MacArthur (1977)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Joseph Sargent

Writers:

Hal Barwood (written by) &
Matthew Robbins (written by)

Release Date:

July 1977 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | History | War

Tagline:

Daring, Defiant, Brilliant, Stubborn, Gallant, Glory-Hungry, Cold, Compassionate, Idolized, Despised, War-Lover, War-Hater, Supreme Commander, Supreme Egotist, Husband, Father. MacArthur.

Plot:

The story of General of the Army Douglas MacArthur, Supreme Allied Commander during World War II and United Nations Commander for the Korean War...

Plot Keywords:

Korean War | General | President | WWII | Douglas Macarthur

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe.

Cast

Gregory Peck	...	Gen. Douglas MacArthur
Ivan Bonar	...	Lt. Gen. Richard K. Sutherland
Ward Costello	...	Gen. George C. Marshall
Nicolas Coster	...	Colonel Sidney Huff - MacArthur's aide
Marj Dusay	...	Mrs. Jean MacArthur
Ed Flanders	...	President Harry S. Truman
Art Fleming	...	The Secretary
Russell Johnson	...	Adm. Ernest J. King (as Russell D. Johnson)
Sandy Kenyon	...	Maj. Gen. / Lt. Gen. Jonathan M. Wainwright
Robert Mandan	...	Rep. Martin
Allan Miller	...	Col. Legrande A. Diller (MacArthur's aide)
Dan O'Herlihy	...	President Franklin D. Roosevelt
Dick O'Neill	...	Col. Courtney Whitney (Intelligence Officer)
Addison Powell	...	Fleet Adm. Chester W. Nimitz
Tom Rosqui	...	Gen. Sampson

Also Known As:

MacArthur, the Rebel General (UK)

Runtime:

130 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

West Germany:16 | UK:PG | Australia:M (original rating) | Australia:PG (DVD rating) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:PG | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Alverno Villa, Sierra Madre, California, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

At the time of filming of the "Duty, Honor, Country" speech, Marj Dusay was only the third woman in history to occupy the West Point Cadet Mess "Poop Deck" while the Corps of Cadets was assembled. The first two were Queen Elizabeth II and the real Mrs. MacArthur.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Shortly after MacArthur's escape from the Philippines in the spring of 1942, he complains that the President and the Chiefs of Staff are not sending him enough troops, supplies, and equipment to carry on his war against the Japanese. He says that priorities are instead being given to commanders in other theaters, including Gen Patton in North Africa. However, Patton's troops did not arrive in Africa until November 1942.

Quotes:

President Sergio Osmena: You see, General, my people are going to laugh if I fell in deep water. I cannot swim!
General Douglas MacArthur: That's not so bad, Mr. President. Everyone's about to see that I can't walk on water.

Movie Connections:

Featured in A Conversation with Gregory Peck (1999)

Dangerous Demagogue Or Military Genius - Or Both?

Gregory Peck's brilliant portrayal of Douglas MacArthur from the Battle of Corregidor in the Philippines at the start of the Pacific War largely through to his removal as UN Commander during the Korean War offers reason to believe all three of the above possibilities. Certainly the most controversial American General of the Second World War (and possibly ever) MacArthur is presented here as a man of massive contradictions. He claims that soldiers above all yearn for peace, yet he obviously glories in war; he consistently denies any political ambitions, yet almost everything he does is deliberately used to boost himself as a presidential candidate; he obviously believes that soldiers under his command have to follow his orders to the letter, yet he himself deliberately defies orders from the President of the United States; he shows great respect for other cultures (particularly in the Philippines and Japan) and yet is completely out of touch with his own country. All these things are held in balance throughout this movie, and in the end the viewer is left to draw his or her own conclusions about the man, although one is left with no doubt that MacArthur sincerely and passionately loved his country, and especially the Army he devoted his life to.

Peck's performance was, as I said, brilliant - to the point, actually, of overshadowing virtually everyone else in the film (which is perhaps appropriate, given who he was portraying!) with the possible exception of Ed Flanders. I though he offered a compelling look at Harry Truman and his attitude to MacArthur: sarcastic (repeatedly referring to MacArthur as "His Majesty,") angry, frustrated and finally completely fed up with this General who simply won't respect his authority as President. Marj Dusay was also intriguing as MacArhur's wife Jean, devoted to her husband (whom she herself referred to as "General," although their relationship seems to have been a happy enough one.) I very much enjoyed this movie, although perhaps would have liked to have learned a little more about MacArthur's early life. I have always chuckled at MacArthur's reaction to Eisenhower being elected President ("He'll make a fine President - he was the best damn clerk I ever had" - which seems to sum up what MacArthur thought the role of the President should be, especially to his military commanders during wartime.) Well worth watching. 8/10