Battle-torn Italy in World War II provides the rugged life and death setting for "Casablanca" director Michael Curtiz's "Force of Arms," a compelling action romance yarn with William Holden and Nancy Olsen lovers. This above-average 1951 World War II movie about the U.S. Army tangling with the entrenched Wehrmacht during the explosive Italian campaign might alienate hardened armchair warriors who prefer their olive-drab heroes in action against the enemy instead of kicking back to cuddle with a babe lieutenant. Indeed, you'll get your fill of combat scenes. Artillery punches holes in the terrain and our guys scramble for cover. Farmhouse concern machine gun nests and our guys scramble for cover. The romance takes the back seat in the preliminary part, but the lovey-dovey stuff dominates the middle part, and two share in the finale. The good news is that the ever-reliable Curtiz knows how to stage close-quarters combat scenes and lenser Ted McCord is as much an expert at shooting these battlefield episodes. McCord's black & white photography captures the gritty realism that stands out of "Mr. Soft Touch" scenarist Orin Janning's screenplay that features some first-rate dialogue. Frank Lovejoy co-stars as Major Blackford, a tough-as-nails major while Gene Evans is equally tough as an NCO, Sergeant Smiley 'Mac' McFee, who isn't getting mail from his wife back home. Let's not forget Dick Wesson as Kleiner. The supporting cast isn't too shabby.
This is a traditional World War II combat actioneer where officers are treated like royalty and our NCO hero wins a promotion from sergeant to lieutenant because his company commander got bitten by a Kraut bullet. The German enemy is portrayed from afar. In other words, you don't see any Nazis tearing about the landscape. Basically, you see the enemy in long shots, but never up close and personal. There are no portraits of Adolf Hitler and you never see any high ranking Nazi field marshals. William Holden delivers another fine anti-heroic performance as an NCO Sergeant Joe 'Pete' Peterson who receives a battlefield commission and meets a WAC. Nancy Olsen is appropriately doe-eyed as the sweet WAC, Lieutenant Eleanor MacKay. Indeed, Olsen looks cute in her brown uniform with all those buttons. The romance probably is as misty-eyed as the soap opera crowd prefers, but the film doesn't waste any of its 99 minutes. Of course, it is obvious when genuine battlefield footage is integrated into the conventional material.
The first-act shows Pete being baptized in combat and covered with valor. He and his unit are behind the 8-ball, but they survive a savage attack to save the day. During the action, Pete's company commander dies and he takes over. Pete's unit is pulled off the line and he recuperates only to discover that he has been promoted to lieutenant. The night before in a graveyard, he stumbled into a WAC lieutenant. Later, when they meet again, the attraction begins obvious. In the middle, the attraction is the attraction and they fall in love and wed. During the next part, Pete turns gunshy because he is thinking about staying alive and he gets Major Blackford killed during an artillery attack on a tank column. Frank Lovejoy makes the most of this role. Our hero winds up in a hospital and awakens 15 days later. Initially,he doesn't want to see her. Afterward, they get tight, get married on a three day leave and Pete gets to see Eleanor out of uniform. Pete maanges to swing a desk job behind the lines, but the Major's death haunts him so he decides to go back onto the frontlines. He is cut out from his unit during a tank attack (the tanks are all off-screen)and is taken prisoner. Predictably, everybody but Eleanor presumes that he is dead. The girl has got pluck and she goes in search of him. She finally catches up with him in Rome.
Altogther, the bullets outnumber the kisses.
This is a traditional World War II combat actioneer where officers are treated like royalty and our NCO hero wins a promotion from sergeant to lieutenant because his company commander got bitten by a Kraut bullet. The German enemy is portrayed from afar. In other words, you don't see any Nazis tearing about the landscape. Basically, you see the enemy in long shots, but never up close and personal. There are no portraits of Adolf Hitler and you never see any high ranking Nazi field marshals. William Holden delivers another fine anti-heroic performance as an NCO Sergeant Joe 'Pete' Peterson who receives a battlefield commission and meets a WAC. Nancy Olsen is appropriately doe-eyed as the sweet WAC, Lieutenant Eleanor MacKay. Indeed, Olsen looks cute in her brown uniform with all those buttons. The romance probably is as misty-eyed as the soap opera crowd prefers, but the film doesn't waste any of its 99 minutes. Of course, it is obvious when genuine battlefield footage is integrated into the conventional material.
The first-act shows Pete being baptized in combat and covered with valor. He and his unit are behind the 8-ball, but they survive a savage attack to save the day. During the action, Pete's company commander dies and he takes over. Pete's unit is pulled off the line and he recuperates only to discover that he has been promoted to lieutenant. The night before in a graveyard, he stumbled into a WAC lieutenant. Later, when they meet again, the attraction begins obvious. In the middle, the attraction is the attraction and they fall in love and wed. During the next part, Pete turns gunshy because he is thinking about staying alive and he gets Major Blackford killed during an artillery attack on a tank column. Frank Lovejoy makes the most of this role. Our hero winds up in a hospital and awakens 15 days later. Initially,he doesn't want to see her. Afterward, they get tight, get married on a three day leave and Pete gets to see Eleanor out of uniform. Pete maanges to swing a desk job behind the lines, but the Major's death haunts him so he decides to go back onto the frontlines. He is cut out from his unit during a tank attack (the tanks are all off-screen)and is taken prisoner. Predictably, everybody but Eleanor presumes that he is dead. The girl has got pluck and she goes in search of him. She finally catches up with him in Rome.
Altogther, the bullets outnumber the kisses.