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The Story of Dr. Wassell ()

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When the U.S. forces withdraw from Java, ahead of the Japanese invasion, U.S. Navy doctor Corydon M. Wassell coordinates the remaining wounded servicemen and leads them to safety towards the last Allied evacuation points.
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Writers:
Stars:
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Photos and Videos

12 photos | 1 video

Cast verified as complete

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...
Dr. Corydon M. Wassell
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Madeleine
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Bettina
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Benjamin 'Hoppy' Hopkins
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Tremartini (Three Martini)
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Lt. Dirk Van Daal
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Murdock
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William 'Andy' Anderson
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Cmdr. William B. 'Bill' Goggins
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Johnny Leeweather
Oliver Thorndike ...
Alabam
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Ping
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Ruth
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Richard Aherne ...
British Convoy Commander (uncredited)
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U.S. Sailor (uncredited)
Joel Allen ...
Robert Kraus (uncredited)
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Wounded Dutch Soldier (uncredited)
Louis V. Arco ...
Mate of the 'Janssen' (uncredited)
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Missionary (uncredited)
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'Janssen' Passenger (uncredited)
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Mother of Little English Boy (uncredited)
Richard Barrett ...
U.S. Sailor (uncredited)
Joe Bautista ...
Japanese Orderly (uncredited)
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Admiral Hart's Aide (uncredited)
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U.S. Sailor (uncredited)
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American Marine Litter Carrier (uncredited)
Carla Boehm ...
Evacuee (uncredited)
John Bogden ...
U.S. Sailor (uncredited)
Louis Borel ...
Japanese Soldier (uncredited)
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Dutch Guard (uncredited)
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Fashta (uncredited)
George Bronson ...
U.S. Sailor (uncredited)
Frederic Brunn ...
Lookout of the 'Janssens' (uncredited)
Edgar Caldwell ...
U.S. Sailor (uncredited)
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Pharmacist's Mate on 'Marblehead' (uncredited)
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Radio Man (uncredited)
Luke Chan ...
Chinese Coolie - Boatman (uncredited)
Oie Chan ...
Chinese Coolie's Wife (uncredited)
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Dutch Officer Listening to Radio (uncredited)
Tony Cirillo ...
U.S. Sailor (uncredited)
Davison Clark ...
Dr. Holmes (uncredited)
Russ Clark ...
Chief Petty Officer--Marblehead (uncredited)
Dimples Cooper ...
Native Girl (uncredited)
James Cornell ...
U.S. Sailor (uncredited)
James Courtney ...
U.S. Sailor (uncredited)
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Mrs. Wayne (uncredited)
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English Woman in 'Janssen' Sick Bay (uncredited)
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Native Girl (uncredited)
Marion de Sydow ...
Evacuee (uncredited)
Gloria Dea ...
Javanese Nurse (uncredited)
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Voice of Narrator (uncredited)
Forrest Dickson ...
Javanese Nurse (uncredited)
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Javanese Orderly (uncredited)
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Dutch Doctor on Train (uncredited)
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Praying Woman (uncredited)
Clint Dorrington ...
U.S. Sailor (uncredited)
Gretl Dupont ...
Native Girl (uncredited)
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U.S. Sailor (uncredited)
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Navy Officer - 'Surabaya' (uncredited)
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'Janssen' Passenger (uncredited)
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U.S. Navy Damage Control Officer (uncredited)
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English Doctor (uncredited)
Roque Espiritu ...
Javanese Orderly (uncredited)
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Anne - the Nurse (uncredited)
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Admiral Hart (uncredited)
Maxine Fife ...
Evacuee (uncredited)
Geraldine Fissette ...
Javanese Nurse (uncredited)
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Dr. Holmes' Board Member (uncredited)
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Javanese Nurse (uncredited)
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'Pecos' Survivor (uncredited)
Melvin Francis ...
Self (uncredited)
Frederick Giermann ...
Dutch Gunner (uncredited)
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Head Nurse (uncredited)
Joe Gilbert ...
Telegraph Operator - 'Surabaya' (uncredited)
Gus Glassmire ...
Captain of the 'Surabaya' (uncredited)
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Commander of the Surabaya (uncredited)
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'Pecos' Survivor Mother (uncredited)
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Dutch Nurse (uncredited)
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Bosun's Mate on the 'Janssen' (uncredited)
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Old Man in Photo (uncredited)
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PBY Seaplane Radio Operator (uncredited)
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Stretcher Bearer (uncredited)
