Story of G.I. Joe (1945)

War correspondent Ernie Pyle joins Company C, 18th Infantry as this American army unit fights its way across North Africa in World War II. He comes to know the soldiers and finds much human... See full summary »

Director:

William A. Wellman

Writers:

Leopold Atlas (screenplay), Guy Endore (screenplay),

Stars:

Burgess Meredith, Robert Mitchum, Freddie Steele

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 5 wins.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Burgess Meredith	...	Ernie Pyle - Scripps-Howard War Correspondent
Robert Mitchum	...	Lt. Walker
Freddie Steele	...	Sgt. Warnicki
Wally Cassell	...	Pvt. Dondaro
Jimmy Lloyd	...	Pvt. Spencer
John R. Reilly	...	Pvt. Murphy (as John Reilly)
William Murphy	...	Pvt. Mew (as Bill Murphy)
Sicily and Italy Combat Veterans of the Campaigns in Africa	...	Themselves

Storyline

War correspondent Ernie Pyle joins Company C, 18th Infantry as this American army unit fights its way across North Africa in World War II. He comes to know the soldiers and finds much human interest material for his readers back in the States. Later, he catches up with the unit in Italy and accompanies it through the battles of San Vittorio and Cassino. He learns from its commanding officer, Lt. (later Capt.) Bill Walker of the loneliness of command, and from the individual G.I.'s of the human capacity to survive drudgery, discomfort, and the terror of combat.

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Plot Keywords:

combat | infantry | soldier | war correspondent | battle | 

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | War

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Italian

Release Date:

13 July 1945 (USA)

Also Known As:

Ernie Pyle's Story of G.I. Joe

Filming Locations:

Selznick International Studios - 9336 Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Lester Cowan Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The extras in the film were real American GIs, in the process of being transferred from the war in Europe to the Pacific. Many of them were killed in the fighting on Okinawa - the same battle in which Ernie Pyle was killed by a Japanese machine gunner - never having seen the movie in which they appeared.

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Goofs

Much of this film revolves around the battles around Monte Cassino and the controversial bombing of the abbey, with several references to the monastery being used by the Germans as an observation post. Although the film acknowledges that the Germans used it as a defensive position after the bombing, it does not mention that the abbey had been unoccupied by the Germans and that the bombing was unnecessary. Given that this movie was filmed in 1945 while the war was still being fought, it is perhaps understandable that this fact was not mentioned.

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Quotes

Capt.Bill Walker: The new kids that come up, that's what gets you. The new ones, some of them have just got a little fuzz on their faces. They don't know what its all about. Scared to death. You know, Ernie, I know it ain't my fault that they get killed, but it makes me feel like a murderer. I hate to look at 'em, the new kids.

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Crazy Credits

There are absolutely no credits at the end of the film, not even the words "The End".

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Connections

Referenced in Forecast (1945)

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Soundtracks

"Silent Night"
(uncredited)
Music by Franz Gruber
Lyrics by Joseph Mohr
Sung by Elfie Mayerhofer on Decca Record

User Reviews

I was There

I entered for 17 weeks of infantry basic training at Camp Roberts California in January,1945. I was just 18. I was in the 96th, inf, training battlion. I am 73 now. The movie about Ernie Pyle was being made there in part. Some of the trainees were in the film. I recall my company marching over and over on this same hill to make it look like there was a full army there for the picture. My company commander was in the film as was the company mascot dog. I can't recall much more about the film as I have'nt seen it in a long time, getting old I guess. I surely would like to have a VCR copy of it too. If anyone has a copy to sell, please let me know. I recall that Burgess Meredith had lunch in the mess hall and shot the bull with the G.I.s there. Thats about all that I can remember for now. Hope this helps. G