A Tribute to Those Who Did So Much . . . With So Little!

Starring: Robert Montgomery, John Wayne, Donna Reed, Jack Holt, Ward Bond, Marshall Thompson, Paul Langton, Leon Ames, Arthur Walsh, Donald Curtis, Cameron Mitchell, Jeff York, Murray Alper

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ - good

"We know all about those destroyers out of commission, tied up around San Diego. We could use them here. But they're not around. They won't be. Our job is to lay down that sacrifice. That's what we were trained for, and that's what we'll do. Understand?" - Admiral Blackwell

Why watch this? WWII has many stories... this is a really good one.

Plot Summary: During the early days of World War II in the Pacific, a squadron of US Navy PT (patrol torpedo) boat crews stationed in the Philippines battles the Japanese forces and struggles to prove the effectiveness of their small, fast vessels to the Navy brass. Led by Lt. John "Brick" Brickley and Lt. "Rusty" Ryan, the squadron eventually sees action, proving crucial in defending against the Japanese invasion.

Dad's Preview: This is a very underrated World War II adventure film. It is such a great underdog story, as we root for the might of the small PT boat squads, pestering the Japanese forces. The Duke plays second fiddle to Robert Montgomery and there's a reason. Montgomery served in the Navy during World War II, so this film's crew really held him in high regard. He even directed the PT Boat segments when Director John Ford was ill. Under the "for what it's worth" category, Wayne would go on to star in In Harm's Way (1965), where his son is assigned to a PT boat squad in the Pacific.

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer; Loew's Inc.