Darby's Rangers (1958)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Director:

William A. Wellman

Writers:

Guy Trosper (written by)
James J. Altieri (book)

Release Date:

8 April 1958 (Japan)

Genre:

Action | War | Drama

Tagline:

Nothing Like It Since "Battle Cry"!

Plot Keywords:

Tank | North Africa | Beautiful Woman | Fog | Sicily

Cast

James Garner	...	Col. William Orlando Darby
Etchika Choureau	...	Angelina De Lotta / Dittmann
Jack Warden	...	MSgt. Saul Rosen / Narrator
Edd Byrnes	...	Lt. Arnold Dittman (as Edward Byrnes)
Venetia Stevenson	...	Peggy McTavish
Torin Thatcher	...	Sgt. McTavish
Peter Brown	...	Pvt. / Cpl. Rollo Burns
Joan Elan	...	Wendy Hollister, Bishop's girl in London
Corey Allen	...	Pvt. Pittsburgh Tony Sutherland
Stuart Whitman	...	Sgt. / SSgt. / Sfc. Hank Bishop
Murray Hamilton	...	Pvt. / Sgt. Sims Delancey
William Wellman Jr.	...	Pvt. Eli Clatworthy (as Bill Wellman Jr.)
Andrea King	...	Mrs. Sheilah Andrews
Adam Williams	...	Cpl. Heavy Hall
Frieda Inescort	...	Lady Hollister

Also Known As:

The Young Invaders (UK)
William A.Wellman's Darby's Rangers (USA) (complete title)

Runtime:

121 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (certificate #18594) | West Germany:18 | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Final film of H.B. Warner. He died before its release, and appears in an unbilled bit part.

The Tip Of The Spear

Darby's Rangers is the story both of a proud group of the best and brightest the USA sent to war and the commander who sold the idea to the brass and the outfit was unofficially named for him. It was director William Wellman's next to last feature film and the first starring picture of James Garner.

As William Orlando Darby, James Garner is far from the cynical and comical Bret Maverick whom he was portraying on television at the time in a mega-hit series. Garner sells the idea of having an Americanized version of the British commando spearheading the American landings wherever they may be.

Trained by the British Commandos, Darby's Rangers or as it is officially known the First Ranger Batallion comes into being. We follow the Rangers from their first blooding at Dieppe through the North African and Italian campaigns until they were nearly annihilated at Cisterna, protecting the Allied landing at Anzio.

The film is narrated by Jack Warden who plays Garner's chief non-commissioned officer in the unit. We meet all the Rangers, some of them not the noblest of characters such as womanizing Corey Allen who takes up with married British lady Andrea King. Young shavetail lieutenant Edd Byrnes gets a baptism of fire on many fronts both in battle with Garner and in love with Etchika Choureau.

After the action of this film is concluded Darby was killed on April 30, 1945 just days from VE Day in action. Coincidentally on the same day that Adolph Hitler committed suicide. Maybe it was better for the film to end as it did however for entertainment value.

It's a fine World War II film about a true story. And this review is dedicated to those survivors if there be any of our First American Ranger Batallion and their gallant fallen comrades.