Marine Movies

George

How about "Full Metal Jacket" or "The Boys in Company C"?

My favorite is still "Sands of Iwo Jima"

LZ

How about, "Flying Leathernecks"

Gene Tunney's 1926 Fighting Marine Movie Ad

The silent movie that Gene Tunney made was called 'The Fighting Marine,' and it was released in 1926 by the Pathe Production Co. It was in a series of 10 Episodes in black and white. It was directed by Spencer Gordon Bennet and written by Frank Leon Smith. This film stars Gene Tunney, Walter Miller, Marjorie Gay, Virginia Vance, Frank Hagney, Sherman Ross, Mike Donlin, Wally Oettel, Jack Anthony, and Anna Mae Walthall.

Tex Rickard suggested that Gene Tunney make the movie in order to keep his name before the public in order to attract attention for the first fight with Jack Dempsey in September, 1926. The film is difficult to locate but occasionally available in 8 mm film on reels which are 5 inches in diameter, 11 ounces in weight, with 200 feet of film.

I've got a copy of the movie "Retreat Hell" 1951 had to be the first movie about the Marines in Korean War. Stars included Frank Lovejoy, Richard Carlson, and the guy who played Danno on Hawaii 50. Anyone who has never seen this film let me know, and I'll be glad to loan you my copy. MarinePatches@aol.com Allyn Hinton

My favorite marine movie is " From The Halls Of Montezuma" staring Richard Widmark, Jack Palance , Robert Wagner,Karl Malden,Richard Boone and Jack webb. Richard Widmark takes a patrol out to try to finf the Japanese Rocket site.
Semper Fi Walt Jones

Favorite Marine movie!

Allyn:

The guy who played Danno was James MacArthur, who also happened to be the grandson of Helen Hayes! I went through boot camp with a guy who looked just like him...

How about the movie about John Philip Sousa which starred Clifton Webb and Robert Wagner?

I have two equal favorites - The DI and Sands of Iwo Jima.
I saw both while at the range in boot camp and again while serving as a DI at PI.

Semper Fi - Duke

Being a "Grunt" at heart but gone "Airwing" , I think "Full Metal Jacket" captures about half the intensity of the Hue Offensive. I flew support for the offensive and had close ties with D/1/5 and know that the movie could only capture a small amount of the intensity associated with Hue.

Wish we had more Grunt input.......

Semper Fidelis

Jack "Screw" Warner

Favorite Marine Movie

Sands of Iwo Jima with Full Metal Jacket running a very
close second!

It seems odd no one has posted "Battle Cry". I remember standing in line to see that movie in 1955 in Norfolk Va. NAS Norfolk was my first duty station after A school. I had 1st choce too ' I must have not been too smart when I was young. Actualy I took it to be closer to this girl . Then she dumped me and I was stuck i Norfolk where they had signs sailors and dogs keep off the grass ,I think it meant marines too. All the experts said the movie wasn't much but it turned out to be the most popular movie of 1955. I watched it not long ago ,I have no idea how many times Ihave seen it This is another grunt movie well worth seeing if you havn't seen it.
Semper Fi Walt Jones

The Duke rules for now!!!!!!!

"Sands of Iwo Jima" with John Wayne...I recall we named our P-38 can opener on our dog tags around our necks in the Duke's honor. I was irritated at "Born on the Fourth of July" because I felt that young Marine lost his way and was unduly influenced by the anti-war atmosphere when he returned home. "Full Metal Jacket" was outstanding in its description of boot camp and some of the war scenes but the flick made officers look like idiots...I resemble that remark!!!!!! The more I think about it the most notable movies are made about the other services--Army--"Saving Private Ryan," "We Were Soldiers Once...and Young," "A Bridge Too Far," "Blackhawk Down," HBO's series "Band of Brothers," Navy--"Top Gun," "Tora!Tora!Tora!" "Midway," "Das Boot," and "Run Silent, Run Deep." Anyhow the Marines are due for a feel good movie about themselves that doesn't have an underlying anti-war theme running through it. I think we've been slighted by Hollywood in that regard. Semper Fi, Dan Kellum

Add another for getting your esprit d' Corps up. The Wind and the Lion - the scenes of the Marines and Ships Company are awesome. The rest of the movie is okay, but I like to watch it for the Marines.

Battle Cry

WE were in boot camp at MCRD San Diego during Marine Corps birthday in 1962. The Whole Recruit regiment was taken to the movies and we saw "Battle Cry." It starred Tab Hunter and Van Heflin. Who can forget "High Pockets?"

It has been my favorite Marine Corps movie of all time followed closely by "Sands of Iwo Jima."

If you remember TAB Hunter was at our reunion in San Diego in 2000. His brother died in Vietnam during the Oct 65 Sapper attack at Marble Mountain.

