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Released in 1957 and running 106 minutes this is a mostly forgotten film.It's a shame because it starred Jack Webb as Gunnery Sgt. Jim Moore in what many believe is the finest portrayal of a DI on the screen to date.I can only think of two others to compare it with,an officer and a gentleman and full metal jacket, and this is still my favorite.Sadly many people knock Webb as the knock Wayne,for their off camera politics, and therefore they only deprive themselves of great films.The only reason I took 1 star off was the b&w film and some physical contact that the corp stops these days.This movie was filmed only 12 years after WW11 and right after Korea so the strong sense of patriotism is there before Vietnam killed it till the first gulf war.The story is about Moore trying to make a raw marine Don Dubbins as Pvt. Owens, muster through without hurting the whole platoon.
Two scenes stand out.Owens mother Virginia Gregg as Mrs. Owens ,telling Moore in a stirring speech worthy of a old Trojan widow,that he can't be allowed to quit.See she had already lost a husband and older son to the corp and she'd be damned if they died so he could bug out..The second is a great scene where the platoon is looking for a dead sand flea that Owens killed therefore reveling the platoons position.Moore wants that exact sand flea found for burial.It's fabulous when one marine kills a flea than runs over to Moore screaming,I've found it,and Moore asks Owens was it a male or female?Owens hesitates than says it was a male sir.Moore looks at the flea and proclaims,keep looking,that ain't the one.Trust me on this one.Trailer URL below pix
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