IMDb > The Big Red One (1980)
The Big Red One
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The Big Red One (1980) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
7.3/10   10,852 votes »
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Director:
Samuel Fuller
Writer:
Samuel Fuller (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Big Red One on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
28 May 1980 (France) See more »
Genre:
Action | Drama | War See more »
Tagline:
The real glory of war is surviving. See more »
Plot:
The story of a sergeant and the inner core members of his unit as they try to serve in and survive World War II. Full summary » | Add synopsis »
Plot Keywords:
See more »
Awards:
2 wins & 1 nomination See more »
NewsDesk:
(39 articles)
How Many of the Movies from Roger Ebert's List of Great Movies Have You Seen?
 (From Rope Of Silicon. 10 April 2013, 4:28 PM, PDT)
How Many of the Movies from Roger Ebert's List of Great Movies Have You Seen?
 (From Rope Of Silicon. 10 April 2013, 4:28 PM, PDT)
Three must-see war movies to watch for in 2013
 (From SoundOnSight. 29 November 2012, 10:47 AM, PST)
User Reviews:
Good personal story from Sam Fuller See more (106 total) »

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

Lee Marvin ... The Sergeant

Mark Hamill ... Pvt. Griff, 1st Squad

Robert Carradine ... Pvt. Zab, 1st Squad
Bobby Di Cicco ... Pvt. Vinci, 1st Squad

Kelly Ward ... Pvt. Johnson, 1st Squad

Stéphane Audran ... Underground Walloon fighter at asylum (as Stephane Audran)
Siegfried Rauch ... Schroeder (German sergeant)
Serge Marquand ... Rensonnet
Charles Macaulay ... General / captain
Alain Doutey ... Broban (Vichy sergeant)
Maurice Marsac ... Vichy colonel
Colin Gilbert ... Dog Face POW
Joseph Clark ... Pvt. Shep (soldier on troop transport)
Ken Campbell ... Pvt. Lemchek (#2 on Bangalore torpedo)
Doug Werner ... Switolski

Perry Lang ... Pvt. Kaiser, 1st Squad
Howard Delman ... Pvt. Smitty (soldier who trips mine)
Marthe Villalonga ... Madame Marbaise
Giovanna Galletti ... Woman in Sicilian village (as Giovanna Galetti)
Gregori Buimistre ... The Hun (German soldier killed by The Sergeant in WWI sequence)
Shimon Barr ... German male nurse in Tunisian hospital
Matteo Zoffoli ... Sicilian boy - Matteo
Abraham Ronai ... German Field Marshall
Galit Rotman ... Pregnant Frenchwoman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Samuel Fuller ... War Correspondent (as Sam Fuller)
Pascal Breuer ... Hitler Youth (uncredited)
Luther Fear ... German standing in tank in snow (uncredited)
Walter Flesch ... Colonel (uncredited)
Anat Harel ... Graziella (uncredited)
Ulli Kinalzik ... Gerd (uncredited)
Christa Lang ... German Countess (extended edition) (uncredited)
Guy Marchand ... Captain Chapier (uncredited)
Steve Moriarty ... Staff Sgt at Kasserine Pass (uncredited)
Yossi Pollak ... Herr Green Shirt (uncredited)
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Directed by
Samuel Fuller 
 
Writing credits
(in alphabetical order)
Samuel Fuller  written by

Produced by
Gene Corman .... producer
Douglas Freeman .... producer (reconstruction, 2004)
Brian Jamieson .... executive producer in charge of production (reconstruction, 2004)
Richard Schickel .... producer (reconstruction, 2004)
 
Original Music by
Dana Kaproff 
 
Cinematography by
Adam Greenberg (director of photography)
 
Film Editing by
Bryan McKenzie (2004 reconstruction)
Morton Tubor 
 
Art Direction by
Peter Jamison 
 
Makeup Department
Blanche Shuler .... hair stylist
Blanche Shuler .... makeup artist
 
Production Management
Peter Cornberg .... unit production manager
Brian Hamblin .... post-production supervisor (reconstruction)
Rony Yacov .... production manager: Israel
Avner Orshalimy .... production manager: second unit (uncredited)
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Todd Corman .... second assistant director
Arne Schmidt .... assistant director (as Arne L. Schmidt)
Lewis Teague .... second unit director
Avner Orshalimy .... second assistant director (uncredited)
Gary Zembow .... second second assistant director (uncredited)
Leo Zisman .... second assistant director (uncredited)
 
Art Department
William Hankins .... property master
Ladislav Wilheim .... props (uncredited)
 
