BATTLE CRY

US, 1955, 149 minutes, Colour.
Van Heflin, Aldo Ray, Mona Freeman, Nancy Olson, James Whitmore, Raymond Massey, Tab Hunter, Dorothy Malone, Anne Francis, William Campbell, L.Q. Jones, Fess Parker.
Directed by Raoul Walsh.

Battle Cry was a big-budget Warner Bros film of the mid-50s, made for the wide screen, one of those films made to entice audiences away from their television sets.

The film was based on a novel by Leon Uris (Exodus) who wrote the screenplay for the film.

Many of the players worked at Warner Bros during the 1950s and were some lead actors (Aldo Ray, Tab Hunters, Van Heflin) as well as character actors including Raymond Massey and James Whitmore. The cast of actresses is not the A list but a group of competent actresses who again appeared in many films of this period.

The film was directed by Raoul Walsh who had been directing films from 1913. He made many action films during the 1930s, especially for James Cagney and Humphrey Bogart. He continued to make a number of war films during the 1940s including three for Errol Flynn to win the war (Northern Pursuit, Uncertain Glory, Objective Burma). He made such classics as White Heat. During the 1950s he made a number of smaller, more action-oriented films.

1. An enjoyable film? The emphasis on length, scope, large canvas? The soap opera romance film? The war film?

2. The use of Cinemascope, colour, locations, big stars of the 1950s? The impact now?

3. Comment on the film as a war film of the mid-fifties. The perspective it presented of the 1940s and the war years? how are the attitudes of the 1940s and the 1950s seen by later decades? Is the film still fresh? does it seem dated?

4 The significance of the title, its implications, its indication of the themes of the film? A straightforward title or ironic?

5. Comment on the success of the structure and its Impact: the episodic nature, the links of the relationships between men and women, the themes of relationships and war, the question of war and morale, as a picture of Americans during the war at home and abroad, America's role in the war of the Pacific?

6. The film's insight into men and women and their relationships? The nature of love and its substitutes? The insight into American character and temperament, their impact on outsiders, for example New Zealanders? The insight into men and women in war situations? The nature of changes? The nature of fear? Injury and death?

7. Did the film remain on a superficial level, was there any depth in their exploration?

8. The portrait of Huxley: as central to the linking of the film's themes and episodes? Huxley as the military man, dedicated to a job, the nature of his toughness, softness? The need for making decisions, for boosting morale? His declaration about the long walk? About Andy's wedding? The significance of his conversations with Rat? His need for fighting and for his men to fight? The confrontation with the general? The dramatic impact of his death and the impact on the men?

9. The film's emphasis on military training? The significance and impact of this, audience response to drilling and training? How did this fit in with the actual scenes of war? Were these adequate and lengthy for such a long film?

10. The exploration of Danny's character? The all American boy, pictured at home, relationship with Cathy, swearing fidelity, the harshness of training, the experience of loneliness, the attraction towards Elaine and the liaison with her, the effect on his life, the authority taking over and sending him home? The nature of his choices, the forgiveness of Cathy? How did war make him grow up? The significance of hie being wounded? Cathy's dream, his going home?

11. How did Andy contrast with Danny? The rough and ready type, the lumberjack, the man who could drink and gamble? His first confrontation with Pat, the growing relationship, her background, being a widow? Why did they fall in love? Their living together? Their marriage and their news about the baby? Pat waiting, Andy's suffering, his being confronted to come back to life? Future prospects?

12. The importance of the episode of Marion as a writer? His aloneness and aloofness? His meeting Rae on the ferry? His being disappointed in her? Her writing to him and his reconciliation? The sadness of his death?

13. Did the film give much insight into these men and their characters? Their plights? As men caught in war? The details of the minor characters among the soldiers?

14. The character of the general and Mac his confrontation with Huxley, his supporting of him? (American morale and patriotism?)

15. The importance of Mac as the chorus: the fact that he gave the narrative, his value judgements on the personnel and their characters, their situations, the war? Hie support of Huxley, his criticism of Huxley, his relationship with the men? His place at the end? As the focus of the whole film?