I once saw a documentary about John Wayne and something surprised me . Not the fact John Wayne never saw active service because we all know that while James Stewart was bombing the heart out of Nazi Germany as a squadron leader and Rod Steiger lied about his age to join the US Navy the Duke decided to help the allied war effort by making films in Hollywood which if one is to be honest had the same effect on destroying fascism the battle of Stalingrad and the atomic bomb combined . In April 1945 when Hitler herd Big John was going to make yet another flag waver he pulled out a gun and blew his brains out . There's no evidence of this but it's an established fact and who needs the Red Army when you've got John Wayne making movies . So no what surprised me about this BBC documentary is that the proud United States Marine Corps show THE SANDS OF IWO JIMA to all recruits as part of basic training ! A bit puzzling but it could be worse and could have shown them THE GREEN BERETS instead . I'm also guessing the marine recruits are a bit thankful to escape beastings for a couple of hours and enjoy some escapist fantasy cunningly disguised as a war drama
Sorry old boy but this limey thinks this while not being a bad film doesn't really perceive it as being a good one either . It crams in as much cliché as is humanly possible . I suppose the cliché of a tough as nails almost inhuman drill sergeant with a heart of gold might have been less unconvincing in 1949 but since it's been used so often since then it's almost seems a war film isn't complete without one . There are also a few jarring scenes where the action cuts from an obvious studio set to real life footage . This jarring quality also extends to real life marines who fought in the battle playing real life marines . Their courage is beyond comprehension but their acting skills are lacking and are every bit as wooden as the Duke . One wonders if the praise this film constantly receives might be down to jingoism . You don't like this film ? Does that mean you hate the USMC , Uncle Sam and capitalist democracy itself ? I don't think it does but I do know a mediocre movie with a wooden film star when I see one and this is one of them
Sorry old boy but this limey thinks this while not being a bad film doesn't really perceive it as being a good one either . It crams in as much cliché as is humanly possible . I suppose the cliché of a tough as nails almost inhuman drill sergeant with a heart of gold might have been less unconvincing in 1949 but since it's been used so often since then it's almost seems a war film isn't complete without one . There are also a few jarring scenes where the action cuts from an obvious studio set to real life footage . This jarring quality also extends to real life marines who fought in the battle playing real life marines . Their courage is beyond comprehension but their acting skills are lacking and are every bit as wooden as the Duke . One wonders if the praise this film constantly receives might be down to jingoism . You don't like this film ? Does that mean you hate the USMC , Uncle Sam and capitalist democracy itself ? I don't think it does but I do know a mediocre movie with a wooden film star when I see one and this is one of them