	Carla Vesari
Peter Lawford	...	Capt. Grey Travis
Steve McQueen	...	Bill Ringa
Richard Johnson	...	Capt. Danny De Mortimer
Paul Henreid	...	Nikko Regas
Brian Donlevy	...	Gen. Sloan
Dean Jones	...	Sgt. Jim Norby
Charles Bronson	...	Sgt. John Danforth
Philip Ahn	...	Nautaung
Robert Bray	...	Col. Fred Parkson
Kipp Hamilton	...	Margaret Fitch
John Hoyt	...	Col. Reed
Whit Bissell	...	Capt. Alofson - Psychiatrist
Richard Lupino	...	Mike Island

Also Known As:

Campaign Burma (USA) (alternative title)

Runtime:

125 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Australia:PG | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (re-rating) (1987) | West Germany:12 (f) | USA:Approved (PCA #19299) | Canada:PG (video rating) | Finland:K-16 | Argentina:16

Filming Locations:

Burma

Company:

Canterbury Productions

Trivia:

Steve McQueen's role was originally going to be played by Sammy Davis Jr.. A feud had broken out between Davis and Frank Sinatra after Davis had claimed in a radio interview that he was a greater singer than Sinatra. Sinatra demanded he be dropped from the cast, and McQueen got the part.

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: The film is at the beginning said to take place in the "?first years of WWII". But look at the costumes of Ms. Lollobrigida - petticoats, high heels, make-up - everything looks straight from the late '50s.

Quotes:

Capt. Danny De Mortimer: [down with cerebral malaria] I feel like an old serial. When does the train run over me?
Capt. Tom Reynolds: [tending him] Shut up.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Guns for Hire: The Making of 'The Magnificent Seven' (2000) (TV)

Could have been a little better, could have been a lot worse

Sure, this is not a 4 star movie BUT, overlooking a few weak spots I thoroughly enjoyed this film. Sinatra & McQueen together in the same movie is a real treat. They held my attention whenever they were on the screen, which was virtually the whole movie. Donleavy also was very good in his brief appearance. Lollabrigida is not a great actress but her "charm" more than makes up for that. Richard Johnson is superb in his role as Reynolds' right hand man. Justice prevailed over Politics in the end, as it should have. Overall, not perfect, but certainly a very watchable film due in no small part to McQueen's & Sinatra's presence.