Shortly after Pearl Harbor, a squadron of PT-boat crews in the Philipines must battle the Navy brass between skirmishes with the Japanese. Outgunned and outmanned, the skippers and their crews defy the odds and prove the effectiveness of their highly maneuverable boats. machine guns and, in some cases, a 20mm Oerlikon cannon. The nostalgic tune was said to be a favorite of both Wayne and director John Ford. The real-life Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 3 in the Philippines at the beginning of World War II was equipped with six 77-foot Elco PT boats, all either lost in combat or destroyed to prevent capture. The movie was based on the exploits of Lt. John Bulkeley, a World War II Medal of Honor recipient. He had the honor of promoting him to Rear Admiral. Doc is portrayed by actor Jack Pennick. On the Warner DVD home menu, the background photo is of John Wayne and Dan Dailey, and is not from this movie (Dan Dailey did not appear in "They Were Expendable"), but is from the 1957 feature "The Wings of Eagles" in which the two stars appear. In the film, the Squadron 3 boats are represented by two 80-foot Elco and four 78-foot Higgins PT boats. Let us know whats wrong with this preview of, Published Following the end of WW2 most of the PT boats remaining overseas were burned to save the expense of bringing them home. This is one of a handful of feature film movies that have featured the story of the World War II Battle of Bataan. Crazy Credits Showing all 8 items Jump to: Summaries (7) Synopsis (1) Summaries. They include Bataan (1943), So Proudly We Hail! Quotes In the biography "John Ford: A Bio-bibliography" by Bill Levy, there is a reference to. They were capable of speeds of up to 40 knots (46 mph). The fall of the Phillippines to the Japanese in World War II, and the heroism and tragedy of the defenders, as exemplified by the story of one American PT boat squadron. They include, Based on a true story, with a focus on Medal of Honor awardee Lt. (and later Vice Admiral) John. Douglas Macarthur General of the Army. The lighthouse withstood an attack by Seminole Indians in 1835. Alternate Versions The haunting song, "Marcheta," is remembered from this movie. In 1945 U.S. Navy photographer Nick Scutti found himself in the Florida Keys on the set of the classic World War II drama. Is there glory in defeat? White, it is one of the best contemporary films about the war. Perhaps due to his cumulative experiences in the war. | Since they were made of plywood, rather than metal, they were not considered to be useful for anything. Incidentally, "The Wings of Eagles" is a bio-pic about Frank Wead, who was the screenwriter for "They Were Expendable.". He of course captained the PT-109. The title says it all about the Navy's attitude towards the PT-boats and their crews. Scripted by naval Commander Frank Wead and based on the novel by William I. All Categories. | Opening credits prologue: "Today the guns are silent. They Were Expendable (1945) Plot. In 1941, the 3rd Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron of the U.S. Navy is sent to Manila Bay to help defend the Philippine Islands against invasion by the Japanese army. The waltz-style love song was written in 1913 by Victor Schertzinger. All Categories. Synopsis During the Second World War, John Ford served in the navy, attaining the rank of rear admiral, and made several documentaries, including the classic The Battle of Midway. Rusty Ryan. Behind the Scenes of They Were Expendable: A Pictorial History Paperback 30 May 2015 While British PT boats used Merlins, the American boats used Packard M (for marine) engines, which ran on aviation gasoline. Directed by John Ford, Robert Montgomery. Little by little, the Philippine campaign is doomed to cave in, as comrades-in-arms perish in the sea. Montgomery and Wayne turn in acclaimed performances in this powerful film that is widely recognized as one of director John Ford's all-time greatest works. In the book actual names of the main characters were written but in this film fictional names similar to the real names were used. It complains of those who do not fall into the above category as impeding the work of those who do. Parents Guide. | It is often supposed that John Wayne's salute to the late Harry Carey--his tableau at the end of "The Searchers" in which he holds his right elbow with his left hand as Carey did in some of his movies--was for the benefit of Carey's widow Olive Carey who watched off-camera. A Navy commander fights to prove the battle-worthiness of the PT boat at the start of World War II. The PT boat initially had little respect from senior Navy officers but their maneuverability and speed however quickly change their minds. Based on the real life heroics of Lieutenants John Bulkeley (Brickley) and Robert Kelly (Ryan), the movie accurately depicts the defense of the Philippines by American PT Boats from December 1941 through April 1942 for which Lieutenant (later Vice Admiral) Bulkeley was awarded the Medal of Honor and Lieutenant Kelly the Navy Cross. | A Navy commander fights to prove the battle-worthiness of Plot Keywords Be the first to ask a question about Behind the Scenes of They Were Expendable. (1943); They Were Expendable (1945) and Back to Bataan (1945). And some people fall in love with books about falling in love. At the funeral service for two of his servicemen who died in battle. Wed love your help. Soundtracks, By the time the film was finished the Japanese had surrendered, so MGM pushed the release date back to December 1945. This was a not so subtle dig by. They were made of mahogany plywood and powered by three 12-cylinder gasoline-fueled Packard 4M-2500 (and later 3M-2500, 4M-2500, and 5M-250) engines. This was the first film in which Granville Owen was billed under his new stage name, Jeff York. Taglines However, it is preceded by this film, in which Wayne makes the same move at the back of a PT Boat. They were stripped of engines and armament and then torched. As. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. In a scene on the docks, a ship named the Lucien P. Libby is in the background. They carried four Mark 8 torpedoes, two twin M2 .50-cal. The Navy supplied actual PT boats to the company and Navy officers would stop by occasionally to watch the filming. A great tragedy has ended. As he and his second-in-command, Lieutenant "Rusty" Ryan, desperately try to prove the newly-founded naval unit's worth, the enemy launches a devastating all-out attack--and despite the PT boat flotilla's undeniable success--the considerably outnumbered and outgunned American soldiers are fighting a losing battle. In 1945 U.S. Navy photographer Nick Scutti found himself in the Florida Keys on the set of the classic World War II drama They Were Expendable, taking candid shots of director John Ford, stars Robert Montgomery and John Wayne and the supporting cast and crew. Start by marking Behind the Scenes of They Were Expendable: A Pictorial History as Want to Read: Error rating book. Only a few that were still in the US escaped destruction. Twenty years later, being President, John F. Kennedy was his Commander-in-Chief. The film covers the World War II Battle of Bataan in the Philippines. 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