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A good example of a Warner Brothers war drama, it's full of clichés appropriate to the times. The Japanese are "moral idiots," "savages," and "monkeys" (three times). Men shout and wave at a search plane two or three miles away (three times). The men are the usual congeries of ethnicity -- "Gabby" Gordon hollers "Mazeltov" at the departing Sweeney. (Hold on a moment. I'll have to think that one over. I'll also have to figure out how Lt. Sidney Jacobs acquired a Catholic dog tag.) Franz Waxman's music is just catchy enough, without being in the least distinguished. The jungle looks like a dressed-up Santa Anita with eucalyptus trees instead of ebony. The dialogue tends to run along lines like -- "Here we are in the muck and mire." "Hi, Muck!" "Hi, Mire!" Just at the end, when the remaining handful of paratroopers are in despair, the cavalry comes riding to the rescue.

I guess that gets the time-trapped stuff out of the way. This is far from an insulting cartoon of a movie. At its best, it captures the kind of utter physical exhaustion that Norman Mailer caught in his novel, "The Naked and the Dead." It's essentially a "journey" movie. Flynn, who is not bad, and his men are parachuted into Burma to destroy a radar station. Mission accomplished without casualties, they find their pick-up airfield swarming with enemy soldiers and must slog their way out through swamps and over mountains, the trip punctuated by bloody encounters with the Japanese.

Not that the battles are literally bloody. I don't think a drop of blood is spilled in the entire movie despite multiple opportunities. "Saving Private Ryan" is one way to tell a horrifying story -- very explicitly -- but the suggestion that is used in this film is equally effective, as hard as that may be to believe. Maybe the most jarring and moving moment in the film is when Flynn's group finds their friends tortured and killed by the Japanese. Flynn's friend, Jacobs, is barely alive. We see only his legs as Flynn kneels over him and identifies himself. The viewer can only imagine what Jacob's face -- and his eyes -- must look like as he whispers, "Nelson? Is that you, Nelson? Will you do me a favor, Nelson? Kill me?" The movie is a long one but it really needs to be long or we wouldn't so readily feel the agony and the desperation of these dying men. It's long enough for us to get to know the men as more than just anonymous soldiers too.

And the dialogue has its redeeming moments. When the middle-aged journalist is found dead near his foxhole, a supporting player, James Brown, stands over the body and says sincerely but not overdramatically, "Gee, I'm sorry, Mister Williams. Awfully sorry." And when Flynn leads his pitiful group of survivors finally into the base, his commanding officer shakes his hand, gives him a light, and tells him, "You don't know how important it was for you to take that radar station." Flynn says simply, "Here's what it cost," and hands him a fistful of identity tags.

It's an example not of art but of Hollywood craftsmanship. Engaging, and nicely done.

This is one of the very best of the WWII battle films made during the war. It has excellent action sequences, and is full of the very intense emotions that were felt during that time. It's also one of Errol Flynn's best roles, as the captain of a parachute squad sent to blow up a Japanese radar station as a prelude to the allied re-conquest of Burma. Unlike many of the war films of the same era, this one is shot almost exclusively outdoors, and a considerable effort was made to make the shoot look and sound like it was actually in a jungle.

Considering the film's age, the picture quality of the DVD is very good. A few of the sequences have a lot of scratches and grain, but that was because the film makes good use of real jungle war footage.

A must see for fans of WWII films, or of Errol Flynn fans who want to see him in one of his best roles.

I have always thought that Errol Flynn was a fine actor and this is surely one of his best performances. As the contibutor from Leeds England wrote, this movie does not detract from the British role in Burma. Any knowledgeable person should know that the British were the primary Allied participants in this theater of World War 11. However, this story of an American unit is superb! Errol and the supporting cast are superb. This film portrays the horror of war without the unnecessary crude language and graphic bloodletting of modern war films. Errol Flynn shows a compassion and commitment to saving his men and accomplishing their mission. The direction, dialogue, scenery, and story paints a realistic story of what war really is. No false heroics or unnecessary theatrical baggage. Flynn, Henry Hull, etc. excel in their roles and this movie is a testament to the very best in theatrical productions.

...probably one of the better ones about WWII made during WWII. In it a group of American paratroopers are dropped into the Burmese jungles to destroy a Japanese radar station. Things don't go as expected, of course, and instead of being picked up by an airplane after their mission is completed they are forced to trek through the jungles and battle the elements to make their escape.

