September 1943. The Allied invasion of mainland Italy at Salerno has begun. A platoon of US infantrymen is tasked with taking a farmhouse and blowing a bridge several kilometres inland. After several setbacks they set off for their objective, facing an enemy of unknown strength and location.
A fairly entertaining war drama. Reasonably gritty as we see the reality of war: danger, hidden foes, death and the randomness of it and the mental strain on the soldiers. The tactics seem quite realistic too. Hardly a gung ho war film even though it was probably made while the war was still on, so has a propaganda element to it.
Not perfect though. While the banter between the men helps the engagement and makes them more human, it can be a bit irritating after a while. Even more irritating was the songs jammed into the film, all with clumsy lyrics written to fit the scenario.
Overall, worth watching.
A fairly entertaining war drama. Reasonably gritty as we see the reality of war: danger, hidden foes, death and the randomness of it and the mental strain on the soldiers. The tactics seem quite realistic too. Hardly a gung ho war film even though it was probably made while the war was still on, so has a propaganda element to it.
Not perfect though. While the banter between the men helps the engagement and makes them more human, it can be a bit irritating after a while. Even more irritating was the songs jammed into the film, all with clumsy lyrics written to fit the scenario.
Overall, worth watching.