Bataan (1943 film)
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| Bataan | |
|---|---|
 Original Promotional Poster |
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| Directed by | Tay Garnett |
| Produced by | Irving Starr |
| Written by | Robert Hardy Andrews |
| Starring | Robert Taylor George Murphy Thomas Mitchell Robert Walker Desi Arnaz Lloyd Nolan |
| Music by | Bronislau Kaper, Eric Zeisl |
| Cinematography | Sidney Wagner |
| Editing by | George White |
| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer; United States Office of War Information |
| Release date(s) |  3 June 1943
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| Running time | 114 min. |
| Language | English, Spanish, Latin |
| All Movie Guide profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
Bataan is a 1943 propaganda film about the defense of the Bataan Peninsula, made by MGM. It was directed by Tay Garnett and produced by Irving Starr with Dore Schary as executive producer.
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[edit] Historical setting of the film
The Battle of Bataan followed the Japanese December, 1941 invasion of the Philippines and lasted from January 1 to April 9, 1942. In this action, the unified United States and Philippine forces retreated from Manila onto the nearby, mountainous Bataan peninsula for a desperate last stand. There was hope that a relief would arrive, but none could be mustered. After 3 months of desperate fighting, the starving and malaria-ridden forces surrendered and were led on the infamous Bataan Death March.
[edit] Plot outline
The US Army is conducting a fighting retreat. A high bridge spans a ravine on the Bataan peninsula. After the army and some civilians cross, a group of thirteen hastily-assembled soldiers is assigned to blow it up and prevent the Japanese from rebuilding it as long as possible.
They dig in on a hillside and successfully demolish the bridge, but their commander, Captain Henry Lassiter (Lee Bowman), is killed by a sniper in the process. One by one, the defenders die, with one succumbing to malaria. Felix Ramirez (Desi Arnaz) and pilot Lieutenant Steve Bentley (played by future Senator George Murphy) work frantically to repair a damaged airplane. They succeed, but Bentley is mortally wounded. In his last few moments, he manages to take off and intentionally crash his plane into the bridge. The last few soldiers repel a massive frontal assault. Two more are killed by Japanese soldiers who are feigning death.
In the end, the last survivor, Sergeant Bill Dane (Robert Taylor), stoically digs his own marked grave beside those of his fallen comrades, stands within it, and fires his machine gun at the onrushing enemy as the final credits roll.
[edit] Propaganda Film
Bataan is a film with an obvious message. It dehumanizes the Japanese soldiers while showing the Americans as heroic. Several scenes in the film, such as an inspirational speech near the end, and the last moments of the last survivor fighting to the bitter end, were intended to rally viewers for the war.
[edit] Notes
- The presence of a racially integrated fighting force prevented the film's showing in the United States' South.
- Scenes from the 1934 RKO film The Lost Patrol, directed by John Ford, were used in this film.
- Back to Bataan, the 1945 RKO film, directed by Edward Dmytryk with John Wayne, returns to the same setting and theme.
[edit] External links
- Bataan at the Internet Movie Database
