They Were Expendable

Rating:
Summary: John Ford's Classic War Film
Review: More than 60 years ago, Japanese forces attacked Pearl Harbor. During the months which followed, the United States struggled to recover as Japanese military victories continued throughout the Pacific. This film is based on William Lindsay White's interviews of four members of Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Three, published as They Were Expendable in 1942. John Ford and Robert Montgomery co-directed and Montgomery also stars as Lieutenant John Brickley. Throughout much of this film, Brickley's squadron only provides courier service between Bataan and Corregidor. When given the opportunity, however, Squadron Three does manage to sink several of the enemy's ships as the Japanese complete their conquest of the Philippines, eventually forcing the American forces to surrender.

With regard to the film's title, not all of those involved with resisting the Japanese were expendable. General Douglas Mac Arthur is ordered by President Roosevelt to relocate with his family and staff to Australia. Brickley's squadron makes their escape possible. As the film ends, he and Lieutenant J.G. "Rusty" Ryan (John Wayne) return to the United States on the last plane out. Their men will now be fighting on foot...at least for a while. In the final scene, as they trudge proudly down the beach and the plane carrying Brickley and Ryan rises above them, the soundtrack offers a muted choral rendition of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic." A distinctive Ford touch.

The greatness of this film is best explained in terms of (a) the generally non-verbal but nonetheless close relationships between Brickley and Ryan, and, between them and their crews; (b) the romantic feelings shared by Ryan and Lieutenant Sandy Davys (Donna Reed) which Ford never permits to deteriorate into sentimentality; (c) Montgomery's highly-effective portrayal of a soft-spoken leader; and (d) Wayne's (for me) surprisingly subtle and sensitive performance, perhaps equaled (in terms of nuance) only by his performances in The Searchers and The Shootist.

It is worth noting, also, that Ford as well as his cast and crew obviously had great respect for the men and women in the American military services. They avoid all of the pitfalls which ruin so many other war films. For example, character stereotyping (e.g. including a philosophical Jewish cab driver from Brooklyn) and using melodramatic music to manipulate a viewer's emotions during especially dramatic moments. This film has integrity in all respects, suggesting that although many of those whom it portrays may have been expendable, they are nonetheless admirable.

Rating:
Summary: Myth-making the Right Way
Review: My latest viewing of "They Were Expendable," on the fine DVD transfer I just got, is now colored by the revelation that, contrary to myth, Douglas MacArthur was a demagogue, many of whose acts bordered on treason. In fact, it was partly through his incompetence that the lives of the heroes of this movie became "Expendable". However, at the time of the filming, MacArthur was a hero himself and deserving of the Lincoln-like treatment he's given by Ford.

If you know Joseph Campbell, you know that a myth is not a lie but a metaphor. John Ford has been unfairly criticized by many for his jingoistic, oversentimental grandiosity. But Ford was a myth-maker, not a documentarian. Myths, like religion, aren't supposed to be "factual," and neither are Ford's. If his product is as the critics describe, then so is the time and place he depicts. The America of Manifest Destiny is indeed jingoistic, oversentimental (to our jaded sensibilities) and grandiose. That's the way it was. If you wish to quibble, do so with the period, not with Ford.

Unless you are bereft of human empathy, you'll see "They Were Expendable" for what it is: a masterful evocation of a time, not so long ago, when men and women rode their fear, despair and courage to Glory.

By the way, this review originally received only 2 out of 5 "helpful" votes. I suspect, the "unhelpful" votes are from MacArthur acolytes, some of whom indicated to me their displeasure at my disrespect for the Great Man, who ended up being fired and who would have staged a coup d'etat if he thought he could get away with it. After all, he had the support of many of the armed and dangerous right-wing loonies of the time (and apparently still does). Thus, when I consider the source, I wear the negative ratings as an honor.

