Pride of the Marines

Pride of the Marines
Original film poster
Directed by Delmer Daves
Produced by Jerry Wald
Written by Delmer Daves (uncredited)
Marvin Borowsky
Screenplay by Albert Maltz
Based on Al Schmid, Marine
1944 book
by Roger Butterfield
Starring John Garfield
Eleanor Parker
Music by Franz Waxman
Cinematography J. Peverell Marley
Edited by Owen Marks
Distributed by Warner Bros.
Release date
  • August 8, 1945 (1945-08-08) (Philadelphia)[1]
Running time
 119 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $1,072,000[2]
Box office $3,019,000[2]

Pride of the Marines is a 1945 American biographical war film starring John Garfield and Eleanor Parker. It tells the story of U.S. Marine Al Schmid in World War II, his heroic stand against a Japanese attack during the Battle of Guadalcanal, in which he was blinded by a grenade, and his subsequent rehabilitation. The film was based on the Roger Butterfield book Al Schmid, Marine.

Albert Maltz was nominated for an Academy Award for Writing Adapted Screenplay.

Plot

The film is divided into three parts. The first takes place prior to the war. Cocky Philadelphia steel worker and "Man's man" Al Schmid (John Garfield) despises the idea of marriage and losing his independence until he meets his match in Ruth Hartley (Eleanor Parker). Ruth takes no nonsense from Al and impresses him by enjoying a hunting trip he takes her on. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Al joins the Marines. Before he departs on a train to join the war, Al proposes marriage to Ruth on the station platform.

Part two is set at the Battle of the Tenaru River on the Pacific island of Guadalcanal on August 21, 1942. Schmid is in the crew of a M1917 Browning machine gun at a gun emplacement with his buddies Lee Diamond (Dane Clark) and Johnny Rivers (Anthony Caruso) of "H" Company 2nd Battalion First Marines. The onslaught by the enemy is particularly heavy, but the men are able to kill some 200 of the enemy. Rivers is killed by a bullet through the head, Diamond is wounded in his right arm, and Schmid is blinded by a Japanese soldier dropping a hand grenade at the front of the gun pit.

The third part is Schmid's humbling rehabilitation, in which he resents being dependent upon others. He hopes that an operation will restore his sight, but the medical procedure isn't successful. He doesn't want Ruth to know that he is almost completely blind, so he attempts to break up with her. Schmid is aided in his recovery by Diamond, hospital rehabilitation officer Virginia Pfeiffer (Rosemary DeCamp), and the other wounded veterans. He is to be awarded the Navy Cross but is dismayed that the ceremony will take place in his home town. He initially feels anger at being dependent upon family and friends as he doesn't want to be a burden to anyone. In spite of his resentment, Ruth stays by his side, helps him overcome his bitterness, and convinces him that he must learn to live with his new situation.

Cast

Production

During the Battle of Guadalcanal, two enlisted Marines, Mitchell Paige and John Basilone were awarded the Medal of Honor for their use of the M1917 Browning machine gun against massed Japanese charges. In Jim Proser's book I'm Staying With My Boys: The Heroic Life of Sgt. John Basilone USMC[3] Proser tells of Basilone's friendship with John Garfield and Eddie Bracken when they toured the United States selling war bonds.

Screenwriters A. I. Bezzerides and Alvah Bessie developed a 26-page treatment of Roger Butterfield's book Al Schmid Marine.[4] Martin Borowsky also did an adaptation of Butterfield's book that was rewritten by Albert Maltz who Garfield has spoken to about Butterfield's story. Prior to filming, Garfield visited American soldiers in hospitals in Italy.[5]

Garfield met Schmid during his rehabilitation before a movie was ever planned.[6] Once the film was planned, Garfield lived with the Schmids for several weeks, becoming friends with the couple.[7]

Both Bessie and Maltz were later blacklisted over their "un-American" political opinions.

Film locations include the 6500 block of Tulip Street in Philadelphia.[8]

Reception

Bosley Crowther of The New York Times called the film "a splendid documentation of a dramatic crisis in a hero's life," with performances that were "all unqualifiedly excellent ... To say that this picture is entertaining to a truly surprising degree is an inadequate recommendation. It is inspiring and eloquent of a quality of human courage that millions must try to generate today."[9] Variety called it "a two-hour celluloid saga which should inspire much pride for many. As an entertainment film with a forceful theme, so punchy that its 'message' aspects are negligible, it is a credit to all concerned ... [Garfield] gives a vividly histrionic performance that will not be easily forgotten."[10] Harrison's Reports called the film "sensitive and at times forceful" and called Garfield "very good," but found the discourses by hospitalized servicemen "so long drawn out that they interrupt the flow of the story."[11] Wolcott Gibbs of The New Yorker wrote: "In spite of the fact that most of this has a somewhat familiar and mechanical air, the picture has its effective moments, mostly owing to Mr. Garfield's honest and very intelligent performance."[12]

The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists:

Box Office

According to Warner Bros records the film earned $2,295,000 domestically and $724,000 foreign.[2]

Adaptations

Pride of the Marines was adapted as a radio play on the January 31, 1945 episode of Lux Radio Theater and the June 15, 1946 episode of Academy Award Theater, both with John Garfield reprising his role.

As a bonus feature in the Lux Radio Theater version, Al Schmid is introduced by phone and speaks with Garfield.

References

  1. ↑ McGrath, Patrick J. (1993). John Garfield: The Illustrated Career in Films and on Stage. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 73. ISBN 9780899508672.
  2. 1 2 3 Warner Bros financial information in The William Shaefer Ledger. See Appendix 1, Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television, (1995) 15:sup1, 1-31 p 26 DOI: 10.1080/01439689508604551
  3. ↑ Proser, Jim with Cutter, Jerry (2010). I'm Staying with My Boys: The Heroic Life of Sgt. John Basilone, USMC. Macmillan. ISBN 978-0-312-61144-6. Retrieved 2014-03-22.
  4. ↑ p.342 footnote Norden, Martin F. The Cinema of Isolation: A History of Physical Disability in Movies 1994 Rutgers University Press
  5. ↑ p.71 McGrath, Patrick J. John Garfield: The Illustrated Career in Films and Stage 1993 McFarland
  6. ↑ p.115 Gerber, David A. In Search of Al Schmid quoted in Mitchell, David T. and Snyder, Sharon L. The Body and Physical Difference: Discorses of Disability 1997 University of Michigan Press
  7. ↑ p.72 McGrath, Patrick J. John Garfield: The Illustrated Career in Films and Stage 1993 McFarland
  8. ↑ http://nephillyhistory.com/hnep1994/tacony.htm
  9. ↑ Crowther, Bosley (August 25, 1945). "Movie Review - Pride of the Marines". The New York Times. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
  10. ↑ "Film Reviews". Variety. New York: Variety, Inc.: 22 August 8, 1945.
  11. ↑ "'Pride of the Marines' with John Garfield and Eleanor Parker". Harrison's Reports: 126. August 11, 1945.
  12. ↑ Gibbs, Wolcott (September 8, 1945). "The Current Cinema". The New Yorker. New York: F-R Publishing Corp.: 43.
  13. ↑ "AFI's 100 Years...100 Cheers Nominees" (PDF). Retrieved 2016-08-14.
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