""Fire Base Gloria" was a small movie about Nam and Marine recon unit getting into an Army outpost just when tet 68 opened up. It was a "ballzy" movie, gung ho about the team leader ( played by "Gunny Hardman" from Full Metal Jacket) who had to take this miserable -non functional-low moral outpost and make it into a defensive force to hold back the NVA. Removing the command Army officer was a Marine's dream, and actually although highly illegal, the part was done with wit and humor. rent it if ya haven't seen it yet.
I couldn't finish watching "Born on the Forth of July"... sucked.
Mom bought and gave me "Battle Cry" when I turned 15. Said it was time I read a "grown up " book. She read it after I did. She wished she hadn't given it to me so soon... lol
John Wayne didn't get into the war, but the 1950 release ( filmed in 49) of "Sands of Iwo Jima" stays in my mind forever from childhood and my then ( and now) thoughts on the fighting Marines. But a good gung ho movie is "Fire Base Gloria" that gets me motivated... ( my army buddies can't stand it!) LOL lol lol
jd "Falcon"

It is time to vote, I think

I have seen most of the old ones and some of the new ones. I would like to see "Fire Base Gloria" and see, but I liked "Full Metal Jacket". I think because it is from our time and closer to our hearts, not to take away from the 'Marine' flicks about WWII.

😀

Must have been in 1951 I was stationed with the MARTD NAS Los Alaimitos. The word came down one day that our F6Fs and the Navy's SNJs were going to be used in the making of a film called, "Flying Leathernecks, with big John Wayne as the star.

A few days later all these Hollywood painter guys showed up with their water color paints. And so it went for several weeks. The weekend guys would fly Saturday and Sunday. Come Monday morning the SNJs became Zeros and the F6Fs lost all of thier Los Als ID. On Monday off to Camp Pend. they would go for the week. On late Friday afternoon they would all come flying home. Before the weekend flying could start the water color paint had to be removed. As a young Cpl. (E3) F6F Plane Captain, guess who got to spend Friday evening at the wash rack?

That was not the end. After the moive was released, I found myself posted to a weekend static display in a Pasadena moive theater as a newly minted Buck Sgt. No per diem here. The theather set up folding cots under the stage for my fellow Sgt and myself. the last I had to do with the movie was guard duty on weekend at a drive end movie in Long Beach. They towed in a F6F from the base and had it at a drive in movie. I pulled a double 4X8 over the weekend with my M1. Sure got a lot flack from the Marines hitch hiking back to Pendelton and Diego. Left for Korea in 1952, I could use the rest!

S/F
Ernie Needham

Although the Sands of Iwo Jima will always rank high on the list along with The Flying Lathernecks, here is a blast from the past, I really like "Wake Island".

Going to Vietnam in December 1966, I spent 26 glorious hours on Wake. This was almost 25 years later to the day of the attack. You could not help but think about the morning after the bombing of Pearl Harbor and to look out, being surrounded by a Japanese fleet and what was going through those Marines minds. It was like walking on Hallowed Ground, where Marines had fought and died. They made Marine Corps History with their dramatic stand -- the Alamo of the Pacific.

Semper Fi

Anyone Remember?

Forgot the name of the movie, but it had Clint Walker as a Marine who survived a crash landing on an island with one Japanese soldier on it. What surprized me was that when Walker got out of the crash you could see he was wearing Combat Aircrew Wings. I went nuts & called my wife. The only time I ever saw our wings on film. S/F ED

THE CLINT WALKER MOVIE WAS "NONE BUT THE BRAVE". I REALLY MUST BE GETTING OLD -- LOL

Wake Island

Have to agree on that pick for a movie (Wake Island). I was a new Marine in 42 when this battle took place. It inspired the whole Country with the guts & determination of those great Marines. Also the fact that one of my best friends was a TSgt NAP flying F4F attacking those japanese ships & A/C as well as being the Maintenance Chief piecing togather the wrecks to keep flying. That was TSgt William Hamilton, Bill & I served togather in Sikorsky Field Engineering for 23 years & one year in Vietnam 1966. Many may remember Jap Jamerson also. Bill exchanged Sea stories with a few cool ones during our tour in Vietnam & I treasure those memories.There are sources that may be placed here for the Wake Island story . Think many would enjoy that!! Semper Fi PM

Aircre

How about "Tribed" with Darren McGaven and Jan Micheal Vinxent.;)
Also Flying Leatchernecks. Nwvwe heard or saw Running Brave??

Sgt York

All these past movies brought back one more of my favorites "Sgt York", the WWI Kentucky Hill Billy that put an end to many German Soldiers combat!! This was a story of his Country background & his tour in WWi where he captured or killed scores of the German troops.One of the strange twists was that he began his Army Service as being against killing & wanted no part of the combat assignment. One size does not fit us all!!! SF PM