1943. Four marines are assigned a dangerous mission in which they must confirm the authenticity of a warning message about an impending Japanese invasion on a tropical island. Director Stuart Heisler relates the gripping story at a snappy pace, maintains a pretty gritty tone for a 50's film (for example, one unfortunate soldier gets pulled into a tank that he just dropped a grenade into), crafts a strong sense of urgency, and handles the thrilling combat scenes in a lively and competent manner. The compact script by Richard Alan Simmons offers a stark presentation of the brutality and unfairness of war. The sturdy acting by the able cast holds this picture together: Tony Curtis as sarcastic smartaleck Burke, Frank Lovejoy as the hard-nosed Sergeant Fletcher, Edward Franz as helpful French missionary Bouchard, Mary Murphy as Bouchard's fetching daughter Nina, Skip Homeier as the cowardly Reynolds, and John Doucette as the gruff Major Scott. The robust music by Arthur Lange and Emil Newman does the rousing trick. Gordon Avil's vibrant color cinematography nicely captures the lush beauty of the jungle setting. Worth a watch.
Review of Beachhead
