The Big Red One **** (1980, Lee Marvin, Mark Hamill, Robert Carradine) – Classic Movie Review 3407

Writer-director Samuel Fuller’s semi-autobiographical 1980 war film is spellbinding. His raw, realistic screenplay is based on Fuller’s own experiences of World War Two, as true to historical facts and his personal philosophy as he could make it. The character of Private Zab, played by Robert Carradine, is Fuller’s alter ego.

Lee Marvin has his best role for years as the Sergeant, an ultra-tough old infantry man leading his 1st Squad young platoon into battle in World War Two: Private Zab, Private Griff (Mark Hamill), Private Vinci (Bobby DiCicco) and Private Johnson (Kelly Ward). Marvin and his four seasoned buddies have the stuff to survive while the faceless new cannon fodder arrive and die.

It also stars Stéphane Audran. Also in the cast are Siegfried Rauch, Ken Campbell, Serge Marquand, Charles Macaulay, Maurice Marsac, Colin Gilbert, Alain Doutey, Joseph Clark and Doug Werner.

The title refers to the US infantry badge.

Unfortunately, only a heavily cut version made it into the cinemas. It runs 113 minutes. But, thanks to film critic and historian Richard Schickel, it has been reconstructed and now nearly 50 minutes longer than the Theatrical Version. The Reconstructed Version runs 162 minutes. The 2004 reconstruction and restoration was acknowledged with Special Citations at the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards and Seattle Film Critics Awards.

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 3407

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