Yellow Jack

1938
Approved
1h 23m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

Virginia Bruce and Robert Montgomery in Yellow Jack (1938)

In the fever-stricken areas of Cuba, a brave band of scientists, doctors, and U.S. Marines fight a losing battle against the deadly plague of 'Yellow Jack' until the great heroic risk taken ... Read allIn the fever-stricken areas of Cuba, a brave band of scientists, doctors, and U.S. Marines fight a losing battle against the deadly plague of 'Yellow Jack' until the great heroic risk taken by an Irish sergeant brings victory.In the fever-stricken areas of Cuba, a brave band of scientists, doctors, and U.S. Marines fight a losing battle against the deadly plague of 'Yellow Jack' until the great heroic risk taken by an Irish sergeant brings victory.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.2/10

296

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 2 wins total

Photos18

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Storyline

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Trivia
In the actual event, the primary volunteers were Clara Maas, a nurse, and Dr Jesse William Lazear. It is unclear if any soldiers volunteered. Maas contracted the disease but recovered. Later, she allowed herself to be bitten a second time to determine if having the disease provided immunity. She again contracted the disease. She died from this infection. Lazear was the doctor who determined that the disease was mosquito-borne. Without telling others, he allowed himself to be bitten by an infected mosquito. He died from the illness.

Goofs
While Breen and the other men are digging and talking about mosquitoes, his hair changes from being combed and uncombed between shots.

Crazy credits
Yellow Jack celebrates what these men did, rather than what they were. That their heroism however, should not go unrecorded, their true names are here given. (Followed by the names of the 5 volunteers for the yellow fever experiment.)

Connections
Version of Celanese Theatre: Yellow Jack (1952)

Soundtracks
Battle Hymn of the Republic
(1861) (uncredited)
Music by William Steffe (circa 1856)
Lyrics by Julia Ward Howe (1861)
Played during the foreword and often as background music

User reviews11

Featured review

6/10

In Search of Clues to a Deadly Disease

This film begins in Cuba at the end of the Spanish-American War with the victorious American army now facing an even more deadly foe-yellow fever. And the concern is even more heightened due to the fact that nobody knows what causes it or how it is spread. So fearful that the returning soldiers may bring this deadly disease back to the United States the army sends a team of highly respected doctors led by a man named "Major Walter Reed" (Lewis Stone) to look for answers. Unfortunately, after a full year in Cuba he is forced to admit to the commander of the area that he is no closer to finding the cause or the cure than he was the day he arrived. Then one day he is apprised of some research conducted by a local doctor named "Carlos Finlay" (Charles Coburn) who had proposed a cause for the disease almost 19 years previously but was derided for it. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this was a decent drama which contained elements of suspense and romance within the plot as well. And even though it was clearly dated, I still found it to be somewhat enjoyable and for that reason I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.