Wake Island (1942)

December, 1941. With no hope of relief or re-supply, a small band of United States Marines try to keep the Japanese Navy from capturing their island base.

Director:

John Farrow

Writers:

W.R. Burnett (screenplay), Frank Butler (screenplay),

Stars:

Brian Donlevy, Macdonald Carey, Robert Preston

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 4 wins.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Brian Donlevy	...	Maj. Geoffrey Caton
Macdonald Carey	...	Lt. Bruce Cameron
Robert Preston	...	Pvt. Joe Doyle
William Bendix	...	Pvt. Aloysius K. 'Smacksie' Randall
Albert Dekker	...	Shad McClosky
Walter Abel	...	Cmdr. Roberts
Mikhail Rasumny	...	Ivan Probenzky
Rod Cameron	...	Capt. Pete Lewis
Bill Goodwin	...	Sgt. Higbee / Narrator
Damian O'Flynn	...	Capt. Bill Patrick
Frank Albertson	...	Johnny Rudd

Storyline

In November 1941, Major Caton takes command of the small Marine garrison on Wake Island. His tendency toward spit and polish upsets the men's tropical lassitude, but Pearl Harbor changes everything. Soon the island is attacked and the Marines pull together day by day; but how long can they hold out?

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Plot Keywords:

marines | standoff | reference to emperor hirohito | courage | natural wipe | 

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Taglines:

Leathernecks . . writing another glorious chapter of purposeful courage in America's history!

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Genres:

Action | Drama | War

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Japanese

Release Date:

11 August 1942 (USA)

Also Known As:

Heldenlegioen

Filming Locations:

Salton Sea, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

87 min

Sound Mix:

Mono Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The island was discovered by Spanish explorers in 1568 and ironically named San Francisco. It was renamed for William Wake, captain of a British trading schooner, who visited the atoll in 1796. It was claimed by the United States in 1899.

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Goofs

Wake island defenders did not have a dog.

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Quotes

Pvt. Aloysius K. 'Smacksie' Randall: [Dressed in civilian clothes] World, here I come!

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Connections

Featured in Wake Island: Alamo of the Pacific (2003)

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Soundtracks

"Marine Hymn"
(uncredited)
Music by Jacques Offenbach ("Gendarme's Duet") 1867
Heard under opening credirs

User Reviews

History Channel debunks this script

This week the History Channel presented a fine documentary on this action. No question that the Wake Island defenders were heroic in every way, but they did not fight to the last man, as the film implied. The commanding officer surrendered the island to the Japanese after an American admiral decided the Marines weren't worth it and recalled a task force steaming to Wake's rescue. The Japanese decided not to follow their instincts and murder their captives outright, knowing the atrocity would be obvious. Later, when defeat was imminent, the Japanese commander in a rage murdered all the civilians; he was hanged for it. The few surviving Marines endured terrible captivity until the war's end. Six of them were featured in the documentary. Their stories were heart-wrenching.