Battle Cry [Blu-ray]

Director: Raoul Walsh Raoul Walsh

Overview

Adapted by Leon Uris from his own novel, the film follows a group of World War II marines, from Basic Training to Battlefield. Major Van Heflin knows that his men are spoiling for a real fight, but must make do with the desultory skirmishes assigned them by the Brass. All this changes with an onslaught of heavy-duty battling in the South Pacific. Aldo Ray plays a tough leatherneck who falls in love with demure Nancy Olson, while James Whitmore, Tab Hunter, Dorothy Malone and Raymond Massey costar. And watch for young Justus McQueen, cast as private L.Q. Jones; McQueen liked his character name so much that he adopted it as his professional cognomen. Composer Max Steiner's musical score earned him an Oscar nomination.

Product Details

Release Date:	11/14/2017
UPC:	0888574489038
Original Release:	1955
Rating:	NR
Source:	Warner Archives
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	2:28:00
Sales rank:	23,741

Special Features

Theatrical trailer

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Tab Hunter	Pvt./Cpl. Dan 'Danny' Forrester
Aldo Ray	Pvt./Pfc. Andy Hookens
Mona Freeman	Kathy
Van Heflin	Major Sam Huxley
Nancy Olson	Mrs. Pat Rogers
James Whitmore	Sgt. Mac/Narrator
Raymond Massey	Gen. Snipes
Dorothy Malone	Mrs. Elaine Yarborough
Anne Francis	Rae
William Campbell	Ski
John Lupton	Marion Hotchkiss
L.Q. Jones	L.Q. Jones
Perry Lopez	Joe Gomez
Fess Parker	Speedy
Jonas Applegarth	Lighttower
Tommy Cook	Ziltch
Felix Noriego	Crazy Horse
Susan Morrow	Susan
Carleton Young	Maj. Jim Wellman
Rhys Williams	Enoch Rogers
Allyn Ann McLerie	Ruby, Waitress
Gregory Walcott	Sgt. Jim Beller
Frank Ferguson	Mr. Hector Walker
Sarah Selby	Mrs. Forrester
Willis Bouchey	Mr. Forrester,Mr. Forrester
Glenn Denning	Sea Bags
Chick Chandler	Chaplain
Chief Jonas Applegarth	Lighttower
Lee Allen	Actor
Victor Millan	Pedro
Don Durant	Actor
Max Steiner	Composer

Technical Credits

Leon Uris

Raoul Walsh	Director,Producer
Jack L. Warner	Producer
Leon Uris	Screenwriter
Francis Scheid	Sound/Sound Designer

Editorial Reviews

A big hit in 1955, Battle Cry today comes across as an average relationships-during-war movie. It's surprising to see that Battle is directed by Raoul Walsh; with Walsh at the helm, one expects that the majority of this two and a half hour film will be spent on the front lines, with shells bursting and guns blazing. In fact, only the final half hour or so involves combat, with most of the rest revolving around the tangled love lives of its Marine heroes. In some other films, focusing on the personal lives of combatants pays big dividends, but the turgid, clichéd and overlong screenplay for Battle offers little of interest. Walsh does what he can, gamely trying to mine the drama out of the stereotypes he has been presented with and hoping that playing the soap operatics for all they're worth will be enough to make the film the epic that it wants to be. Alas, it isn't. Things are not helped by the hammy acting of many of the principal players. The final action sequence is gripping, and Van Heflin and James Whitmore do very well with the material, but the only aspect of Battle that really stands out is Max Steiner's score.

All Movie Guide - Craig Butler