What Price Glory?

Rating:
Summary: WHAT PRICE GLORY? - ANY BUT THIS!
Review: "What Price Glory" is a World War I lover's triangle set against the ravaged backdrop of French countryside circa, 1918. Drama aside, the film is not what one might expect from the directorial giant likes of John Ford. James Cagney is a bit over the hill to be believable as Capt. Flagg, a stoic commander of a motley troupe of conscripts. Flagg's ill at ease postulating does not bode well with his men, so he turns to disrespectful and disreputable Sgt. Quirt (Dan Dailey) for a little bit of hard knock military strength. But the tensions between Flagg and Quirt are pressed to the breaking point when they both fall for the same girl - stop me if you've heard this one before. Strong performances elevate this film above the tripe that - generally - it is.
THE TRANSFER: Frankly, not up to snuff. Although the overall color scheme has retained much of its original luster, the picture quality is a disappointment. There is an excessive amount of film grain and age related artifacts throughout for a not very smooth visual presentation. Fluctuations in color balancing are - at times - severe and distracting. There is a minor amount of digital grit that further detracts from the image. Black levels are weak. Contrast and shadow delineation is poorly balanced for a very unstable looking presentation. The audio has been cleaned up but remains strident sounding and lacking in bass. EXTRAS: As with the other war films in this batch from Fox, you get nothing to augment your experience. BOTTOM LINE: "What Price Glory" isn't recommended either as a war film, or for its transfer quality. Seek satisfying your thirst for conquest elsewhere.

Rating:
Summary: Typical John Ford Movie: Terrific!
Review: 1952 movie directed by John Ford starring James Cagney as Captain Flag, a 'tough-as-nails' Marine company commander in World War One. Just after returning from the front-line trenches to rest and refit his company, he receives a new top sergeant, Sergeant Quirt played by Dan Dailey, to get his new replacements ready for the next tour on the lines. Sergeant Quirt is probably the best in the Marines, but he's also a wild rival to Captain Flag and they soon show their stuff after Quirk's arrival with a quick fistfight in Flag's office.
The Marine company is full of old battle-hardened veterans portrayed in an entertaining manner by numerous actors including William Demarest [Uncle Charlie from "My Three Sons"] and Henry Morgan (Colonel Potter from "M.A.S.H."]. A youthful Robert Wagner stars as one of the many newly assigned 'boys,' falling in love with one of the village's girls during the company's training period.
John Ford did masterful job rolling in humor, drama and romance. The film is well balanced and portrays the Marines as hard-core soldiers who do more than their share for the war effort, possessing colorful personalities who play hard in their off time. There's good action when the company returns to lines, although sanitary by today's standards, and captures some element of the hardship in World War One's trench warfare. It's a romantic and entertaining feature that rivals Ford's other well-known feature "The Quiet Man."
The VHS edition is very good quality, full-frame format, and deserves a DVD edition.

Rating:
Summary: Easy to recommend war movie
Review: Taking place in World War I is the James Cagney-Dan Dailey drama "What Price Glory" made in 1952 by the legendary director John Ford. Essentially the movie is a classic love triangle story set against the backdrop of the ravaged French countryside of 1918. Cagney plays the part of Capt. Flagg, a commander in charge of a ragtag group of conscripts who must rely on the brash and disrespectful Sgt. Quirt to whip them into shape. Trouble brews though when Flagg and Quirt both fall for the same girl. The movie is a triumph for all concerned both in strong performances from the actors (including a young Robert Wagner) and a technical masterpiece from the crew. The same cannot be honestly said for the DVD. Although the picture and sound are both acceptable the quality of the overall print shows some wear and there are noticeable fluctuations in the color balance. Still for such a low price it is a title that is easy to recommend.

Rating:
Summary: Rolicking, fanciful view of WW One Marines
Review: The movie focuses on a Marine rifle company resting and training behind the front in WW One France. Cagney and Daly turn in fine performances as the Company Commander and his 1st Sgt, respectively. They are both career Marines of long service and have developed a professional respect for each other rivaled only by their personal dislike. They both vie for the affections of the inkeeper's daughter with predictable results. The integration of fresh-faced replacements with the battleworn veteran Marines brings some lighthearted moments. The tone is more serious in the few short battle scenes and the ending where Quirt leaves Charmaine to rejoin the company moving out for the next push is one easily related by any Marine viewer. It is a remake of an earlier silent film and I regret I have been unable to obtain a copy of the original as I am sure it is excellent. However, I feel Mr. Maltin in his review above dismisses it without even viewing it. The review and synopsis don't even get the right war, referring to WW2, and seem to not realize they players are Marines. It may indeed not measure up to the silent original, but this is an entertaining movie in it's own right.

Rating:
Summary: Rolicking, fanciful view of WW One Marines
Review: The movie focuses on a Marine rifle company resting and training behind the front in WW One France. Cagney and Daly turn in fine performances as the Company Commander and his 1st Sgt, respectively. They are both career Marines of long service and have developed a professional respect for each other rivaled only by their personal dislike. They both vie for the affections of the inkeeper's daughter with predictable results. The integration of fresh-faced replacements with the battleworn veteran Marines brings some lighthearted moments. The tone is more serious in the few short battle scenes and the ending where Quirt leaves Charmaine to rejoin the company moving out for the next push is one easily related by any Marine viewer. It is a remake of an earlier silent film and I regret I have been unable to obtain a copy of the original as I am sure it is excellent. However, I feel Mr. Maltin in his review above dismisses it without even viewing it. The review and synopsis don't even get the right war, referring to WW2, and seem to not realize they players are Marines. It may indeed not measure up to the silent original, but this is an entertaining movie in it's own right.

Rating:
Summary: Sad and funny
Review: The story of a tough Captain and a tough top Sgt in France in 1918 who can't stand each other but both need to get a green batch of marines ready to fight with the hard fighting, hard drinking and hard joking vets of company L.

There are a lot of sub plots here from a young Robert Wagner to a Young Harry Morgan as another Sgt to the rivalry between our two leads for the innkeeper?s daughter.

There isn't much war in this war picture but what there are hits you in the gut, the vets are hard fighters but don't love it and know the score.

Cagney says it best late in the movie "it was ok when you had a bunch of guys who know what they're doing but not when you've got a bunch of kids."

They know it stinks but they do their job.

Another winner from John Ford.

Rating:
Summary: One of the worst!...
Review: This movie was totally void of any believable plot. The characters were portrayed as childlike adults. The plot never really became believable. Everyone in the movie was portrayed as a bumbling idiot. A total waste of time to watch!

Rating:
Summary: Wasted Talent
Review: This was a most disappointing movie, considering the cast and director. One can only assume that John Ford was putting most of his energy towards The Quiet Man and not to What Price Glory.

The usual "authenticity" of a John Ford movie was evidently lacking right from the start. When you have marines refer to themselves as "soldiers" it is hard to watch the movie without a great deal of cynicism. The word "soldier" and "army" were bantered about by this group of marines as if they thought they were in the army. I never knew or heard of any marine that would think this way.

The movie seems to ramble without any focus or plot. It appears as if it is a group of individual skits put together and called a movie.

I gave it two stars just because of a great cast. Harry Morgan always contributes solid roles and it is fun to watch a young Robert Wagner. James Cagney is looking his age and not quite credible as a marine who could endure front-line combat.

This movie was well intended, but, as the saying goes, the road to hell is paved with good intentions!