Sound Department
Cyril Collick .... sound mixer
David Dockendorf .... sound re-recording mixer
Jack A. Finlay .... sound editor
Robert L. Harman .... sound re-recording mixer
Mark Linden .... sound designer: 2004 reconstruction
William L. McCaughey .... sound re-recording mixer
Tara Paul .... sound designer: 2004 reconstruction
Harry E. Snodgrass .... sound designer: 2004 reconstruction
Ken Dufva .... foley artist (uncredited)
 
Special Effects by
Jeff Clifford .... special effects
Peter Dawson .... special effects
Kit West .... special effects
 
Visual Effects by
Arn Campero .... digital paint (reconstruction, 2004)
John Falchi .... digital paint (reconstruction, 2004)
Gary Forbes .... digital paint (reconstruction, 2004)
 
Stunts
Roy Street .... stunt coordinator: horse stunt
Waldo .... stunts: free fall (uncredited)
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Jim Dunn .... key grip
Skip Karnas .... best boy (as Albert Karnas)
Melton Maxwell .... gaffer (as Mel Maxwell)
Laurel Moore .... still photographer
Yoni Hamenachem .... still photographer (uncredited)
 
Casting Department
Edith Cottrell .... casting: France
Barbara Miller .... casting
 
Editorial Department
David Bretherton .... supervising editor
Erica Flaum .... assistant editor
 
Music Department
Bodie Chandler .... music supervisor
Gene Feldman .... music editor
Dana Kaproff .... conductor
Alfred J. Carranza .... first assistant music editor (uncredited)
Dan Wallin .... music scoring mixer (uncredited)
 
Other crew
Lynn A. Aber .... script supervisor (as Lynn Aber)
Craig Corman .... production assistant
Vic Heutschy .... unit publicist
Lori Steiner .... continuity: second unit
Alan Weisman .... gunsmith
Elizabeth Yanoska .... location auditor
Sherrie Bradshaw .... assistant production accountant (uncredited)
Michael Davenport .... assistant: Sam Fuller (uncredited)
Rick Schmidlin .... consultant (uncredited)
 
Crew verified as complete


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Additional Details

Also Known As:
"The Big Red One: The Reconstruction" - USA (DVD box title)
See more »
MPAA:
Rated R for war violence and some language (2004 reconstruction)
Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parents
Runtime:
113 min | 162 min (reconstructed version)
Country:
USA
Language:
English | French | Italian | German
Color:
Black and White | Color (Metrocolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 See more »
Sound Mix:
Dolby Digital (reconstruction) | Dolby (original release)
Certification:
Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 (1980) | Singapore:PG | Sweden:15 | UK:15 (video rating) (1987) | UK:AA (original rating) | USA:PG (original rating) | USA:R (2004 reconstruction) | Iceland:16 | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Canada:14A | West Germany:16 (f) | Germany:16 (DVD rating)
Filming Locations:
Big Bear City, San Bernardino National Forest, California, USASee more »
Company:
Lorimar ProductionsSee more »

Did You Know?

Trivia:
According to film commentator Richard Schickel, the scene in which the Sergeant (Lee Marvin) is wounded is a re-creation of how Marvin was wounded in real life as a Marine in the Pacific. As in the film, Marvin was shot through the back and collapsed down on his knees.See more »
Goofs:
Continuity: When Sarge is looking for the SP gun, his face is drenched with sweat, but dry when approaching the gun.See more »
Quotes:
Zab:[narrating] By now we'd come to look at all replacements as dead men who temporarily had the use of the arms and legs. The came and went so fast and so regularly that sometimes we didn't even learn their names. Truth is, after a while, we sort of avoided gettin' to know them.See more »
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Ban the Sadist Videos! (2005) (V)See more »

FAQ

What are the differences between the Theatrical Version and The Reconstruction Version?
See more »

User Reviews

   (Review this title)
20 out of 23 people found the following review useful.
Good personal story from Sam Fuller, 18 April 2000
Author: JAM-31 from Los Angeles, CA

This film is really about the experiences that Sam Fuller had during WWII. It is a bit dated, and the low budget really shows, but SF clearly did the best with what he had, and it stands as a great monument on war from a director who was really there.

All of the characters are very likeable, and well acted by Lee Marvin, Mark Hamill, Robert Carradine, and company. The movie is fiction but influenced by real events. Many of the scenes, especially one involving a group of older sicilian women who cook a big meal for the squad, ring very true, since a fiction writer would obviously try and spice them up--the film is very honest, and it is good that Fuller left this story for us. I also like how it ends on a positive, optimistic note.

"The real glory of war is surviving."

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Big Red One (1980)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Who the heck is Fuller? kirisute2001
made in 1980? srmcaf
Was this written by a 12-year old? izmatt18-1
The beach scene was stupid! purplerustling
Sometimes Less is More brennerst1
Tired of seeing all of these 'reality' critiques? moggio85
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