Battle on the Beach (1961)
"Battle at Bloody Beach" (original title)

This is only the second Audie Murphy movie set in WWII after his autobiographical "To Hell and Back." Here Murphy steps out of his usual kid-Western role to play a civilian working for the ... See full summary »

Director:

Herbert Coleman

Writers:

Richard Maibaum (screenplay), Richard Maibaum (story),

Stars:

Audie Murphy, Gary Crosby, Dolores Michaels

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Audie Murphy	...	Craig Benson
Gary Crosby	...	Marty Sackler
Dolores Michaels	...	Ruth Benson
Alejandro Rey	...	Julio Fontana
Marjorie Stapp	...	Caroline Pelham
Barry Atwater	...	Pelham
E.J. André	...	Dr. Van Bart
Dale Ishimoto	...	Blanco
Lillian Bronson	...	Delia Ellis
Miriam Colon	...	Nahni
Pilar Seurat	...	Camota
William Mims	...	M'Keever
Ivan Dixon	...	Tiger Blair
Sara Anderson	...	Mrs. Thompson
Kevin Brodie	...	Timmy Thompson

Storyline

This is only the second Audie Murphy movie set in WWII after his autobiographical "To Hell and Back." Here Murphy steps out of his usual kid-Western role to play a civilian working for the Navy helping supply guerilla insurgents in the Philippines. His sole motive is not politics nor bravery, but to find his bride from whom he was separated during the Japanese invasion two years before.

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Plot Keywords:

philippines | guerilla | island | combat | chase | 

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Genres:

Drama | War

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

June 1961 (USA)

Also Known As:

Schlacht an der Blutküste

Filming Locations:

Santa Catalina Island, Channel Islands, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

83 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Referenced in Schlock! The Secret History of American Movies (2001)

User Reviews

Audie Murphy mows 'em down!

I've often wondered how WWII action flicks played with audiences of the early 1960s--did movie-goers still feel patriotic about them or was there a sense that it was time to move on from stories pitting Americans against the ruthless Japanese? Here, married Audie Murphy sails the Pacific searching for his missing spouse, eventually finding her on an island in the Phillipines along with a band of Americans and Polynesians being threatened by the relentless Japanese army. In Audie's absence, his Mrs. has taken up the guerrilla fighter's cause--and with thin-but-swarthy soldier Alejandro Rey!--but when they're surrounded by bloodthirsty Japs, the group must put aside their differences long enough to survive. Typical war movie, though with the added pleasure of some campy action and not-bad black-and-white cinematography. Murphy was never much of an actor, but here his stolid manner is a relief from all the hysteria. The director shows absolutely no sympathy for the dead or the dying (on either side), but the central romantic situation is handled with surprising skill and the climactic battle, though hurt by choppy editing, is nevertheless involving. ** from ****