They Were Expendable

They Were Expendable (1945) starring Robert Montgomery, John Wayne, Donna Reed, Jack Holt, Ward Bond. Directed by John Ford. The story of PT boats in the early days of World War II in the Phillipines, this movie seems to love war a little too much. It has history on its side -- it was made after the war had been won -- but to me it seemed to take a little too sentimental a view of war and the men who fought them. The romance between Rusty Ryan (Wayne) and a nurse (Reed) seems contrived. (Subtitles in English are available, as well as closed captions.) Grade: B