Director Raoul Walsh was in good form when he directed this overlong but effective film which adopts a semi documentary approach. James Wong Howe also scored well with his striking photography which really adds to the film's realistic credibility. Howe captures the scorching heat of the jungle in this production, whose principle photography was largely done on "Lucky" Baldwin's Santa Anita ranch. There was also a fine musical score by Franz Waxman, including a impressive military march theme.

While the characters are the usual army stereotypes, the restrained performances of the cast add to the film's sense of realism. This includes Errol Flynn, who well portrays an ordinary guy who's in command. His commanding officer is not the belligerent macho type to be found in many military films but, instead, a humane officer who cares about his men who, in turn, respect him. Flynn regarded this film as one of the best of his career. Also look out for the terrific performances by several actors that later went on to well known TV roles such as George Tobias who played Mr.Kravitz on Bewitched and Hugh Beaumont who was The Beaver's dad.

The film has one dated over-the-top diatribe by Henry Hull as a newsman accompanying the soldiers in which he rants about the Japanese as "stinking little savages" who should be wiped off the face of the earth. Oh well, I guess if I'm going to watch the films of 1945, then I should be prepared to deal with the values of 1945.

At the same time, however, the film has some great dialogue. For example, after a soldier named Hollis is found dead, one of the paratroopers, in retrieving the soldier's dog tag, says, "So much for Mrs. Hollis's 9 months of pain and 20 years of hope." In speaking of the pain that a mother will feel when she receives the news about her son, the film briefly touches upon a common humanity we all feel with the grief and tragedy of war.

I used to hate war movies, having seen all the terrible ones first. Now that I've made quite a study of them, and have seen all the good ones, I can say without a doubt that Objective, Burma! is the best WW2 movie I've ever seen. The performances are realistic, the screenplay is quick and full of obstacles to keep it moving, and the direction is superb. At the Rag Awards for 1945, we were happy to award Objective, Burma! with Best Picture, Director, and Supporting Actor for Henry Hull, as well as a nomination for Screenplay. This was a year with extremely stiff competition, so hats off to Raoul Walsh for his masterpiece.

WWII movies made during the war have a different feeling than ones reflecting on a war already won. This movie was made immediately after the real Burma campaign and was released in February of '45, when the American public were still worried about the eventual outcome. It's no wonder it was one of the most popular movies of the year!

The plot of the film can be summed up one sentence, but Lester Cole and Ranald MacDougal's screenplay is far from simple. A platoon parachutes into the Burmese jungle for a simple mission, but when the scheduled airplane is unable to pick them up the following day and return them to safety, they're forced to find their own way out of enemy territory. There are so many disappointments and twists and turns that follow the soldiers, it's really best to find out what they are by watching it instead of reading it in a review.

The realism in this movie is worth noting, and it's especially mature given the time period and the restrictions of the Production Code. In one scene, the Americans sneak up on Japanese sentries. They kill the guards silently and stealthily, and it's quite chilling. In another scene, the platoon leader comes across one of his men so badly cut up, he asks one of the other soldiers who he is. "How should I know? If he was my own brother I wouldn't know!" the other man replies. Of course, the dead man isn't shown in the frame, and the lack of seeing him is even more effective than if the audience had been privy to exactly what he'd suffered.

If you're not anxiously purchasing a copy of Objective, Burma! based on the incredible plot and execution alone, you might be swayed by the cast. Errol Flynn, who made countless war pictures during WWII to keep up morale, shines as the sympathetic but stern major. He cares about all his men but knows he's responsible for their lives and the mission, so he won't tolerate any lagging or complaining. One of his men is bleeding to death, but rather than leave him behind, he orders two other soldiers to create a stretcher and carry him along. But, when the man needs a blood transfusion, Major Flynn says it'll have to be done while they march because they can't waste time.

Even though he had no military experience in real life, he certainly acts like a seasoned soldier in this movie. He's clear in his instructions, and even when he wants to be helpful, you can tell he has no intention of repeating himself. Before everyone parachutes out of the airplane, he tells, with humor and efficiency, the newspaper correspondent tagging along with the platoon how to use his parachute. It's one of the greatest scenes in the entire film (which is a great compliment, since the movie is fantastic) to watch the platoon get ready to jump out of the plane. Errol orders an equipment check, and as every man sounds off his number, the tension builds. The correspondent's anxiety builds alongside the audience's, until finally the moment of truth arrives and there's no turning back.

