Ameriatch
One of the best films i have seen
Afouotos
Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.
Numerootno
A story that's too fascinating to pass by...
oscar-35
*Spoiler/plot- 1951, The story of 442nd American Nisei WW2 regimental combat team work in Italy and France. Also their saving the 36th Texas Division 'Lost Battalion' from the 'Black' Mountains of France near the border with Germany.*Special Stars- Van Johnson*Theme- Valor and bravery comes in every culture, color or race.*Trivia/location/goofs- Hollywood film. Copyright free. Some actual newsreel footage was included in this film along with Hollywood studio scenes. The 442nd American Nisei WW2 regimental combat team was the most decorated military unit during WW2.*Emotion- An enjoyable and rather significant story to come out of WW2 about the injustice and ignorance about Japanese Americans post Pearl Harbor attack.
owen-163
This film held a few surprises for me and it may for many other people as well. I don't think it is spoiling the film at all to say that it mainly concerns the activities of a Japanese regiment which took part in campaigns in the European theatre in the latter part of WWII. Obviously, the mere thought of infantrymen looking and sounding like Japanese, but wearing American GI uniforms, was hard for a number of people to accept, and this is where the film draws its dramatic tension as these not-so-usual American troops try to redeem the bad name of their ancestral lands.Well-directed with certain dramatic generic battle scenes (added from newsreels and other sources I imagine) to give the film more impact. As usual in films of this era, the character acting is very good, and this in spite perhaps of the limited number of actors who might have been available at the time to play roles as GIs of Japanese origin. Very competent lead role played by Van Johnson is also a major plus for this entertaining, thoughtful film.
RanchoTuVu
A humorous look at the war through the experiences of the the highly decorated Japanese American 442nd Regiment, with a realistic cast and Van Johnson walking well through his part as a prejudiced platoon leader who comes to respect his men not just for their valor but for their ingenuity and constantly positive attitudes in the face of hostility from the enemy as well as many at home and the forced internments of their families. Though all of that is hinted at, the film maintains a snappy brightness throughout, even in the battle scenes, where everyone has a can-do perspective on how to take out those pesky machine gun nests. If the film has any drawback it's that there is no dark side, no real tension in the battle scenes nor in the issue of racism. It's contentedness to portray the real meat and bones issues of life and death combat and racism in a light and humorous manner cuts both ways, because this film steps so lightly it doesn't convey much of the hell of war nor the ugliness of racism, but its carried along by intelligence, wit, and wholesome old-fashioned Hollywood patriotism.
lakelandjim
This movie is significant because of its subject matter: only five short years after World War Two ended, "Japs" have become full-fledged Americans fighting for honor and country. Of course, the movie was released at a time when the US was caught in another Asian war (Korea) and we needed to know the "good" Asians from the "bad" ones.The battle scenes are plausible, if not outstanding, but the greater story arcs are the transformation of Lt. Grayson into a true-blue fan of an ethnic minority he once despised; and the struggle of the Nisei to prove themselves even though they were American all along. Deals with ethnic issues much better than most war movies. Also peppered with humor.
