They Were Expendable

... [John] Ford’s reminder to the American public that victory in the Pacific was reached at a tremendous cost in human life. It remains one of the most powerful war dramas ever made.

The human element triumphs in almost every foot of They Were Expendable.

They Were Expendable was the first time [Ford] would loose the weight of his experiences on a general audience.

The film moves along curiously and cautiously, prideful of the crews of the PT boats but also aware that each victory was achieved at a great cost and that sacrifices would have to continue to be made as the war trudged along.

The real star of the film is the gorgeous, luminous, mostly outdoor black-and-white cinematography.

The most unfortunate thing about John Ford's excellent, elegiac war film, with a strong turn from John Wayne, was its release date, December 1945, since the war was over.

Surprisingly rich film is one of the best war films ever made.