Which brings us to the star of the show: Henry Hull. A veteran actor who accomplished training in silent pictures, talkies, and Broadway, he takes on a role that appears to be tailor-made for him. Henry has often played the crusty old newspaperman, as immortalized in Jesse James, and you can just imagine him wanting to take a risk and become a war correspondent during WWII. The platoon kids him about his age, calling him Grandpa and Pop, and even Errol Flynn warns him not to come along. He asks his age, and Henry quips, "That's a military secret." Even though he's significantly older than the other boys jumping out of the airplane, he's determined to keep up. "You boys aren't fighting this war from behind a desk, and I'm not going to write about it behind one."

Henry Hull has an important purpose in this story: to truly become a war correspondent. He has to bring the war and the human side of the soldiers to the audience, so it's very important that he be as interested, afraid, and shocked as everyone in the theater. Henry was a true professional. He loved his craft, and he always put his heart into his roles, no matter how much screen time he was given. Thankfully, in Objective, Burma!, he's given a lot of screen time and a very meaty role to sink his teeth into. I won't tell you what he has to live through, but I will tell you he deserved his Hot Toasty Rag award for Best Supporting Actor.

While this movie was popular at the time, not many people today have heard of it. So, if you haven't seen it yet (and there's a good chance you haven't) get yourself a copy. This is one you'll watch over and over again.

As a drama the film does a good job, in terms of historical accuracy one questions it. The fighting in Burma was not carried out by the USA, but by the army of the United Kingdom. Had this operation actually occurred, it would have been carried out by the SAS. English soldiers fought in Burma from day one until the very end of the war. Fighting in the harsh, humid jungles of Burma was no easy task for the English army who were not accustomed to the extreme climate, the Japanese soldiers had the advantage. By suggesting that the USA came in and saved the day, I.e., the Calvary rushing in at the last minute, we minimise the role of her Majesty's forces and those who fell in her service. Many Englishmen paid the ultimate sacrifice for their queen and country. Burma was a British sphere of operation, just as the Philippines were an American theatre of operations. Let's not minimise the role of others.

Errol Flynn leads his men in "Objective, Burma!" a 1945 war film also starring James Brown, William Prince, George Tobias, and Henry Hull. Flynn, as Captain Nelson, is charged with parachuting his regimen to Burma and disabling a camouflaged Japanese Army radar station that is detecting Allied aircraft flying into China. An older war correspondent (Henry Hull) accompanies them. Unfortunately, once they were in Burma, getting out became much more difficult.

There's something about Errol Flynn war movies that invites controversy, and this one is no exception. The film was withdrawn from release in the United Kingdom after one week because it infuriated British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and drew protests about the Americanization of an almost entirely British, Indian and Commonwealth conflict.

That aside, it's actually quite a good movie with a very authentic feel, even though it was filmed in Hollywood. Actual weapons, uniforms, and gear came from the military, which added to the reality of the atmosphere.

Errol Flynn does a terrific job as Nelson, a man who is an excellent soldier and leader but who also inspires loyalty among his men. One of the actors seemed very familiar to me, and he turned out to be James Brown, who starred in The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin when I was growing up.

There's both triumph and tragedy in this absorbing film. Another reminder on Memorial Day of what servicemen suffered. Except in this case, they were from other countries besides the U.S. in reality.

Late in his career, Errol Flynn described "Objective Burma" as one of the roles that he was most proud of. It's easy to see why. A solidly entertaining film that follows the exploits of a small group of American paratroopers dropped behind Japanese lines to destroy an enemy radar installation, it was quite gritty for a 1940's era war picture. Lacking the usual bravado of Flynn films, it had the look of a documentary. That look was greatly enhanced by the fine black and white photography. While the film was shot in California (as I recall) it had a very authentic look and feel. Flynn was excellent in perhaps his best non-swashbuckler role. The interesting second lead was James Brown, best known as the star of "Rin Tin Tin" and, many years later, as a regular on the "Dallas" television series.

When I read histories of the Pacific War, I frequently come across passages telling of a rage held by allied soldiers against the Japanese, more intense than that held against the Germans (though had they known at the time about Malmedy and the Holocaust, it might have been a different story). There is a scene in "Objective Burma" which conveys to me, more effectively than any other film, how that rage was born.