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Dutch Nurse (uncredited)
Beth Hartman ...
Native Girl (uncredited)
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Ensign (uncredited)
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U.S. Sailor (uncredited)
Boyd Irwin ...
British Major (uncredited)
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Joe - Mechanic (uncredited)
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Hank - Arkansas Mailman (uncredited)
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Dr. Holmes' Board Member (uncredited)
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'Janssen' Passenger (uncredited)
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'Janssen' Passenger (uncredited)
June Kilgour ...
Dutch Nurse (uncredited)
Mike Killian ...
Thomas Borghetti (uncredited)
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Bosun's Mate - Evacuation (uncredited)
Henry Kraft ...
U.S. Sailor (uncredited)
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Dutch Nurse (uncredited)
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Javanese Conductor (uncredited)
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'Pecos' Survivor on PBY Seaplane (uncredited)
Ameda Lambert ...
Evacuee (uncredited)
Doris Lilly ...
Civilian (uncredited)
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Evacuee (uncredited)
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Chinese Doctor on Train (uncredited)
Marie Loredo ...
Native Girl (uncredited)
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Lt. Bainbridge (uncredited)
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British Convoy Driver (uncredited)
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Pretty Javanese Girl (uncredited)
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Lt. Smith (uncredited)
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Rear Admiral's Aide (uncredited)
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Dutch Army Captain (uncredited)
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U.S. Sailor (uncredited)
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Undetermined Secondary Role (uncredited)
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Dr. Ralph Wayne (uncredited)
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'Janssen' Passenger (uncredited)
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Ecacuee (uncredited)
Alex McSweyn ...
U.S. Sailor (uncredited)
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U.S. Navy Commander, Australia (uncredited)
John Meredith ...
Evacuee (uncredited)
Sybil Merritt ...
Javanese Girl (uncredited)
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U.S. Sailor (uncredited)
Harlan Miller ...
U.S. Sailor (uncredited)
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Robert Elroy Whaley (uncredited)
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Chinese Tea Vendor (uncredited)
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Decoration Ceremony Attendee (uncredited)
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'Janssen' Passenger (uncredited)
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'Janssen' Passenger (uncredited)
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Dutch Military Messenger (uncredited)
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U.S. Navy Captain--Australia (uncredited)
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Joyful 'Janssen' Passenger (uncredited)
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Missionary's Wife (uncredited)
Georgie Nokes ...
Japanese Soldier (uncredited)
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'Janssen' Passenger (uncredited)
Phyllis Perry ...
Evacuee (uncredited)
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Sobbing Man (uncredited)
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Bosun's Mate (uncredited)
Tom Quinn ...
Naval Commander - Australia (uncredited)
Allan Ray ...
Naval Officer - 'Surabaya' (uncredited)
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Javanese Orderly (uncredited)
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Naval Officer (uncredited)
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'Janssen' Passenger (uncredited)
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Dr. Holmes' Board Member (uncredited)
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'Janssen' Passenger (uncredited)
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Self (uncredited) (archiveSound)
Albert Ruiz ...
Radio Operator - 'Surabaya' (uncredited)
Ferdinand Schumann-Heink ...
Ensign Watch Officer USN (uncredited)
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Little English Boy (uncredited)
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Captain in Charge of Evacuation (uncredited)
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Native Woman (uncredited)
Elliott Sullivan ...
Naval Officer (uncredited)
Yu Feng Sung ...
Chinese Priest (uncredited)
Harry Templeton ...
U.S. Sailor (uncredited)
Olga Marie Thunis ...
Dutch Nurse (uncredited)
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Pharmacist's Mate of the 'Janssen' (uncredited)
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Captain of the 'Surabaya' (uncredited)
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Dutch Gunner (uncredited)
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Captain of the 'Janssen' (uncredited)
Bruce Warren ...
Chief Petty Officer (uncredited)
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Rear Admiral (uncredited)
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Harold Hunter (uncredited)
Cecil Weston ...
'Janssen' Passenger (uncredited)
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Clerk in Admiral's Office (uncredited)
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Dr. Holmes' Board Member (uncredited)
Robert Wilber ...
U.S. Sailor (uncredited)
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Captain's Aide for Evacuation (uncredited)
Billy Wilkerson ...
U.S. Sailor (uncredited)

