Western Front Association - U.S. Branch - Movie Review of What Price Glory

WHAT PRICE GLORY? (1952). VHS NTSC format (U.S. and Canada only) released 1991; Twentieth Century Fox Studios; About $20 at Amazon.com; directed by John Ford and starring James Cagney, Corinne Calvet, and others. This is a remake of an earlier silent film. Reviewed by Jim Minnoch, rating

1/2, who can be reached at www.jemcam@comcast.net.

The tough Marine CO of Company L is Captain Flag (James Cagney) who is just back from the trenches and is assigned a new top Sergeant, Sergeant Quirt (Dan Dailey). Both are career Marines; they have met elsewhere in Corps assignments and there is animosity between them. Quickly, they get into a fist fight in the Captain's office and it soon becomes clear that military rank between them accounts for little. Somehow, they both seek the attention of the beautiful Charmaine (Connie Calvet), the tavern keeper's daughter, and another war breaks out. Sergeant Moran (Harry Morgan) tries to keep the peace, without much success.

Theatre Poster

Private Lewiston (Robert Wagner) also arrives with the replacements, and is soon falling in love with a girl from the village. The main thrust of the plot is the sadness when the Marine company is ordered back to the front lines and Quirt must leave Charmaine, perhaps forever, like so many soldiers before him. There are a couple brief battle scenes. To enjoy this film one would have to like the main actors, who were extremely popular at the time, who do what they are supposed to do: act.

Created: 20 March 2004