This is a Warner Brothers "A" picture, directed by the great Raoul Walsh, and it shows. The acting is superb, and the locations are totally convincing. The framework for these is a conventional story of an allied patrol's sabotage of an enemy radar station, deep in the jungle, and its harrowing trek back to safety. What sets "Operation Burma" apart is its concentration on the humanity of the characters within an "action film" context, without resort to melodrama. It is a delicate balance that many films fail to maintain, and it is perhaps why Errol Flynn is ideal as Captain Nelson, leader of the patrol. Flynn's screen image as a swashbuckler was always tempered by a disarming mildness, which not only made the ladies swoon but enabled him convincingly to reveal the human frailty behind the bravura. And nowhere else does he display this double facet to better effect than in "Operation Burma". It is said that the best commanders are those who only have to ask in order to be obeyed. Flynn is this kind of commander.

Other fine players should not be neglected. There is a standout performance by Henry Hull, as an elderly journalist whose ambition to cover the war from the ground leads him to the realization that in war it isn't just combat that kills. I also like Warner Anderson, both grim and sympathetic as Flynn's commanding officer. And the uncredited Erville Anderson's "Vinegar Joe" Stillwell is so convincing, I fancied the general was playing himself!

I like to have films representing each of a broad range of interests. For Errol Flynn, I have "The Adventures of Robin Hood," "Operation Burma" and "That Forsyte Woman". As well as any others, these three films define Errol Flynn's career. For World War II, I have "Operation Burma," "They Were Expendable" and "Saving Private Ryan". As well as any others, these three films define World War II. They are musts for any comprehensive film library.

Errol Flynn (who I am most familiar with as a swashbuckling swordsman type) offered a totally convincing performance here as the commander of a group of American commandos sent behind enemy lines into Burma to blow up a Japanese radar station in preparation for an allied invasion of the country during World War II. At about the one hour mark of the movie you begin to wonder what's happening. Everything seems to be far too easy for the Americans. They get into Burma with no trouble; they blow up the radar station quickly and easily (and kill a bunch of Japanese soldiers in the process) and they quickly get away to the rendezvous point where they're to be picked up by an American plane - and they do all this without suffering a single casualty. And yet, it's the very easiness of the mission that begins to build the tension. You know it can't be this easy; you know something has to happen - which it finally does. The plane that's supposed to pick them up can't land because there are too many Japanese around, and the men are forced to try to find their way out of Burma and back to their base on foot - an increasingly hopeless task as they deal with hunger, the jungle, and the Japanese.

The climax of the movie probably begins when Nelson (Flynn) orders the squad to split into two and meet up later. The second group gets captured, and when Nelson finally finds them, he discovers that they've been horribly massacred in a Japanese-held village. Nothing of the massacre is shown (which makes it all the more horrific to the viewer, because it's all left to your imagination) but we get a taste when they discover Lt. Jacobs (William Prince) still barely alive. He begs Nelson to kill him just before he dies, making you wonder what's happened to him. That was a very brief but very powerful scene.

I would describe this movie as tense rather than exciting in the standard way, and the tension is built very well. I'm not tremendously fond of war movies, but I liked this because the emphasis wasn't so much on never-ending battle, but was rather on the human story of these soldiers and how they dealt with their seemingly hopeless situation, and with the prospect of dying in the jungle and never seeing home again.

Rauol Walsh directs one the greatest war films that exceeds its criticism. Errol Flynn leads a group of U.S. paratroopers on a mission to destroy an enemy radar station in Japanese-occupied Burma. The objective is accomplished, but the patrol goes through Hell as it makes its way back to base. Realistic war scenes with the more savage implied and off camera. No phony heroics, just hard fighting soldiers doing what needs to be done. Flynn is flawless and this might just be one his finest roles. A very strong cast includes: James Brown(of TV's Rin Tin Tin), Henry Hull, Mark Stevens, George Tobias, Richard Erdman, William Prince and Hugh Beaumont. No complaints about the near two and a half hour run time. Top of the line war movie shot in beautiful black and white. Produced by Jerry Wald.

