Kings Go Forth (1958)

Toward the end of World War II, two American soldiers fighting in Southern France become romantically involved with a young, American woman. Her background will reveal more about them than her.

Director:

Delmer Daves

Writers:

Joe David Brown (novel), Merle Miller (screenplay)

Stars:

Frank Sinatra, Tony Curtis, Natalie Wood

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Frank Sinatra	...	1st Lt. Sam Loggins
Tony Curtis	...	Cpl. Britt Harris
Natalie Wood	...	Monique Blair
Leora Dana	...	Mrs. Blair
Karl Swenson	...	The Colonel
Ann Codee	...	Mme. Brieux
Eddie Ryder	...	Cpl. Lindsay (as Edward Ryder)
Jacques Berthe	...	Jean-François Dauvah, Boy

Storyline

Race, love, and war. The Allies have landed in France, set up in a coastal town, where Lt. Sam Loggins, a serious guy from Manhattan's west side, falls hard for Monique Blair, an American raised in France. Loggins' sergeant, Britt Harris, a playboy from Jersey, also finds Monique attractive. She chooses one to love and the other to befriend after disclosing her parents' history and why she lives in France. The men say it makes no difference, a wedding is announced, and the soldiers face a dangerous mission behind enemy lines. But is everyone being truthful?

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Plot Keywords:

france | soldier | behind enemy lines | mission | american soldier | 

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Taglines:

THEY'D BEEN THROUGH THE LIVING HELL OF WAR...EATING DIRT...CRAWLING ON THEIR GUT! BUT THE REAL HELL WAS TO COME......WHEN THEY FELL IN LOVE WITH MONIQUE! (original print ad - all caps)

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Genres:

Drama | War | Action | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French German

Release Date:

28 June 1958 (USA)

Also Known As:

Rivalen

Filming Locations:

French Riviera, Alpes-Maritimes, France

Company Credits

Production Co:

Frank Ross-Eton Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film utilizes an oft-used storyline of the war movie genre which has two soldiers in love with the same girl.

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Goofs

Harris (Tony Curtis) fires a bazooka into a window of a German bunker, then runs up and tosses a grenade into the window. Then the squad occupies the bunker and there is hardly any damage to the inside of the bunker.

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Connections

Referenced in In Person (1993)

User Reviews

Sinatra starting to get socially conscious

I think around this time is when Sinatra was big pals with Sammy Davis Jr. so getting involved in a film a subject matter like this was probably something he thought he should do.

Basic premise is Sinatra gets to liking a girl in town, when he's on liberty in France, but she's hesitant to getting involved with him. She finally tells him that's her father was a black man. She tells him the basic background of her father and white mother and why they came to France. Back in those times it was it was a common site over there (like Josephine Baker). He takes his time and finally decides he's OK with it but a problem occurs by-way-of Tony Curtis. He's a spoiled little rich kid who gets into the army. He basically has a way with women and gets whatever he wants. He meets Sinatras girl and decides he loves her. This causes issues of course.

I won't talk about the big "gasp" in the movie but needless to say, whether you believe in miscegenation or not, you'll probably agree at what Tony Curtis has comin to em at the end.

This one is certainly not an award winner but all in all...a decent film