Beachhead (1954)

User Rating:

5.9/10   

Director:

Stuart Heisler

Writers:

Richard G. Hubler (novel)
Richard Alan Simmons (writer)

Release Date:

5 February 1954 (USA)

Genre:

War | Drama

Tagline:

Is not just a war move.

Plot:

On a Japanese-occupied island during World War II, only two soldiers remain alive after a mission attempt goes horribly wrong...

Plot Keywords:

Based On Novel

Cast

Tony Curtis	...	Burke
Frank Lovejoy	...	Sgt. Fletcher
Mary Murphy	...	Nina Bouchard
Eduard Franz	...	Bouchard, French Planter
Skip Homeier	...	Reynolds
John Doucette	...	Maj. Scott
Alan Wells	...	Biggerman
Akira Fukunaga	...	Terrified Japanese Sailor (as Sunshine Akira Fukunaga)
Dan Aoki	...	Japanese Sniper
Steamboat Mokuahi	...	Malanesian, Island native

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Singapore:PG | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #16685)

Filming Locations:

Kaua`i, Hawaii, USA

Company:

Aubrey Schenck Productions

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Suddenly (1954)

Passable war drama

Tony Curtis stars as a US Marine on a treacherous mission to locate a Frenchman on Bougainville who may have important information which will save the lives of hundreds of American troops. He's accompanied on the mission by Sergeant Frank Lovejoy, who failed in his last mission on Guadalcanal, and GIs Skip Homeier and Alan Wells. The film's title implies an invasion sequence, but Beachhead is more of a cat and mouse chase film, with our heroes--also burdened by the presence of attractive love interest Mary Murphy--being pursued by a squad of Japanese troops. Curtis looks hot and hunky and never has a hair out of place. It's not the most realistic or exciting war film you've ever seen, but the Kauai location footage adds flavour and Lovejoy is fairly good.