Thrilling as well as exciting flick , it was partially inspired by "Operation Loincloth," a 1943 long-range operation in Burma by the British Chindits . However , members of Merrill's Marauders, who were on location as technical advisers, critiqued the fact that Nelson's men killed all the Japanese at the radar station so quickly with none wounded or escaped . In 1944, a platoon of special ops are tasked to parachute into the distant Burmese jungle and destroy a strategic Japanese radar station, but getting out isn't as easy . Capt. Charlie Nelson (Errol Flynn) is assigned a risked mission , as he leads the group of paratroopers (George Tobias , Anthony Carbone , James Brown , William Prince) into Burma to blow up an important post in advance of the allied invasion. They're accompanied on the assignment by Mark William (Henry Hull) , an American reporter who is there to write about their feats . After destroying the remote post , then the command is forced to get away and continue their exploits . The band of American soldiers must face the treacherous jungle and hostile Japanese in order to reach safety and battle against risks .

Zestful Warlike action film in which a platoon suffers several dangers to wipe out Japanese station . This exciting Warlike film packs thrills , noisy action , spectacular battles and lots of gutsy adventure . Epic , sprawling , almost primitive action , teaming across the screen . Impressive images when the platoon discovers a massacre and spectacular square off in a breathtaking climax . Interesting script by writer Lester Cole, who co-wrote the somewhat overly patriotic flag-waving script, would be branded an "Un-American" Communist, becoming one of the Hollywood Ten just a few years later . However, producer Jerry Wald also admitted that much of the screenplay was based on ¨Northwest passage¨, a film about the adventures of a long-range ranger unit during the French & Indian War . Raoul Walsh demonstrates a special talent for making the densest action sequences seem uncomplicated and uncluttered and his characters , like the scenes distinguished , often have an unfettered , raw power . All the weapons, uniforms, and gear used in this movie are original and accurate ; this was possible due to the fact that these were still in use to the US military when this film was made , WW2 movies made in recent times use reproduction weapons and gear . This one results to be a top excitement flick and reworked as ¨Distant drums¨ set in the Florida Everglades , being also filmed by Raoul Walsh . Most of the exteriors of Burma were shot at the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden. The film has an authentic feel to it, thanks to the use of authentic military aircraft and materials . Also, the film includes a large amount of authentic footage taken by U.S. Army Signal Corps cameramen in the China Burma India theater.

The motion picture lavishly produced by Jack L Warner was compellingly directed by Raoul Walsh . From his starts in the silent cinema he achieved successful films until the 50s and forward , early 60s , when he was less dominant , but is still stayed lots of lusty adventure , stories of comradeship and friendship , and Raoul makes the most of plentiful action scenes . Walsh was an expert director of all kind genres but with penchant in Western as ¨Colorado territory¨ , ¨They died with their boots on¨, ¨Along the great divide¨, ¨Saskatchewan¨, ¨King and four queens¨ , ¨The sheriff of fractured jaw¨, ¨A distant trumpet¨ ; Adventure as ¨Thief of Bagdad¨, ¨Captain Horatio Hornblower¨, ¨World in his hands¨, ¨Blackbeard the pirate¨ , ¨Sea devils¨ ; Warlike as ¨Objetive Burma¨ , ¨Northern pursuit¨, ¨Marines let's go¨ ; and Noir film as ¨White heat¨, ¨High Sierra¨, ¨They drive by night¨, ¨The roaring twenties¨. Rating : Fairly straightforward movie and better than average . This interesting Wartime film makes it of the finest of Raoul Walsh genre entries .

"Objective Burma" is a gritty WWII drama set in Burma and competently directed by Raoul Walsh. This film, as far as I can tell, has never gotten the praise it deserves among WWII movies. It contains one of Errol Flynn's best performances and, correct me if I'm wrong, is the only film of Flynn's in which there are no females.

Captain Nelson (Flynn) heads a group of paratroopers assigned by company commander Colonel Carter (Warner Anderson) to parachute into the dense Burmese jungle and destroy a Japanese radar station. The idea is for them to go "in like Flynn" and then be picked up by plane the next day on an abandoned airstrip. Well, since the film runs 142 minutes, you know that's not going to happen.

The 36 officers and men including Lt. Jacobs (William Prince), S/Sgt Treacy (James Brown), Cpl. Gabby Gordon (George Tobias), Nebraska (Richard Erdman), Hogan (John Alvin), Miggleori (Anthony Carouso), middle aged journalist Mark Williams (Henry Hull) and others, attack the radar station and destroy it in a relatively easy operation where the entire Japanese detachment is wiped out and without casualties to Nelson and his men.

