Back Door to Hell

A trio of American soldiers sneak into the Japanese-held Philippines to scout it out for the forthcoming invasion. However, once they meet up with the local partisans, they come to realize that the war these locals have been waging isn't a 'nice' war but a war without rules and a war without pity. At first, the soldiers balk at this--murdering and torturing prisoners ISN'T what they were trained to do! However, they must forge some alliance with these Filipinos and work behind enemy lines without being detected...and this might just mean adopting the same tactics as their new allies.

While the very low budget in this film is rather apparent (with the use of non-stars, at least at that time, as well as a HUGE chunk of stock footage near the end), it's a good but certainly not great film. I appreciated how the film presented a side of war not seen in WWII films made during the war--that sometimes soldiers need to be vicious and not exactly noble creatures! Plus, it gives you a chance to see Jack Nicholson in the sort of film in which you might never expect him to act. Mildly interesting.

I'm 62 yrs old and had thought I'd seen every b&w WWII film made in the USA. I saw this film today for the fist time. I was completely surprised by the performance of Jimmie Rogers and several of the Filipino actors. Not enough attention has been paid to the sacrifices made by the Filipine people during WWII. I think this film had a certain raw elegance that rises above the sometimes stilted dialog and,thus,deserves more air-time.

I remember Jimmie Rogers as a singer in the 1950's. I was surprised and impressed with his acting in this film. He played the young soldier thrust into a position of leadership by world events and, like so many other young men (me among them), tried his best. He was thoughtful and serious, but not ponderous as he tried to lead other young men through the moral/ethical mine field that war represents. Also,this film is worth your time just for the opportunity to see a very young Jack Nicholson at work. I must also add here that I am definitely a sucker for black & white films. I think Ted Turner should be drawn and quartered. for colorizing the classics!

Finally, all of the Filipine actors had decent, meaningful dialog and were shown to be the resourceful, dedicated and very effective fighters that they,in fact, were. Joe Bradley Virginia Beach, VA

'Back Door to Hell' is much better war film that one can expect from low budgeted B-movie. Little rough on the edges, but well put together with good story, enough tension and enough meaty characters to care for till to the end. The big battle in the end is cut together from stock footage, but that shouldn't come as a big shock.

Three men reconnaissance unit with hardened cynical sergeant Jersey (John Hackett) and philosophical wise cracker Burnett (Jack Nicholson) led by lieutenant Craig (played by pop singer Jimmy Rodgers who also was one of the financial backers), are on the mission in Luzon, Phillipines to gather information about the movements of Japanese troops prior to American invasion. Team must meet with guerrilla leader Miguel, but they find new leader Paco (Conrad Maga) instead, and learn that Miguel has been killed off by Paco himself. No certain explanation is given, except Paco's ambiguous answer, that you can't trust people during the occupation.

'Back Door to Hell' is not your typical anti-war film, nor 'we are the awesome heroes' type action piece. The film has a little existential and philosophical point of view, but it rather just depicts the war and its horrors. All this is enlivened by the location of Philippines.

The film didn't get much praise upon its release, and it is rather forgotten today, except when someone points it out as one of the earliest roles of Jack Nicholson (whose performance alone is definitely the reason to check out the film). But there are much more in that film. You can say that 'Back Door to Hell' is a film with personality.

Many great lines come from Jack Nicholson's character, but my favorite one is his answer to Jersey, when he asks: "We're all gonna die anyway - tomorrow, next week, 30 years from now. Did that little thought ever penetrate your thick skull?" And Burnett retorts: "Yeah, once when I was a boy, but naturally I dismissed it as being too outrageous."

P.S. Can anyone confirm, was it Japanese/American character actor Mako Iwamatsu in the role of captured Japanese soldier?

Three US soldiers come ashore on a Philippine island to do intelligence work in preparation for the big US invasion to retake the islands from the Japanese. Led by Jimmie Rogers as sensitive Lieutenant Craig with pacifist leanings, with Jack Nicholson playing a communications expert with a lot of philosophical observations, and John Hackett as Jersey the tough realist among them, they meet up with the local resistance led by Paco (Conrad Maga), who have been fighting the Japanese for the last few years and have grown cynical about the Americans ever coming back. This film is a direct contrast to the John Wayne movie Back To Bataan in which the Americans were seemingly idolized as they were led by the Duke himself. Maga tells Rogers that he (Maga) is in charge if they are to work together. Rogers, Nicholson, and Hackett have to find out where the Japanese defenses are as the invasion is about to happen, and the film hikes us through the jungles and highlands in pretty sharp black and white, with some authentic flourishes about interrogation of captured Japanese soldiers and another ragtag guerrilla band that is looking to make a profit out of the war. The details are what make this well worth checking out, as the film dodges any of the obvious heroics it could have exploited. Get through the opening credits and you see that it was directed by Monte Hellman (Two Lane Blacktop) and he delivers a war film with enough action as well as some semblance of authenticity giving us a multi-faceted story.

If it weren't for the presence of Jack Nicholson in the cast of Back Door To Hell I doubt this film would be remembered at all. Watching it today you can see the beginnings of the legendary cynical persona that Jack Nicholson was hewing for his later image that we know so well. That voice is unmistakable.

Although this World War II film was shot on location in the Phillipines for production values it's pedestrian and the direction is non- existent. Singer Jimmie Rodgers is not exactly an inspiring leader of men. Rodgers, Nicholson, and John Hackett are three advance scouts prior to the invasion of Luzon who are seeking intelligence on Japanese troop movements. The story is their mission and how they obtain what they need.

Jack Nicholson fans, this one's for you and very few others.