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Features: DVD
Marine Corps Sgt. John M. Stryker (John Wayne) is a tough guy with an even tougher job--turn a platoon of raw recruits into a combat-ready fighting machine. He pushes them mentally and physically to their limits--with discipline, hard work and sometimes with his fists--and they hate him for it, especially Pfc. Conway (John Agar), the son of Stryker's former CO. Soon Stryker's lessons and their courage are put to the test in a costly skirmish, but the worst is yet to come in one of World War II's fiercest battles, the taking of Iwo Jima. Actual combat footage and the famous flag-raising scene on Mt. Suribachi highlight this gripping human drama of heroism and conquest, brought to life by a superb supporting cast and Wayne in one of the finest performances of his career.
"...one of (John Wayne's) best roles." VideoHound's Golden Movie Retriever
Editor's Note
The legendary gung-ho WWII combat film, stars John Wayne as the battle-hardened Sgt. Stryker, a role that would, perhaps more than any other, come to define the actor's iconography. As he begins to hammer an ethnically diverse group of recruits into combat-ready shape, they learn of his notorious toughness, and of the mystery surrounding his demotion. Stryker finds that Pete Conway (John Agar) the son of his late commanding officer, hated his father and hates Stryker for his likeness to the man. After Stryker and his unit have been fighting on Tarawa Atoll, Cpl. Al Thomas (Forrest Tucker) neglects his post, resulting in the death of one man and the wounding of another. While the squad listens to the moans of Bass (James Brown) the wounded man, Stryker, following orders to entrench, refuses to let anyone help him. Bass is rescued, and when he sees Stryker in Hawaii, tells him about Thomas' screw-up. Stryker and Thomas get into a fight which is stopped by a major, but Thomas accepts the blame, knowing Stryker's career could be destroyed, and begs his forgiveness for his dereliction of duty. The unit is ready to move on to its toughest challenge: Iwo Jima. Like nearly all films made during the period, it's hardly a paradigm of realism, but within its limits it remains a very well-made film, certainly one of Dwan's best. Wayne is perfect in the role which earned him his first Academy Award nomination and took his career to a new level.
| Features | Spanish Subtitles | | French Subtitles | | Interactive Menus | | Dolby Digital Mono | | English Version | | Spanish Version | | "Making Of" Featurette | | Digitally Remastered | | Theatrical Trailer |
| Technical Info
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Release Information
| | Studio: Artisan |
| Release Date: 11/9/2004 |
| Running Time: 131 minutes |
| Original Release Date: 1949 | | Catalog ID: 55570 | | UPC: 00017153557022 | | Number of Discs: 1 |
Audio & Video
| | Original Language: English | | Available Audio Tracks: English [CC], English | | Video: B&W |
Aspect Ratio | | 4:3 |
| Cast & Crew
| Awards |
Oscar (1950) | | | John Wayne, Nominee, Best Actor | | | Richard L. Van Enger, Nominee, Best Film Editing | | | Harry Brown, Nominee, Best Writing, Motion Picture Story |
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| | Professional Reviews | Box Office Magazine 8 of 10
...the film is substantially produced, impressively delineated and understandingly directed. ...it is accorded an aura of spectacle through the judicious and carefully edited interpolation of combat footage filmed during the battle of Iwo Jima and leading up to the thrilling and widely publicizd climax, the planting of the Stars and Stripes on Mount Suribachi.
Leonard Maltin's Movie & Video Guide 8 of 10
Enormously popular WW2 saga, with Wayne in one of his best roles as a tough Marine top-sergeant... good entertainment; use of authentic combat footage is striking. Wayne's first Oscar-nominated performance.
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