Halls of Montezuma **** (1950, Richard Widmark, Jack Palance, Robert Wagner, Karl Malden, Richard Boone, Jack Webb) – Classic Movie Review 3505

Director Lewis Milestone’s patriotic 1950 war movie stars Richard Widmark, who is on fine fighting form as Lieutenant Carl Anderson, the former school teacher who turns a rag-tag company of American Marines into an effective fighting force. They then set off in a races against the clock to find a Japanese rocket base and capture a Japanese enemy-held Pacific island during World War Two.

There is a lot of robust action, loads of loud bangs and many welcome familiar actors (Jack Palance, Robert Wagner in his credited movie debut, Karl Malden, Richard Boone in his film debut, Jack Webb) doing their carefully honed turns and fleshing out underwritten roles.

War movie expert Milestone directs this spirited, tough-toned, gung-ho war adventure with sincerity, style, pace and passion.

Also in the cast are Reginald Gardiner, Richard Hylton, Skip Homeier, Bert Freed, Neville Brand, Don Hicks, Martin Milner, Philip Ahn, Richard Allan, Harry Carter, Howard Chuman, Fred Coby, George Conrad, Fred Dale, Chris Drake, Helen Hatch, William Hawes, Frank Kumagai, Jack Lee, Paul Lees, Marion Marshall, Roger McGee, Harry McKim, Bob McLean, Rollin Moriyama, Ralph Nagai, Mike Road and Clarke Stevens.

All in all, this is a fine war film from the maker of those other classics All Quiet on the Western Front (1930), A Walk in the Sun (1945) and Pork Chop Hill (1959).

It was made with the cooperation of the US Marines Corps. American Marine and Navy units participated in the filming of this movie and then went to fight in Korea. Second-unit Marine Corps action manoeuvres were shot between 1 and 12 May 1950 at Camp Pendleton, Southern California. It is dedicated to the United States Marine Corps. ‘This story is dedicated in gratitude for its help in making it possible but most of all for its stalwart defense of all we hold dear to our lives, our people, and our future.’

The title represents the first line of the official hymn of the United States Marine Corps, known as the Marines’ Hymn: ‘From the Halls of Montezuma, To the shores of Tripoli; We fight our country’s battles.’

Wagner (Private Coffman) previously appeared in an uncredited debut as Cleaves Catcher Adams in The Happy Years (1950).

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 3505

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