Cheap They Were Expendable (DVD) (Robert Montgomery, John Wayne) (Robert Montgomery, John Ford) Price

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Customer Reviews of They Were Expendable

SUPERLATIVE WWII FILM.
An absolute must-see film for lovers of films about the WWII era: John Ford passionately directed this superior slice of what the REAL WWII was all about. This picture not only shows the pain, loneliness and sacrifice of war - in this case, the Americans in the Phillipines doomed to Japanese conquest - but effectively captures the mystique of heroism. Everything about this film is heroic, and movingly dipicted, right from the first scenes which show Montgomery, Wayne and others maneuvering their PT boats for admiral Trowbridge and other ranking Navy men, watching them skim the waters of Manila Bay in late 1941. Because I'm such an avid fan of this brilliantly realistic and finely acted account of war, I don't want to ruin it for others by giving away more details of the plot: just know that many more "modern" films don't come close to capturing the period flavour of detail as done in this 1945 masterpiece. Ford packs one poignant and powerful scene after another into this tremendous film, and Montgomery gives an outstanding performance as the PT squadron leader: he's a man of quiet reserve who carries out orders which he doesn't always agree with, doing so with unflagging determination. Location filming of the film was done in Key Biscayne, Florida - which suitably doubled for the exotic Phillipines. The film caused some post-production problems. Donna Reed's part, supposedly based upon the life of military nurse Lt. Beulah Greenwalt, sued the studio (M-G-M) and ultimately won $290,000 - which was a lot of cabbage back then. No matter, the film garnered huge financial profits for the studio. Wayne later stated that director Ford "was awfully intense while directing the picture and showed more concentration than I have ever witnessed from a director - I think he was really out to achieve something". No fears. He did.

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One of the Duke's Best!
How can anyone not like this movie. The story line, the cast: Robert Montgomery, Ward Bond, Donna Reed, and of course the "Greatest Hero" American Movies have ever had, John Wayne. Plus all those great character actors you have seen in John Wayne films. A True Story about a little known facet of the War in the Pacific. There are some little Hollywood deviations, but John Ford was there. He put this together with as much realism has he could get by the Film and War censors of the period. Well written, well acted, well edited. They must not have left much on the cutting room floor. If you can't make up your mind which Duke DVD to get, you can't go wrong with this one. I can watch this one over and over ....

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No Mock Heroics -- This is the Real Thing. Beautifully Done
If you're looking for mock Hollywood heroics or a bloated 'action movie', try The Flying Tigers or The Fighting Seabees. This beautifully made, understated film is about the courage and dedication of the forsaken Phillipine defenders in 1941-42. In particular, the scene in which a radio announces the American surrender tells what those early days were really like. John Ford, who served in the Navy, casts Robert Montgomery as a PT squadron leader (in fact, Commander Montgomery served in the same PT squadron with John Kennedy). The b&w photography is outstanding, often mesmerizing, quite unique for a war film, with locations that are dead ringers for the originals. Adapted from the 1942 Pulitzer prize book by a reporter who was on the scene, it follows the true story fairly closely. Every performance is right-on, as are the combat scenes. Not a pumped-up excercise in flag waving; rather, it's a well executed tale of courage in desperate times. Every scene fascinates with the ambiance of its time and place, and with chilling historical accuracy. If the ending doesn't get a grip on you, you're a lost cause. And, yes, Doug MacArthur is treated like a god -- which, in those days, he was. No ostentatious preaching here; it's understated brilliance from start to finish, and an education in an earlier generation's attitude toward duty, integrity, and sacrifice. Bruce Willis fans stay clear; this is a war movie for grown-ups.