As they are about to be picked up by a plane piloted by Lt. Barka (Mark Stevens aka Stephen Richards), the Japanese prevent the landing and Nelson and his group are then forced to walk out to their camp, a distance of some 200 miles. Along the way the group has several encounters with the Japanese and some are killed. Col. Carter has planes out searching for the men but eventually calls off the search.

Nelson continues to lead his men to the last rendez-vous point given him before his radio was smashed but................................

What makes this film so compelling is the inter play between the various characters and Nelson's efforts to keep them all focused on the task at hand while inwardly believing the situation to be hopeless. True the picture is somewhat a flag waver but it nonetheless conveys the horrors of war without the necessity of a love story or two inserted for Flynn. It's, in my opinion, the best acting job of his storied career.

The leading actor is Errol Flynn, one of those infrequent Hollywood actors who is so likable and believable that women swoon over him and men admire him. Harrison Ford would be a moder-day equivalent. You almost can't go wrong with a Flynn film, and he's great in here, too, in a very understated role. Often he played the dashing hero, but here's simply a rock-solid, calm leader of men during a bad situation in Burma.

"Objective, Burma" has as its director Raoul Walsh, a Hollywood legend, a man who directed "White Heat" and dozens of other famous movies. The cinematographer is James Wong Howe, one of the best ever, a man labeled for his craft as a "master." The music is by Franz Waxman, a man so talented in the movie business with his scores that he has his picture on a stamp as one of the six "Legends Of American Music." The transfer quality on this Warner Brothers DVD is fantastic. The pictures looks near-high-definition. It's absolutely amazing for a film this old.

So you see, the film has a lot going for it.

Having said that, and being objective about it all, not everything is peaches-and-cream. It took 42 minutes before any action occurred so modern viewers might get a little antsy wondering when something is going to happen. Also, normally, I like black-and-white with my classic films but with so much jungle footage, this would have looked awesome in color. With the great detail in this transfer, and with all the leaves, branches, trees and grasses, it all jumbles together many times and is almost hard to decipher.

As in most classic-era WWII films, there is a lot of talk and that involves the typical clichéd characters, such as the so-called comedian from Brooklyn. These stereotypes always had corny names and made all the corny jokes...the only ones in the platoon. In this case, it's "Gabby Gordon" (George Tobias). The rest of the crew is predictable but a lot of the dialog is dated, so be ready for that.

Actually, I thought the screenwriters had a good mix of talk, suspense and action, not overdoing any aspect except for the beginning, which needed more punch. For today's audiences, this 142-minute film would be too long. This movie would definitely be appreciated most by a post-60 audience. It's a "Blackhawk Down" length movie, but not "Blackhawk Down" action or intensity. That's not a criticism, just a description so that those who haven't seen this movie know more about what they're going to get.

I found this to be a good movie, a solid film, but not as a great as I had read over the years. That's the problem with a film getting great hype; as a late viewer to the film, I wound up expecting too much and therefore was slightly disappointed. Still, it's worth viewing.

Flynn is superb in this film and shows he can truly act. Henry Hull as the newspaper man on the mission also is memorable. Overall, an excellent film with a great Oscar nominated score by Franz Waxman. One can quibble regarding the accuracy of what's portrayed, yet the film shines when it shows the fear and determination of the American soldiers. It is truly amazing what Warner Brothers could achieve on the back lot and at the Arboretum in Arcadia, CA. The set design is convincing and the special effects are very good. Pay special attention to the discovery of tortured American soldiers and the reaction of Flynn and Hull to the Japanese atrocities. I have never forgotten it.

Captain Errol Flynn (Nelson) leads a unit of men into the Burmese jungle to destroy a radar depot that the Japanese have hidden. The mission is to locate this depot, destroy it and then get out. Well, Flynn and his men succeed in the first two tasks but the 'get out' part of the mission proves a lot more difficult.

Reporter Henry Hull (Mark) is assigned to go along with Flynn's men to report what really happens. Personally, I find this completely objectionable. Why do we think the media has the right to go everywhere, it's bonkers. One place they should not be is getting in the way during wartime. Anyway, his lack of training as a soldier is evident by the end of the film. His character is a good one, though and we get a nice rapport between him and Flynn.