Rating:
Summary: A Film That Only John Ford Could Have Made
Review: Nearly all of the reviews so far have noted the great strengths of this film, not the least of which is the masterful direction of John Ford as he projects the story through the filter of his personal experience. Having just seen it again in terrific DVD format, I'm reminded ot the touches that only Ford could bring. My favorite scene is towards the end, when Robert Montgomery and John Wayne have been called back to the safety of stateside and they must leave their men behind, knowing that they will probably die in the jungle fighting to follow. Montgomery passes the command to Ward Bond. With almost any other director, this scene would be filled with awkward salutes and standard farewell dialogue. However, here Montgomery simply takes his binoculars from around his neck, puts the strap around Bond's neck, and gently and affectionately drops them onto Bond's chest. In Ford's hands, the moment is indelible.

Rating:
Summary: Classic WWI film about PT boats in action
Review: Next to "The Story of GI Joe", this film is one of my favorites. Great use of the camera, character development, an excellent grasp of the grim situation our military was in during the opening days of WWII. John Wayne is excellent as is the entire cast and Ward Bond does an outstanding job. The battle scenes are filmed by the master John Ford. Some of the scenes with the PT boats attacking the Japanese ships is fantastic, decks awash and guns blazing, the crew determined in the face of some horrendous shell bursts. Outstanding.
A must see for those interested in the WWII films that stand above the herd for great story telling, action and a grand view of the dark days of war. Check it out.

Rating:
Summary: Classic WWI film about PT boats in action
Review: Next to "The Story of GI Joe", this film is one of my favorites. Great use of the camera, character development, an excellent grasp of the grim situation our military was in during the opening days of WWII. John Wayne is excellent as is the entire cast and Ward Bond does an outstanding job. The battle scenes are filmed by the master John Ford. Some of the scenes with the PT boats attacking the Japanese ships is fantastic, decks awash and guns blazing, the crew determined in the face of some horrendous shell bursts. Outstanding.
A must see for those interested in the WWII films that stand above the herd for great story telling, action and a grand view of the dark days of war. Check it out.

Rating:
Summary: excellent!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Review: One of the best WWII movies ever made. On anybodys top ten list of fine films about WWII. Anyone who thinks this picture isn't good dosn't know what there talking about. Not only is it fine film making, it is also essential history about a dark period in our country when a small group of people pulled togeather to fight for freedome and what was right. Robert Montgomery is excellent with just the right blend of humor to off set John Wayne's characters hot headeness. The supporting cast is outstanding, with the great Ward Bond, a now forgotten character actor who made more classic movies than any other actor in history, from Gone with the Wind to the Maltese Falcon, The Searchers to The Grapes of Wrath......This picture should be shown to the younger people today along with an explination that this is some of what their Grandparents went through. This picture is one of the "Saving Private Ryans" of its day.

Rating:
Summary: Not To Reason Why...........!
Review: The PT Boats were not suppost to have that big of a role in WWII. Yet they did. They Were Expendable is based on a true story about a group of PT Boats that take place in the Battle Of The Philippines during the early months of WWII. They must transport officers and American's to Austrailia. Fight off the enemy and take supplies back and forth. It is a very tough job to do. And on several occasions some boats don't come back. The Navy finds that the boats are not of any real effectiveness. Or so they say. Lt. Ryan and Lt. Brickley finally show the Navy that the PT Boats are worth there money. So when the war gets into a faster pace, so do the crews. They hit, they fire, they run to fight another day. They do this so effectivley that they earn a reputation as being Expendable. The early days of WWII were dark and although they new that the odds were stacked greatly against them, they did the job as best as they could. Lt. Ryan finds a brief amount of time to have a little (but never enough) romance with Donna Reed. She tried to comfort him and he her, during the tough and uncertain times that lay ahead. But duty calls at the worst possible time when they are needed. Still it seems that since the PT Boats have proven to be worth while, they are just still used to transport officers around.
The films shows everything heart break, love, confusion, panic, combat, scared and being lonely. When it was released in 1945 it was not a big hit, since the war had been nearly won and people wanted to see a different movie than one about war, or not one that has Americans fighting to just hang on and get by with little or nothing. John Ford directed this wounderfull film, he himself saw action from Midway till the end of the war! He brought a different tone to the film, instead of someone that had never been in the war. Nominated for two Oscar's: Best Special Effects and Best Sound, They Were Expendable was and still is the best film released during the Second World War that has not lost a step since 1945!
Grade:A

