A group of men parachute into Japanese-occupied Burma with a dangerous and important mission: to locate and blow up a radar station. They accomplish this well enough, but when they try to rendezvous at an old air-strip to be taken back to their base, they find Japanese waiting for them, and they must make a long, difficult walk back through enemy-occupied jungle.
Practical Effects
Real California jungle standing in for Burma with visceral location trauma.
Direction
Raoul Walsh's brutal economy—no shot wasted in 142 minutes of suffering.
Acting
Errol Flynn, visibly unraveling, gives his last great physical performance.
Director
Raoul Walsh
Errol Flynn
Capt. Nelson
Henry Hull
Mark Williams
George Tobias
Cpl. Gabby Gordon
Anthony Caruso
Miggleori
James Brown
SSgt. Treacy
Richard Erdman
Pvt. Nebraska Hooper
John Alvin
Hogan
George Tyne
Pvt. Soapy Higgins
John Whitney
Negulesco
William Prince
Lt. Sid Jacobs
Rodd Redwing
Sgt. Chattu
Warner Anderson
Col. J. Carter
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Production was nearly complete when Japan surrendered in August 1945; Warner Brothers frantically shot a new ending where Flynn announces the war is over, fundamentally altering the film's meaning.
Flynn's collapsing health during filming—he was 36 but looked 50—mirrors his character's physical deterioration, making this an accidental document of Hollywood's most beautiful wreck.
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