The Fighting 69th (1940)

Director:

William Keighley

Writers:

Norman Reilly Raine (original screenplay) &
Fred Niblo Jr. (original screenplay) ...

Release Date:

5 July 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Biography | Drama | History | War

Tagline:

Jammed With Action ! . . Loaded With Excitement ! . . . And Every Thrill-Packed Word Is True !

Plot:

Although loudmouthed braggart Jerry Plunkett alienates his comrades and officers, Father Duffy, the regimental chaplain, has faith that he'll prove himself in the end.

Plot Keywords:

Chaplain | Cowardice | Braggart | Faith | Poet

Cast

James Cagney	...	Private Jerry Plunkett
Pat O'Brien	...	Father Francis P. Duffy
George Brent	...	Major 'Wild Bill' Donovan
Jeffrey Lynn	...	Sergeant Joyce Kilmer
Alan Hale	...	Sergeant 'Big Mike' Wynn
Frank McHugh	...	Terence 'Crepe-Hanger' Burke
Dennis Morgan	...	Lieutenant Oliver Ames
Dick Foran	...	Lieutenant 'Long John' Wynn
William Lundigan	...	Private Timothy 'Timmy' Wynn
Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams	...	Paddy Dolan
Henry O'Neill	...	The Colonel
John Litel	...	Captain Mangan
Sammy Cohen	...	Mike Murphy, an alias of Mischa Moskowitz
Harvey Stephens	...	Major Alex Anderson
William Hopper	...	Private Turner (as DeWolf Hopper)

Also Known As:

Father Duffy of the Fighting 69th (USA) (working title)
The Old 69th (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

90 min | Finland:84 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Hebrew | Latin | Yiddish

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:PG | Finland:K-15 (new rating: 2001) | Australia:G (TV rating) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #5756)

Filming Locations:

Providencia Ranch, Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Herbert Anderson's movie debut.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: After the skirmish in the woods, an "unconscious" German prisoner obligingly stands on his feet prior to being carried back to the American lines.

Quotes:

Major 'Wild Bill' Donovan: [to Father Duffy] Well, it's a fortunate thing you're not a *crook!* You could sell the *Brooklyn Bridge* to the *police department!*

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Projectionist (1971)

Soundtrack:

Bedelia

Father Duffy's Regiment

THE FIGHTING 69th (Warner Brothers, 1940), directed by William Keighley, teams James Cagney and Pat O'Brien for the seventh time on screen. A fine pair of fine Irish actors who were reportedly best friends in real life, they were first united in HERE COMES THE NAVY (1934), which was followed by other military themes such as DEVIL DOGS OF THE AIR and CEILING ZERO (both 1935).

In THE FIGHTING 69th, which is based on a factual presentation of the 69th's war record and set during the World War, features O'Brien in one of his best roles as Father Francis Duffy (an actual character), with Cagney playing Jerry Plunkett (a fictional character) from Brooklyn, NY, who joins the regiment. At first he defies authority and feels the world revolves around him, but when it is time for him to go out and face real combat, he changes his tune after hearing the sounds of bombs, seeing the sight of dead bodies around him, and goes into hysterical outbursts, showing that not only is he just a coward, but the one responsible for the death of several of the men in his company. In true Hollywood tradition, coward redeems himself when given a second chance, thanks to the grace of Father Duffy.

Robert Osborne, host of Turner Classic Movies, where this war story is shown, comments that THE FIGHTING 69th was one of the biggest money makers of 1940. With an all-star cast of only male performers, it presents Warner Brothers veteran stock players as George Brent, Jeffrey Lynn, Frank McHugh, Alan Hale, Dennis Morgan and Dick Foran, many playing actual men of The Fighting 69th, especially Lynn as famous poet Joyce Kilmer. In spite of it being historically inaccurate, good acting, humorous moments (especially by McHugh) and serious battle scenes make this still worth seeing. Beware of shorter prints. Originally distributed to theaters at 89 minutes, Turner Classic Movies had acquired a latter reissue 79 minute copy that eliminated the introduction of the main actors as shown through scenes/or outtakes from the movie with their faces over the names and their acting roles, along with some early portions of the story, and the closing casting credits. In order to view the complete print from the 1940 print, a 1990s video copy from MGM/UA had to be purchased or rented. After many years of having the 79 minute print presented on TCM, a complete 89 minute copy finally aired Saturday, July 29, 2006. (****)