Bataan

Robert Taylor gives a gritty performance as the leader of a thrown together unit fighting a delaying action during the fall of the Philipines. Lloyd Nolan does a good job as a professional soldier with a past, Thomas Mitchell is good as the older career soldier, perhaps a bit out of shape from years of peace time duty. Robert Walkers portrayal of a young homesick sailor is a good start on his career. This 1943 movie features some of the best hand to hand combat scenes to come out of any war movie, regardless of era. The exhaustion afterwards is strikingly realistic. This movie, dialogue included, is patriotic. At the time of Bataan, there wasn't much good news as the US had suffered some devastating defeats. The characters, regardless of race or creed, are treated equally which is a real plus for that time. I first saw this movie in a theatre when I was 9, (and yes, after the movie was over, the house lights came on and the ushers passed thru the audience selling War Stamps). I liked the movie then, and like it even more now. I give it a 9.

NOTE: A previous persons comment stated that they were not even wearing American helmets. In fact, the helmets worn in the movie ARE correct for the American Army in the early 1940's.

BATAAN is one of the better war films to come out during the war years of World War II. Robert Taylor holds the whole gritty film together with his realistic depiction of a sergeant leading a small troop of men in an effort to hold back the Japanese attack by blowing up a crucial bridge. Taylor, Robert Walker as a gum-chewing homesick sailor, Lloyd Nolan, Dezi Arnaz (surprisingly effective in a dramatic role) and others make splendid contributions. Special mention should be made of Philip Terry's medic--an under-appreciated actor who is shown as committed to his job in a selfless way but finally going berserk under the pressures of war. (He had other good roles in Olivia de Havilland's TO EACH HIS OWN and Ray Milland's THE LOST WEEKEND).

The jungle setting (although filmed on the studio lot) is impressive with its exotic foliage and adds to the realism. The hand to hand combat scenes are well staged, as are the final moments of the film.

All in all, a gripping war film that more than holds its own with contemporary stories like SAVING PRIVATE RYAN.

Has to be appreciated in the context of its time--when flag-waving patriotism was at its peak and lines like "Those dirty Japs" were not considered politically incorrect.

World War II and it's the Bataan peninsula. 13 members of the US armed forces, with Filipino volunteers, have been hastily assembled to blow up a bridge and delay Japanese attempts to rebuild it for as long as possible. As the Japanese close in from the surrounding jungle, the men must also battle with their own wills to have any hope of survival.

Lets get the complaints of others out the way first. Yes this is a studio shot production, yes there is model work involved, and yes this is unashamedly a flag waving, chest thumping, rally call of heroism. Based around actual events, this is a fictionalised telling that also has no shame in being disparaging towards the Japanese in the film. Now are these things really a problem? This is after all 1943, a time when the US was struggling in the Pacific conflict. A loose copy of John Ford's 1934 film The Lost Patrol, Bataan served as a moral booster for the public back home. The message is clear, this may be tantamount to a suicide mission, because, well, war is indeed hell, but sacrifices are necessary to achieve the bigger freedom objective.

Nicely directed by Tay Garnett {The Postman Always Rings Twice} and tightly scripted by Robert Hardy Andrews {The Cross of Lorraine}, the film stars Robert Taylor, George Murphy, Thomas Mitchell, Robert Walker, Desi Arnaz & Lloyd Nolan. Violent and brutal for its time {the hand to hand bayonet sequences are brilliantly realised}, Bataan is also notable for portraying a racially integrated fighting force having to come together for the greater good. This group of men are a mixed bunch, different backgrounds, different races and different classes. But they are in the same boat as the Japanese start to pick them off one by one, and not only that, but Malaria is in the camp as well. The tension is racked up, the atmosphere stifling, we the viewers are witness to a unique show of heroism as we live with these men during their last soul sapping days.

The cast do really well when one considers they are in fact playing disposable characters. Taylor in particular is effective as the tough Sergeant forced into command of the group. While some scenes such as a moodily staged camouflaged Japanese approach are truly memorable and linger long in the memory. The end also is terrific, one which puts one in mind of Sam Peckinpah watching and nodding approvingly. High on suspense and beating a real brave heart, Bataan is up with the best that the war genre of film has to offer. Belyng its budget restrictions it achieves its aims and then some. 8.5/10

My Mom saw this movie at the time it was released and said it gave her more nightmares than any horror film she ever saw. It is still violent today and must have been shockingly brutal back in the day.

