Stars: Thomas Mitchell, Robert Taylor, George Murphy, Robert Walker, Lloyd Nolan
There are two good things about Bataan. First, it recognizes the contribution of the Filipino Soldiers. Second, Robert Taylor gives an excellent performance. Otherwise, its a stage-bound, unrealistic, talky, mid-war propaganda piece. The supporting cast is absurdly old and nonmilitary. We got:
- 50 y/o, pot-bellied Mitchell as Corporal Fiengold (!);
- Desi Arnez as a radio operator;
- Odd Robert Walker as an obnoxious Gung-ho sailor; and
- 41 y/o, never-believable-as-a-soldier, Lloyd Nolan.
We start with a well done bombing raid but things quickly get absurd as the Japanese get mowed down by the hundreds. They charge right into the guns - no doubt because they're on a sound stage. And even with the Japanese 50 yards away, "our boys" can't keep quiet. Its non-stop chatter day and night. Murphy flies an extremely cheap looking model airplane.
Normally, I don't get upset at False Heroics in WW2 films
After all, we were in the middle of a war. But in Bataan its so overdone its annoying. *Everyone* is a brave soldier who just wants to "take a crack at those Japanese." It starts with a wounded solider who refuses to let go of his rifle, and ends with Murphy going on a kamikaze mission! Weirdly, (probably because its produced by liberal Dore Schary), there's not a lot of patriotic sentiment - but the nonstop false heroics spoil it anyway.
Summary: Surprisingly, Bataan was a box-office smash and has a respectable IMDB rating of 7.0. But its one of the duller Hollywood WWII films and time has past it by. For Robert Taylor fans only. Rating 2 of 4
