Chef de patrouille

After seeing this and being familiar with the series, The Pacific, it seems this is a fictional and weaker version of the real story of Sgt. John Basilone.

Nevertheless, this is a decent film and does convey some of the hell our men went through in the early stage of the war over there.

The Pacific portrayed it all much better.

A B-Movie at best, but when you're in it changes everything. M1 rifles on Guadalcanal? Japanese soldiers with rubber bayonets. Several modern day vehicles in the background at various points. But hey! It did honor a real life Marine hero.. Manila John Basilone.

In August 1966, I was 19 years old, had just graduated Recruit Training at MCRD San Diego and had relocated to Camp Pendleton for Infantry Training Regiment.

Reveille went 30 minutes early for us one day... 0500 instead of 0530. Once we were in formation, we were double-timed (shuffle run) 5 miles to a location none of us had ever been to before. It was the location of the current day's shooting of The First to Fight.

In one scene, they took two of our platoons and put us behind a platoon of actors on the side of a hill with a path running down it. When they yelled action, the actors were to run down the path and turn left. We were to run down the path and turn right. As we waited, one of the film's crew came up through the platoon of actors spraying water on them that was supposed to make them look sweaty. After he finished when them he came to us, took one look and said I don't think you fellas need this. Having run 5 miles to get to the "lot" he was right. Unfortunately, that scene was left on the cutting room floor.

The scene we were in that made the final cut occurs about 50 or so minutes into the film. Chad Everett is mad as his men for not picking up on instruction and is berating them. Our 4 platoon company is marching around in rectangles in the background making it appear there were a lot more Marines present than were actually present.

I've always wanted to ask Gene Hackman if he remembers the movie we made together. I'm sure that would draw a quizzical look. He'd certainly have no idea who I was... but it's one of my favorite memories and favorite stories to tell... but a pretty crappy movie when you get right down to it.

Just watched the video. Chad Everett is in his prime as Jack Connell, a marine officer who has won the Congressional Medal of Honor. This film was made shortly before Viet-Nam exploded into all-out war. a gung-ho tale of a once fearless marine who comes to realize that one's life belongs to themselves as well as those with whom they love. Great acting, realistic action scenes, and an impressive performance by Gene Hackman. Sort of strange how in 1967 Chad Everett was being groomed for"super stardom" and Gene Hackman received 6th billing. Turns out that Hackman would shortly become a mega superstar with Bonnie & Clyde and The French Connection, while Everett's film career was reduced to "B" movies; stardom was his on television however.

Starting out an old school hunkered-in-the-trenches World War II action flick with heroic Chad Everett holding off approaching Japanese soldiers in an off-river jungle setting, FIRST TO FIGHT... produced and narrated by William Conrad with direction by Christian Nyby... makes an abrupt shift into a budding Stateside romance...

Progressively ignited between Everett's surviving and returning Sgt. Jack Connell and the lovely, classy and hard-to-get war bond touring chief Marilyn Devin; yet the best scenes have our true blue veteran competing with cocky cad Bobby Troup, who's not good enough to win this lady over...

She's been through the ringer with a dead husband from Pearl Harbor, and the inevitable, unforced chemistry between Everett and Devin is genuine... until, when becoming a drill sergeant at Camp Pendleton, reunited with former colonel Dean Jagger (with best friend James Best back in the jungle), Connell wants another mission, and as the saying goes... be careful what you wish for...

For true war movie fanatics the third act is the best when the jungle warrior gets cold feet on a Normandy Beach style invasion, and, while it's cringe-worthy experiencing the hero becoming a coward, scenes with non-famous Gene Hackman as a strong/silent sergeant make this FIGHT, in attempting three stories in one, sustain patriotic entertainment without being too corny or nostalgic.

Chad Everett is a Marine who survives a brutal Japanese attack on his unit, and because of his heroism is sent Stateside on a morale-building tour, where he falls for the beautiful woman assigned as his guide. This film is actually better than it sounds; Everett is quite effective as the Marine who didn't think much about his own mortality while in combat, but begins to realize that circumstances are entirely different now that he has a wife to worry about. The supporting performances are generally competent, though Marilyn Devin's inexperience as an actress is obvious in her role as Everett's new wife (she later left the industry and became a newscaster). Gene Hackman and James Best are quite good as two of Everett's fellow Marine combat veterans. The battle scenes are well done, the story moves along at a good clip, though it does lag in spots, and overall it's one of director Christian ("The Thing") Nyby's better efforts.