(1943)
3
Aubry Anne D'Arminio
Bataan is blatantly one-sided. It is racist, blurs the facts, and when watched today, looks as real as a puppet show. Yet, in 1943, this film admirably stood for two very important things: the undeniable heroism of the United States Armed Forces and the advent of the WWII combat film. Before Bataan, Hollywood handled the war through "safe" service comedies and spy pictures. Bataan fearlessly embraced combat, setting the bar for subsequent films and initiating its new genre. The film's successful formula defined the characteristics of the WWII combat film -- including the multi-ethnic unit that has a religious man, a learned man, an experienced man, and a neophyte; the stated objective; the internal group conflicts; and the talk of home. Even the most novel WWII films owe debt to Bataan -- simply compare the characters in Saving Private Ryan to those in this influential picture. Bataan's attitude and appearance are not impressive, but its importance in film history renders it eternally watchable and forever interesting.
Bataan on AllMovie
Bataan (1943)