Rating:
Summary: Randy O'[e-mail]
Review: There is no doubt in my mind that this is the best war movie ever made. Many people thought John Wayne was just an allright type of actor, but he gives his best performance of his life in this movie. Robert Montgomery, who had just came back from active service, gives an outstanding performance as the skipper.

As all John Ford movie's are great, this is a masterpiece. The action scenes alone are worth the admission. The cast is very well known, but it seems that they are not acting, but actually fighting this war with a great sense of dignity and valor.

I wish that Steven Spielberg would do another war movie like Saving Private Ryan, and do a remake of this film. Most people today are not aware of the dark days for the United States that took place right after Pearl Harbor, and the fight that our men and women took to the Japanese is this lost cause.

They were gallant. They were brave. They were Expendable.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent film about PT boats and the men who served on them
Review: They were expendable is an excellent John Ford-directed story of the men who fought for recognition of the PT boat during WWII. This story takes place in the Phillipines prior to the fall of the islands to the Japanese Army. It explores the short-sightedness of the commanders who refused to see the boats for what they were, the sacrifices of the people captured by the Japanese armies, or, in some cases, sacrificed rather than being evacuated. It is a great story, featuring Robert Montgomery and John Wayne (in one of his most human roles,) paired with the
great Donna Reed.

Ford and his scriptwriter Frank Wead based this movie at least partly on the actual experiences of PT Commanders. Ford, who filmed many operations for the OSS, was well aware of the utility of the PTs. He was serving in the Navy, (filming battle footage and making movies) at the time of this filming, which was before the end of the war. In fact, Ford refused to leave his important duties and make the film until he was ordered to do so.

In fact, the only bad thing about this film is how it almost regards Gen. Douglas "Dugout Doug" Macarthur as some sort as some sort of God, wrapping him and his family in the flag as they fled the Phillipines to Australia, leaving their troops behind.

Rating:
Summary: The best Naval film of World War II
Review: They Were Expendable is the story of a small number of Sailors who found themselves in the Phillipines as World War II started. These men are operating small torpedo boats for the Navy which doesn't seem to have much of a use for them, if one listems to the admirals and captains viewing them in action.

The all star cast includes George Montgomery, Donna Reed, John Wayne and Ward Bond, amongst others. All are excellent and make this story much more real than it might otherwise have been. You get the feel for the Philippines and the climate. Plus the deterioriation of the situation as the Army is forced down the Bataan Peninsula to the island of Corregidor and the ultimate siege and defeat.

Many people "remember" Pearl Harbor but don't quite recall that the Philippines was a starker defeat for the United States. If you look at it objectively, Pearl Harbor was essentially avenged at the Battle of Midway. The Philippines took over2 1/2 years to see the return of US forces and it then evolved into a slogging match with the Japanese Army that went on until the surrender of Japan in 1945. Pearl Harbor sticks in the mind, the Philippines rapidly faded away.

This movie brings back the events that made up the US role in the Philippines in 1941 and early 42. You see at the end that there is not a happy ending. The romantic interest stays behind to become a POW. The remaining members of the PT crews become rifle carrying Sailors as they march off into the bush. Pay attention to Montgomerey's farewell talk to his men. It should rank up there with Washington's farewell to the Army.

This is a film that should be seen by all with an interst in Naval and Military history as well as the events of 1941-42. It is a movie about people that could be anyone of us.