Immortal Sergeant

Director: John M. Stahl John M. Stahl

Overview

Though Henry Fonda is top-billed in The Immortal Sergeant, the title character is played by Thomas Mitchell. Set in the Libyan Desert during WW2, the story finds tough but compassionate British Eighth Army sergeant Kelly (Thomas Mitchell) in charge of a 14-man patrol. Kelly's corporal is Colin Spence (Henry Fonda), a shy and retiring Canadian. When the squad becomes lost in the desert, it is the guidance and example of Kelly that brings the timid Spence out of his shell. Kelly ultimately dies, leaving Spence in charge of the surviving soldiers. Applying the lessons learned from the Immortal Sergeant, Spence is able to lead his comrades back to allied lines, becoming a hero in the process. Second-billed Maureen O'Hara plays Spence's sweetheart in a series of gratuitous but effective flashbacks. Immortal Sergeant was based on the novel by John Brophy.

Product Details

Release Date:	11/06/2018
UPC:	0024543586234
Original Release:	1943
Source:	ALLIED VAUGHN
Language:	English
Time:	1:31:00
Sales rank:	42,824

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Henry Fonda	Cpl. Colin Spence
Maureen O'Hara	Valentine Lee
Thomas Mitchell	Sgt. Kelly
Allyn Joslyn	Cassidy
Reginald Gardiner	Benedict
Melville Cooper	Pilcher
Bramwell Fletcher	Symes
Morton Lowry	Cottrell
David Thursby	Bren Carrier Driver
Guy Kingsford	Lorry Driver
Bud Geary	Driver
Peter Lawford	Soldier
Gordon Clark	Soldier
John Whitney	Soldier
John Meredith	Soldier
Donald Stuart	Post Corporal
Eric Wilton	Headwaiter
Anthony Marsh	Assistant Post Corporal
Charles Irwin	Noncommissioned Man
James Craven	Noncommissioned Man
Sam Waagenaar	German
John Banner	German Officer
Wilson Benge	Waiter
Leslie Vincent	Runner
Bob Mascagno	Specialty Dancer
Italia DeNubila	Specialty Dancer
Frederick Giermann	German Soldier
Henry Guttman	Soldier
Hans von Morhart	Soldier
Gordon B. Clark	Soldier
David Buttolph	Composer

Technical Credits

Lamar Trotti

John M. Stahl	Director
Lamar Trotti	Producer,Screenwriter
Roger Heman	Sound/Sound Designer
W.D. Flick	Sound/Sound Designer

Editorial Reviews

A so-so wartime propaganda film, The Immortal Sergeant is not itself destined for immortality. Indeed, despite the presence of Henry Fonda in the lead, Immortal is a fairly forgotten film today, and not without reason. While not a bad film, it's a very dated one, and a film that many modern viewers will find corny. Audiences in 1943 would have responded differently, finding it a morale booster that reminded them of the important role one man can play in a difficult situation, especially during a war. But even 1943 audiences might have found the picture to be overly clichéd and quite predictable. Director John M. Stahl does, however, deliver the goods in terms of keeping the action sequences exciting, and he even manages to inject some genuinely moving moments into the proceedings: the sharing of the last cigarette sequence, for example, hits its target quite truly. Immortal's biggest asset, however, is Fonda. The actor apparently did not like the role, but one would never know it from his performance. He gives the part all the quiet strength and conviction that one could wish. Thomas Mitchell, in the title role, is also quite good, and the supporting cast does its job more than capably.

All Movie Guide - Craig Butler