An intense and haunting television movie set in Philippines about of the horrors of war during WWII . The film is dedicated to the one hundred and four Army and Navy nurses who were incarcerated by the Japanese during WWII . Although it is a work of fiction , this movie is representative of the collective courage and the experiences of the American Forces who served in the Philippines. It starts in 1941 at Luzon island , some nurses stationed in Philippines are captured by the Japanese and struggle to survive in brutal POW camp in the Far East. This is a true story, exterior scenes were photographed wherever possible in Philippines in the exact locales associated with the event as related by the nurses . The happenings throw the whole group into Bataan towards Corregidor, but later are imprisoned hard concentration camp . Their confinement is recounted in unsparing and harrowing detail , as the British nurses find themselves interned for the long duration . As orders from Nipponese Army Administration are strict as men and women will be imprisoned separately , to avoid punishments and beatings , the ladies should presume themselves to endeavor , with passive behavior not negative . Meanwhile, the starring starred by Susan Sarandon suffering a surreal and brutal experience ; however , she attempts to lift the spirits of the brutalized women. Some of them are cruelly attacked , mistreated and raped. Finally , General McArthur disembarks at Leyte and carries out his known promise.
Interesting and strong drama based on autobiographical deeds starred by the brave nurses . No weakest in the cast and few in the movie , which presents the women's Japanese captors as human and inhuman at the same time with clashing cultures included and also laudable for a fairly event-handed portrayal of the enemy captors . Clearly there's much longer plot in this, but director Buzz Kulik concentrates on the passionate acting of Sarandon and other nurses . It's a taut psychological drama about physical and emotional survival focusing on the tensions between Susan Sarandon , soldiers and the camp commander as cultured officer. Crammed with emotive moments , the picture has a string of committed performances from Sarandon , Kristy McNichol , Valerie McChaffey, Suzanne Lederer , Terry O'Quinn , among others . Familiar ground is trod in this prisoner-of-war saga , but the thought-provoking story and magnificent acting help sustain interest. Musical score by the maestro French George Delerue is genuinely moving and stirring .This superior though overlooked drama , is also laudable for a fairly portrayal of the enemy captors and being professionally directed by Buzz Kulik. Rating : 6,5 ,better than average , worthwhile watching .
Other films about women on concentration camps mistreated by Japanese military during WWII are the following : the classic titled ¨Three came home¨(1950) by Jean Negulesco with Claudette Cobert and Patric Knowles and ¨Paradise road¨(1997) by Bruce Beresford with Glenn Close , Julianna Margulies and Frances McDormand , set in Singapur
