Considering that this film was made by John Ford during the height of his career, I sure expected a lot from it. Unfortunately, despite a good but familiar story idea, the film is not particularly good.
The film begins in Punxsutawney, West Virginia. This is odd, as this famous town is actually in nearby Pennsylvania! Perhaps the writer didn't do their homework or perhaps it was supposed to be another town by the same name. I did a Google search and found no town of this name in West Virginia. Dan Daily plays a brave guy who is the first in town to volunteer to go to war when WWII breaks out in America. However, despite his best intentions, he's kept stateside--and hates it. He also is stationed in a new base just outside town and the townsfolk oddly begin making fun of him--like he is a coward or disappointment! This really made no sense at all--especially when he is nearly killed during a training exercise. Eventually, however, he does get his chance and is sent off to war in Europe. Through some kooky mistakes, Daily ends up becoming a hero...of sorts.
The main problem with the film are the characters. The townspeople appear to be either idiots or real creeps, as they treat Daily's character like dirt--and he's done nothing to merit this. And then later, after treating him like crap for not being sent overseas, when he IS send to way, they then overreact in such a ridiculous manner that I groaned! As for Daily, his character is also very, very inconsistently written. Although a great soldier who is made an instructor because of his skills, when he is sent to war late in the film he acts more like Shemp Howard than Dan Daily!! Where did this kooky and inept guy come from considering he was nothing like this up until then. And, once in France, he REALLY acted like a moron. What gives?! Minor problems would include the poor integration of stock footage of a V-2 as well as P-51 airplanes near the beginning of the war (the models shown arrived very late in the war). These are not huge problems at all...but with Ford I was just surprised the film wasn't better constructed or that this famed director didn't balk at filming such a lame script.
All in all, it is barely watchable but no more.
The film begins in Punxsutawney, West Virginia. This is odd, as this famous town is actually in nearby Pennsylvania! Perhaps the writer didn't do their homework or perhaps it was supposed to be another town by the same name. I did a Google search and found no town of this name in West Virginia. Dan Daily plays a brave guy who is the first in town to volunteer to go to war when WWII breaks out in America. However, despite his best intentions, he's kept stateside--and hates it. He also is stationed in a new base just outside town and the townsfolk oddly begin making fun of him--like he is a coward or disappointment! This really made no sense at all--especially when he is nearly killed during a training exercise. Eventually, however, he does get his chance and is sent off to war in Europe. Through some kooky mistakes, Daily ends up becoming a hero...of sorts.
The main problem with the film are the characters. The townspeople appear to be either idiots or real creeps, as they treat Daily's character like dirt--and he's done nothing to merit this. And then later, after treating him like crap for not being sent overseas, when he IS send to way, they then overreact in such a ridiculous manner that I groaned! As for Daily, his character is also very, very inconsistently written. Although a great soldier who is made an instructor because of his skills, when he is sent to war late in the film he acts more like Shemp Howard than Dan Daily!! Where did this kooky and inept guy come from considering he was nothing like this up until then. And, once in France, he REALLY acted like a moron. What gives?! Minor problems would include the poor integration of stock footage of a V-2 as well as P-51 airplanes near the beginning of the war (the models shown arrived very late in the war). These are not huge problems at all...but with Ford I was just surprised the film wasn't better constructed or that this famed director didn't balk at filming such a lame script.
All in all, it is barely watchable but no more.