Marines, Let's Go

Marines, Let's Go is a 1961 CinemaScope DeLuxe Color Korean War film about three Marine buddies (Tom Tryon, David Hedison and Tom Reese) on shore leave in Japan and at war in Korea. It was produced and directed by Raoul Walsh, who also wrote the story. Walsh had previously had successes with films about the U.S. Marine Corps in World War I (What Price Glory?), the 1920s (The Cock-Eyed World and Sadie Thompson), and World War II (Battle Cry). This was the next-to-last film of Walsh's long directing career.

Marines, Let's Go
Original film poster
Directed byRaoul Walsh
Written byRaoul Walsh (story)
John Twist
Produced byRaoul Walsh
StarringTom Tryon
David Hedison
Tom Reese
Linda Hutchings
Barbara Stuart
CinematographyLucien Ballard
Edited byRobert L. Simpson
Music byIrving Gertz
title song sung by Rex Allen
Distributed by20th Century Fox
Release date
  • August 15, 1961 (1961-08-15)
Running time
103 min.
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$1,665,000[1]

Plot summary

In 1945, the Second World War is over, over 75 million people died all over the world. This is new era beginning of Cold War has only just begun is started, tension between the United States and Soviet Union.

Four privates romp their way through occupied Japan while on leave, finding a little romance and some laughs. After it's over they head to the front lines of the Korean War where brutality and death are constant. From September 11 to 15, 1950, the United Nations landed the 1st Marine Division at Inchon to outflank North Korean forces in South Korea. The division faced one of its most daunting challenges, deploying so hurriedly that it still lacked its third infantry regiment and was ordered to execute an amphibious assault under the worst tidal conditions they had ever faced. After the landing, they moved north, and, after heavy fighting, liberated the South Korean capital city of Seoul.


Cast
  • Tom Tryon as Pfc. Roth
  • David Hedison as Pfc. Chatfield
  • Tom Reese as Pfc. McCaffrey
  • Linda Hutchings as Grace
  • Barbara Stuart as Ina
  • David Brandon as Pvt. Newt Levels
  • Steve Baylor as Pvt. Chase
  • Peter Miller as Gunnery Sgt. Howard Hawkins
  • Rachel Romen as Mrs. Ellen Hawkins (as Adoree Evans)
  • Hideo Inamura as Pvt. Pete Kono
  • Vince Williams as Hank Dyer (war correspondent)
  • Fumiyo Fujimoto as Song Do (Chatfield's girl)
  • Heihachirô Ôkawa as Yoshida (hotel manager)

Production

Walsh filmed the movie on location in Japan with extras from the US Marine Corps, who were pulled off filming due to the possibility of their being sent to Laos.[2] The film was completed in Okinawa.

The Marine technical advisor of the film was Colonel Jacob G. Goldberg (1911–2008), who served 30 years in the Marine Corps.[3]

Reception

When the White House was interested in Warner Bros. making a film on John F. Kennedy's exploits as the commander of PT 109, Jack L. Warner sent a print of Marines, Let's Go to display Raoul Walsh's expertise for making the movie about Kennedy. The president hated the film,[4] however, and Warner Bros. had to choose a new director for PT 109.

See also

References
  1. Solomon, Aubrey. Twentieth Century Fox: A Corporate and Financial History (The Scarecrow Filmmakers Series). Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, 1989, p. 253. ISBN 978-0-8108-4244-1.
  2. American Cinematographer, Volume 42 (1961), p. 473.
  3. MarineChat.com
  4. Suid, Lawrence H. Sailing on the Silver Screen: Hollywood and the U.S. Navy, Naval Institute Press, 1996, p. 153


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