Flynn leads proceedings and does well as do all the cast that includes an amusing George Tobias (Gabby). He's not funny in a comedy character sense – none of that nonsense in this film – but in his no-nonsense views about things. It's a long film but it is enjoyable and we get a jungle setting complete with jungle sounds that may or may not be codes being passed on. We also get silences and tense scenes as well as being included in the preparations for the mission which I found interesting, eg, the parachute lineup with every man given his number and an explanation of how the jump is going to work. If your parachute doesn't open, then you'll be the first on the ground, Flynn tells the reporter. Ha ha.

We get a tense finale as the Japanese encroach upon what is left of Flynn's unit. "Where are you, Joe?"

This film is not just one of those propaganda or moral raising movies. I remember seeing it in the early 50's when 'battle cry',or Audie Murphy's 'to hell and back' came out on screen- while this one was black and white. In those days the Israeli army used to show this film in the Israeli 'west point' compatible academy " "Bahad 1",as part of the new officers training program and for more than one reason. First of all it is a first class demonstration what a real combat is like. Not a very flashy adventure , especially when you are outnumbered and fighting your way out from the combat zone. Then , E.F demonstrate a determined commander who possesses true leadership and understanding of his own men.He never panics , never raising voice and he is a first class professional. He is an ancestor of the much later officer played by Tom Hanks in P-Ryan... I wonder if this movie ever re-hit screen during the Vietnam war.

While the film did seem awfully long (and this is a very rare thing for me to complain about), this was an exceptionally well-made war movie. Instead of the usual overly glorified war flick that makes war almost look fun or exciting, this film is like a real ordeal for the soldiers--and in a way, for the audience as well. It was very, very realistic (though according to IMDb, the Brits and Aussies were NOT pleased that it made it look the the Americans did all the work, as they apparently were the ones who re-took Burma--oops).

This film was unusual for Errol Flynn because he was normally known much more for period adventure movies or romance--not contemporary war films. However, despite his "pretty boy" image, he did a wonderful job in this film as the leader of a parachute assault team caught behind enemy lines. In fact, the film was just chock full of excellent character actors who did a great job. I also noticed that the usual Warner Brothers formula for these supporting actors was absent. Instead of the usual kooky or endearing supporting regulars like Frank McHugh or Allan Jenkins, the cast is made up more of "normal" type guys. The only really familiar face among Flynn's troops was George Tobias, though he acted more like a normal guy and not his usual persona. This really improved the film and made it seem like a slice of reality instead of a typical back lot production. In fact, I don't know where they filmed the movie, but it didn't look like the Warner lot with typical fake looking plants--the palms, undergrowth, etc. made it look like a tropical jungle. The film was realistic in many other ways. The biggest way were the long dull stretches between action. It was realistic to include them, though occasionally it made the film drag a bit.

There were a few other poor aspects of the film, though they were easily over-shadowed by the good. Seeing Tobias yank a pin out of a grenade then throw it was just stupid and a great way to rip out your teeth. I am sure that every military person watching this cringed at this ridiculous scene (though dentists might applaud the scene, as it will help to create more business)! Also, occasionally the stock footage they used was of very poor quality so it didn't integrate very seamlessly due to its being grainy (a common problem with WWII films). The worst of the spliced footage, though, was when a C-47 transport plane became a C-46 and then switched back again! While probably noticeable mostly to neurotic airplane lovers like myself, this is just a stupid error---especially since the planes really don't look all that similar.

Firstly I will say I have never seen it and never will. I respected my father and his British Burma Star comrades who actually fought in Burma. I am doubly surprised Flynn for all his ability actually took part in it and dishonoured the Australians of his own country who took part and died in defence of it and other Pacific nations. As an Englishman I can understand the disgust and dismay that my Dad and his mates felt at this film which insulted them. I have seen lots of reviews on IMDB that praise Flynn's performance and the cinematic skills but honestly when the subject isn't right its pure;y academic and needs no hurrahs.

There are many questionable war films that piggyback on real peoples real experiences but do not show respect including Bridge on the River Kwai that insulted the families by the inaccurate portrayals of their relatives. Even the Great Escape whilst honouring the 50 is not eair to their memory by including Americans. They should be exposed for what they are and have apologies made like they did for U-571. Hollywood is shameless for this kind of agrandisment.

They would not be here but for the sacrifice of the real people involved.