Directed by

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Cecil B. DeMille ... (directed by)

Written by

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Alan Le May ... (screenplay by) (as Alan LeMay) and
Charles Bennett ... (screenplay by)
 
Corydon M. Wassell ... (based upon the story of: as related by him and fifteen of the wounded sailors involved) (as Commander Corydon M. Wassell USN {MC})
 
James Hilton ... (based upon the story by)
 
James Hilton ... (contributing writer) (uncredited)
 
Jeanie Macpherson ... (contributor to treatment) (uncredited)

Produced by

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Sidney Biddell ... associate producer
Cecil B. DeMille ... producer
Buddy G. DeSylva ... executive producer (uncredited)

Music by

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Victor Young

Cinematography by

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Victor Milner ... director of photography
William E. Snyder ... director of photography (as William Snyder)

Editing by

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Anne Bauchens

Editorial Department

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Robert Brower ... associate color director: Technicolor
Natalie Kalmus ... color director: Technicolor
Wilfrid M. Cline ... technician: Technicolor, second unit (uncredited)

Art Direction by

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Roland Anderson
Hans Dreier

Set Decoration by

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George Sawley

Costume Design by

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Natalie Visart

Makeup Department

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Wally Westmore ... makeup artist
Max Asher ... makeup artist: second unit (uncredited)
Charles Gemora ... makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management

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Frank Caffey ... unit manager (uncredited)
C. Kenneth Deland ... assistant production manager: second unit (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

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Arthur Rosson ... second unit director
Edward Salven ... assistant director (as Eddie Salven)
Harry Caplan ... assistant director: second unit (uncredited)
Daniel McCauley ... assistant director: second unit (uncredited)
Oscar Rudolph ... assistant director (uncredited)
Marty Santell ... assistant director: second unit (uncredited)

Art Department

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Henry Bumstead ... set designer (uncredited)
Carl Coleman ... props (uncredited)
William Flannery ... art director: second unit (uncredited)
Dan Sayre Groesback ... scenic painter (uncredited)
A. Lowenthall ... set designer (uncredited)
E. Osborne ... set designer (uncredited)
L. Simmel Jr. ... technical designer (uncredited)
Joseph Sternad ... technical designer (uncredited)
W. Teal ... head technical designer (uncredited)
Joe Thompson ... props (uncredited)
A. Thunberg ... technical designer (uncredited)
Will Williams ... movie poster artist (uncredited)

Sound Department

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John Cope ... sound recordist
Hugo Grenzbach ... sound recordist
George Dutton ... special sound effects (uncredited)

Special Effects by

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Barney Wolff ... special effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by

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Farciot Edouart ... process photography
Gordon Jennings ... special photographic effects
W. Wallace Kelley ... process photography (as Wallace Kelly)
Loyal Griggs ... transparencies: second unit (uncredited)
Paul K. Lerpae ... optical cinematography (uncredited)

Stunts

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Jimmie Dundee ... stunts (uncredited)
Ted Mapes ... stunt double: Gary Cooper (uncredited)
Buddy Messinger ... stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department

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Fred Deiterich ... assistant camera: second unit (uncredited)
Andrew J. Durkus ... head grip: second unit (uncredited)
Robert King ... assistant camera: Technicolor, second unit (uncredited)
George Lancaster ... assistant camera: second unit (uncredited)
Edward Movius ... assistant camera: second unit (uncredited)
Paul Perry ... second camera: second unit (uncredited)
Glen E. Richardson ... still photographer (uncredited)
Lothrop B. Worth ... second camera: second unit (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department

