Director: John Ford

Writer: Frank Wead

Based on a book: They Were Expendable by William L. White

Keywords: Drama, WWII

Name	Occupation	Birth	Death	Known for
Leon Ames	Actor	20-Jan-1902	12-Oct-1993	Character actor, a SAG founder
Ward Bond	Actor	9-Apr-1903	5-Nov-1960	Wagon Train
Jack Holt	Actor	31-May-1888	18-Jan-1951	They Were Expendable
Cameron Mitchell	Actor	4-Nov-1918	6-Jul-1994	The High Chaparral
Robert Montgomery	Actor	21-May-1904	27-Sep-1981	Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Donna Reed	Actor	27-Jan-1921	14-Jan-1986	The Donna Reed Show
Marshall Thompson	Actor	27-Nov-1925	18-May-1992	To Hell and Back
John Wayne	Actor	26-May-1907	11-Jun-1979	The Duke

REVIEWS

Review by DAKOTA KID (posted on 15-Jul-2007)

Brilliant movie & absolutely authentic. Much like The Longest Day, it utilized only actual weapons, boats, etc. Montgomery & Wayne worked well together & Donna Reed and the Duke (both from Iowa)had great chemistry. It is a terrific watch

Review by JERRY FREDERICK (posted on 13-Dec-2007)

The brief but reluctant and cautiously undeniable relationship between Donna Reed's character and that of John Wayne is heartbreaking when it is obvious that the last (cut short phone call) that they share will be the end of them and any chance of a future together, with John Waynes character following orders to evacuate his PT boat and crew and leave the Bataan penisula knowing full damn well that Donna Reeds character may not survive what is coming with the enevidable advance of the Japanese army and its barbaric tactics of occupation. Tactics that were well known to the American Navy brass from the way the Japanese Empire swept into China. So much is said between them during that scene but with out it obviously having to be being said. The feelings that these two victims of war have for each other is very heart felt to the viewer. John Waynes charcter knows that there is nothing he can do for her, he can't save her or hold her or swap spots with her, all he can do is walk away and do his duty and pray that she survives. This movie is so full of sacrfice and pain with no glorifing of war.

Review by BARNEY (posted on 7-Aug-2007)

It was a very riveting movie in all respects, very well done technologically and dramatically. The historical parts were excellent, and for the people who did not live at that time it will probably be very enlightening to them. The action scenes were very well done and all in all it was a superb and very memorable movie, one of the best ever done by John Ford!

Review by anonymous (posted on 29-May-2005)

Truly one of the all time classic War Movies.....how could it not be, with John Ford (WWII Navy Commander) Robert Montgomery (WWII Navy Lt Commander) Donna Reed and of course, the "Duke", John Wayne. The lead character, Lt Brickley is more than loosely based on Lt John Bulkely, a WWII PT Boat Commander and the recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor. Great detail shots, exact (correct) small arms used throughout the movie. A close glimpse of the pre-war and early WWII Navy in the Phillipines.

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