The Thin Red Line (1964)

Director:

Andrew Marton

Writers:

Bernard Gordon (writer)
James Jones (novel)

Release Date:

2 May 1964 (USA)

Genre:

War | Drama

Tagline:

Great Books Make Great Motion Pictures!

Plot:

In Guadalcanal during World War II, a private and his sergeant clash during the heat of battle with the Japanese.

Plot Keywords:

Anti War | Based On Novel | Independent Film

Cast

Keir Dullea	...	Pvt. Doll
Jack Warden	...	First Sgt. Welsh
James Philbrook	...	Col. Tall
Bob Kanter	...	Fife (as Robert Kanter)
Ray Daley	...	Capt. Stone
Merlyn Yordan	...	Judy
Kieron Moore	...	Lt. Band
Jim Gillen	...	Capt. Gaff
Charles Stalmaker		(as Charles Stalnaker)
Steve Rowland	...	Mazzi
Gary Lasdun
Eddy King		(as Edward King)
Jeffrey O'Kelly
Jack Gaskins
Joe Collins

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Japanese

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Finland:K-16

Filming Locations:

Madrid, Spain

Company:

A.C.E. Films

Trivia:

This movie takes place at the Battle of Guadacanal. Guadalcanal is situated in the Solomon Islands in the Pacific Ocean, north-east of Australia. Its local name is Isatabu and contains the country's capital, Honiara. The island is humid and mostly made up of jungle with a surface area of 2,510 square miles or 6,500-km². Guadacanal was named after Pedro de Ortega's home town Guadacanal in Andalusia, Spain. de Ortega worked under Álvaro de Mendaña who charted the island in 1568.

Movie Connections:

Version of The Thin Red Line (1998)

Lust to kill drives Marines in island combat.

Grim psychological study of two Marines on Guadalcanal, each seemingly trying to top the other in body count of Japanese slain, not for God, country, or to win the war, but for the sheer joy of killing.

Extremely realistic combat sequences coupled with Dullea's excellent portrayal of the on-the-edge-of-madness Pvt. Doll make this one of my favorite war films.