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Harriet Altland ... wardrobe: second unit (uncredited)
Richard Bachler ... wardrobe: second unit (uncredited)
John Morris Foster ... wardrobe: second unit (uncredited)
Elois Jenssen ... wardrobe sketch artist (uncredited)
Eugene Joseff ... costume jeweller (uncredited)
Edna Shotwell ... wardrobe (uncredited)

Music Department

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George Parrish ... orchestrator (uncredited)
Leo Shuken ... orchestrator (uncredited)

Additional Crew

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Fred F. Ellis ... technical supervisor (as Capt. Fred F. Ellis B.M.M. {Ret.})
Edwin Maxwell ... dialogue supervisor
H.D. Smith ... technical supervisor (as Lt. Comdr. H.D. Smith United States Navy {Ret.})
Marian Crist ... research director (uncredited)
Jack Crosby ... dance supervisor (uncredited)
Joe Dominguez ... technical advisor: second unit (uncredited)
Leonard Doss ... technicolor color director: second unit (uncredited)
Eugene L. Eubank ... technical advisor (uncredited)
George Ford ... double: Edmund MacDonald (uncredited)
Wei Fan Hsueh ... technical advisor: Chinese sequence (uncredited)
Billie Lee ... double: Laraine Day (uncredited)
Harry Lucenay ... double: Minor Watson (uncredited)
Curtis Mick ... business manager (uncredited)
J. Howard Payne ... medical technical advisor (uncredited)
Elsie Peacock ... technical advisor: nurses (uncredited)
Arthur Pierson ... dialogue director (uncredited)
Kenneth Ray ... double: Stanley Ridges (uncredited)
B. Cecelia Smukler ... medical technical advisor (uncredited)
Corydon M. Wassell ... technical advisor (uncredited)
Jelte Dirk Wiersma ... technical advisor: Dutch (uncredited)
Crew believed to be complete

Production Companies

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Distributors

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Special Effects

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Other Companies

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Storyline

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Plot Summary

As the Japanese sweep through the East Indies during World War II, Dr. Wassell is determined to escape from Java with some crewmen of the cruiser Marblehead. Based on a true story of how Dr. Wassell saved a dozen or so wounded sailors who were left behind when able bodied men were evacuated to Australia. Written by Ron Kerrigan

Plot Keywords
Taglines Drama of Loyalty and Love! The Story the Whole World Has Heard About! See more »
Genres
Parents Guide Add content advisory for parents »
Certification

Additional Details

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Also Known As
  • Cecil B. DeMille's The Story of Dr. Wassell (United States)
  • L'Odyssée du Dr. Wassell (France)
  • L'Odyssée du docteur Wassell (France)
  • Por el valle de las sombras (Spain)
  • L' odyssée du Dr. Wassell (Belgium, French title)
  • See more »
Runtime
  • 140 min
Country
Language
Color
Aspect Ratio
Sound Mix
Filming Locations

Box Office

Budget $2,720,000 (estimated)

Did You Know?

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Trivia Mentioned in the fictional novella "Breakfast at Tiffany's" (Truman Capote). Holly Golightly has been set up for a screen test for one of the nurses in the film; instead of taking the test, she goes away to New York. See more »
Goofs During the evacuation convoy, the trucks are alternately shown on paved and dirt roads between shots. See more »
Movie Connections Featured in Cecil B. DeMille: American Epic (2004). See more »
Crazy Credits After the closing Paramount logo Cecil B. DeMille addresses the audience over a blank screen: "Ladies and gentlemen just a moment please. Since the completion of The Story of Dr. Wassell, we have heard that Hoppy is alive. A prisoner of war of the Japanese. Thank you." See more »
Quotes Dutch Army Captain: Unless the Japanese can be stopped, it will be impossible for any of your 42 wounded sailors to escape.
Dr. Corydon M. Wassell: Good gravy.
See more »
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