None But the Brave (1965)

Sorry, I Don't Understand Japanese!

I'm not sure if it was shown this way in the theater, but how could you listen to so much Japanese talk with no subtitles? Horrible! Sure, you can turn on the DVD subtitles, but that works for English as well. Bummer! As far as being a war movie, pretty much lame. The GI's act as the enemey did in my review of Beach Red. Here you are with an unknown enemy around you, and these guys sit around and play cards and get haircuts! Four stars for the ending and the anti-war message. June 21, 2008

None But the Brave

This is one of Sinatra's better vehicles. Some have criticized him as an actor but he proves himself to be more than capable in this movie. Sinatra was a multi-talented man, movies being his second vocation. The biggest problem with Sinatra, the actor, was he had a tendency to be lazy. He never liked to do more than two takes for any scene he was in. His claim was that a scene would loose its 'freshness' if more than two takes were done, that may be so but it led to some sloppiness.

None But the Brave would be the fifth & final movie he would receive a producer credit, it's also the only movie he directed. Sinatra portrays Maloney, a corpsman. His role isn't the overshadowing role one would think he would cast himself into, after all, he was the producer & director. The screen time of the Japanese actor, Tatsuya Mihashi, is the actual starring role. He's the narrator of the movie &, in many ways, it's told from the Japanese perspective. Clint Walker portrays Capt. Bourke, the pilot of the plane that crash lands on the island. His role is as large as Sinatra's. Tommy Sands portrays the marine 2nd lieutenant who's on his first command. His portrayal is at times comical because he's so green & gung ho. It's a pretty good performance.

The movie revolves between the two military groups who are at war with one another, both stranded with no means to communicate to their respective commands. It's an intelligently done movie, showing both sides of their humanity. What makes this movie different, especially for its time, is the way the Japanese are portrayed. They're presented as humans also, not just a mindless enemy. The Japanese officer proposes a peace so that both groups can survive. An uneasy peace ensues that's constantly in jeopardy of being destroyed. Both sides agree to the truce until a rescue team shows up, doesn't matter which side. The humanity of the film is touching especially when Maloney goes to the Japanese camp to amputate the leg of a Japanese soldier that has gangrene. There's a moment when both sides have to pull together as a team when a monsoon hits the island. All this, of course, is setting up the inevitable conflict between the Americans & Japanese in the final scene. It's sad to see this happen when the two groups have done so much to overcome their differences. But the other thing is they are soldiers who are loyal to their countries, bound to duty & defense of their homelands. The ending is cliched but true: "No one ever wins". June 2, 2008

A unique perspective

Overblown, overacted, and sometimes cliché, this movie nonetheless tried something new. Show both sides in wartime. As a former soldier, some of the behaviors and actions of the Marines were incomprehensible, but the movie does get its point across in the final scene with the words; "No One Ever Wins". Give it a watch and for crying out loud, put it out on DVD!!!! October 22, 2004

�None but the Brave� is an ANTI-WAR movie � not a war movie!

>> `None but the Brave' is an ANTI-WAR movie - not a war movie! This film was the Vietnam-era equivalent of `All Quiet on the Western Front' - and an excellent anti-war movie at that. Yet so far, every review completely misses the deliberate, deeper meaning of this outstanding film. Additionally, everyone completely misses the context of the times that this movie was made under. Frank Sinatra - a well-known, active supporter of JFK, directed this movie - and as such this film speaks volumes for Sinatra's often misunderstood and wrongly maligned character - a character of true personal courage. This movie was released in 1965, after the death of JFK (who wanted to curtail US involvement in Vietnam in late 1963)...and it was released during the presidency of LBJ (who escalated the Vietnam War with pitiful, dishonorable results for the US).

>>In a W.W.II setting, small bands of both American and Japanese military forces are stranded on a small, insignificant Pacific island. The leaders of both deadly enemies quickly realize that the only way to survival is for both groups to cooperate, collaborate, care for each other - and renounce war at their level. When taken in total context, this film examines the inherent tragedy and the uncertainty of war for every soldier; as well as the unknown fortunes and misfortunes of war for every soldier. This film also probes the sad and useless mindsets that soldiers are forced go to war with - vs.- the reality of and the capacity for humanity within every soldier at war. The film drives home the undeniable point that the humanity of soldiers in war is a direct product of sage Leadership - no less than any inhumanity of in war is a direct product of despicable directives that fosters the fears and prejudices of every soldier in combat. True military leadership never wants war - true military leadership only desires to survive war as a surviving victor.

>> Just like its predecessor, `All Quiet on the Western Front', this low budget production has the obvious faults of obvious acting, an obvious script, an obvious plot, and obvious special effects - none of which rate very high by technical filmmaking standards of yesterday or today. However, despite all of its technical shortcomings, this film portrays an anti-war philosophy in a highly intelligent manner. For just like its predecessor, `None but the Brave' has a powerful, timeless message about innate humanity - vs.- the inherent, tragic, deeper meaning of war.

>>Ultimately, this film espouses the poignant anti-war message that there are no real winners in any war. War always produces a tragic, lose-lose outcome camouflaged by a motley combination of victorious survivors versus vanquished refugees. April 6, 2004

Frank Sinatra's None But The Brave

Again Frank Sinatra gives another fine performance (he has always been underrated as an actor in my opinion) and he even directed this film! This is an interesting W.W.II film set on an island in the Pacific where small bands of both American and Japanese forces are stranded. This film examines the human sacrifices made in war and questions if there is justification for those sacrifices examined through the camaraderie and reminisces of fellow combatants on both sides. Sinatra, as director, gives Clint Walker a chance to demonstrate his acting abilities in a fine dramatic performance. The stalwart cast also includes Tatsuya Mihashi, Tommy Sands, Tony Bill, Brad Dexter,Takeshi Kato and Sammy Jackson. Listen for an early score composed by John (Johnny) Williams. I always liked this one. August 18, 2000

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