Story of G.I. Joe (1945)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

William A. Wellman

Writers:

Leopold Atlas (writer) and
Guy Endore (writer) ...

Release Date:

13 July 1945 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | War

Plot:

War correspondent Ernie Pyle joins Company C, 18th Infantry as this American army unit fights its way across North Africa in World War II...

Plot Keywords:

Soldier | Italy | Infantry | Army | War Correspondent

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Oscars.

US TV Schedule:

Tue. July 21

7:30 AM

TCM

Cast

Burgess Meredith	...	Ernie Pyle / Narrator
Robert Mitchum	...	Lt. / Capt. Bill Walker
Freddie Steele	...	Sgt. Steve Warnicki
Wally Cassell	...	Pvt. Dondaro
Jimmy Lloyd	...	Pvt. Spencer
John R. Reilly	...	Pvt. Robert 'Wingless' Murphy
William Murphy	...	Pv. Mew (as Bill Murphy)
Sicily and Italy Combat Veterans of the Campaigns in Africa	...	Themselves
Don Whitehead	...	Himself (A.P.)
George Lait	...	Himself (International News Service)
Chris Cunningham	...	Himself (U.P.)
Hal Boyle	...	Himself (A.P.)
Jack Foisie	...	Himself (Stars and Stripes)
Bob Landry	...	Himself (Life)
Lucien Hubbard	...	Himself (Readers Digest)

Also Known As:

Ernie Pyle's Story of G.I. Joe (USA) (complete title)
G.I. Joe (USA) (short title)
War Correspondent

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

Finland:K-12 | USA:Approved (PCA #10863) | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Lester Cowan Productions

Trivia:

Several of the humorous lines spoken by G.I.s in the film are taken, uncredited, from WWII cartoonist Bill Mauldin's "Willie and Joe" characters.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The unit Pyle is with -the 18th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division- never fought in the Italian campaign. After the Sicilian campaign ended, it was brought back to England and began training for the D-Day invasion in Normandy. The 1st Division would eventually spearhead the assault on Omaha Beach.

Quotes:

Pvt. Dondaro: Tonight, boy, tonight I dream in Technicolor.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Private Screenings: Robert Mitchum and Jane Russell" (1996)

Soundtrack:

Silent Night

War can be a personal thing. Classic. Best of genre.

William Wellman directs the story of G.I.Joe and noted war correspondent Ernie Pyle(Burgess Meredith). Fighting soldiers tell their stories to Pyle as he follows the infantry through North Africa and Italy. Meredith is outstanding. Robert Mitchum is exceptional as Lt/Capt. Bill Walker. Also in the cast are Freddie Steele, Jimmy Lloyd, William Murphy and Wally Cassell. This war drama is one of the greatest of its kind. War footage sets an early standard. Highly recommended.