Yes, you can say some of the soldiers are clichéd, but death is shown unflinchingly. Combat is portrayed as a bloody, messy, fatigue-inducing business. Boredom and endless waiting take their toll on nerves as well. The banter and cocky talk is whistling past the graveyard.

Lloyd Nolan's character is rough and unlikeable. He fights for freedom, but he fights dirty and he doesn't pretty things up with patriotic speeches. Some might complain about the black soldier playing harmonica and taking orders from white men. Actually, for the time, he was portrayed with dignity and shown to be as brave as any of the other soldiers. As for Robert Taylor, his weariness and resolve at the end are stirring and the last scene is not one you will soon forget.

Ignoring the propaganda aspects of the movie, the last half works as almost a pure horror movie, as our cast gets gruesomely picked off by unseen foes lurking in the jungle.

Exciting and gripping, it's easy to overlook the faults of this most violent and gritty of WW2 films made at the time.

"Bushido, Bushwa! You stink!" So died the heroes of Bataan...

The film talks about the Pacific battle , during WWII , concerning the defenders of Bataan but Japan has just invaded . A small group of soldiers (Thomas Mitchell , LLoyd Nolan , Desi Arnaz , among others) flee from Japanese repeatedly attack and they head for blowing-up a bridge on the Bataan location and their final destination : Corregidor . The captain (Lee Bowman) dies and the top-sergeant (Robert Taylor) takes command along with an Airbone lieutenant (George Murphy). The military unit surrounded by the Japanese in a foggy set , lush jungle and progressively dwindling group . The defenders gave a few days for posterior victories and future US conquest like Midway , Island Salomon and Bismark . The Bataan of the film's title refers to both the World War II Battle of Bataan and the place Bataan which is a Central Luzon region province on Luzon island in the Philippines which occupies the whole of the Bataan Peninsula on the island . This movie's dedication states that it is dedicated to the heroes of Bataan.

This classic warlike movie is nicely starred by Robert Taylor at one of his best roles as a tough sergeant , he's accompanied by a plethora of first-rate secondaries . This exciting actioner warfare completed with slice of military stereotypes although some characters are very one-dimensional , as well as presenting an African American in an intelligent and sympathetic manner , attempting to avoid any racial speeches in the script . The original plot belongs to ¨Lost patrol¨ (1934) by John Ford , whose screenplay has been pretty imitated and remade many times but it's still a magnificent entertainment . In fact , Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer paid RKO a lot of money for the right to use scenes from Lost patrol in this movie . As ¨Lost patrol¨ was subsequently remade and reworked several times : ¨Sahara¨ (by Zoltan Korda) with scenarios in Libya desert ; ¨Last of Comanches¨ (Andre De Toth) in California desert ; and even part of ¨Flight of Phoenix¨ (Robert Aldrich) in Sahara desert , and , of course , this ¨Bataan¨(Tay Garnett) in Philippines jungle . This is one of a handful of feature films that have featured the story of the World War II Battle of Bataan , they include ¨So proudly we hail¡¨ by Mark Sandrich (1943) ; ¨They were expendable¨ (1945) by John Ford and ¨Back to Bataan¨ (1945) by Edward Dmytryck . The film is set into a lush , abundant jungle with a dense fog made by usual Metro Goldwin Mayer production designer , Cedric Gibbons , and it contains an atmospheric as well as thrilling musical score by Bronislau Kaper . The motion picture was professionally directed by Tay Garnett, a good Hollywood craftsman.

The actual deeds about Bataan concern an unsuccessful attempt by US and Filipino troops under General Douglas MacArthur to defend the peninsular against the Japanese 1 Jan-9 April 1942 . Following the surrender of Bataan , MacArthur was evacuated , but Allies captives were force-marched 95 km/60 mi to the nearest railhead in the Bataan Death March,ill-treatment by the Japanese guards during the march killed about 16.000 US and Filipino troops .