Women of Valor (1986) (TV)

Director:

Buzz Kulik

Writer:

Jonas McCord (writer)

Release Date:

23 November 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | War

Plot:

Story of a group of U.S. Army nurses in the Philippines during World War II who are captured and imprisoned by Japanese troops during the invasion of the Philippines.

Plot Keywords:

Nurse | WWII | Nonlinear Timeline | Flogging | Rape

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Susan Sarandon	...	Col. Margaret Ann Jessup
Kristy McNichol	...	T.J. Nolan
Alberta Watson	...	Lt. Helen Prescott
Valerie Mahaffey	...	Lt. Katherine R. Grace
Suzanne Lederer	...	Lt. Gail Polson
Patrick Bishop	...	Capt. Matome Nakayama
Terry O'Quinn	...	Maj. Tom Patterson
Neva Patterson	...	Lady Judith Eason
Jay Acovone	...	Capt. Rader
John Philbin	...	Paraplegic soldier
Jeff Allin	...	Capt. Chris Wyatt
Marilyn Redfield	...	Mrs. Carstairs
Gô Awazu	...	Sgt. Takijiro Kodama
Rey Malonzo	...	Sgt. Ramos
Ken Metcalfe	...	Col. Sidell

Also Known As:

Women of Valour (UK)

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | USA:PG | UK:15

Company:

Inter Planetary

Trivia:

Just before the TV movie aired, a group of women who were actually held prisoner by the Japanese during World War II claimed the movie was unrealistic and did not portray what they endured.

Soundtrack:

SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY

superior to the later Paradise Road

The tale of American army and navy nurses who are prisoners during the Japanese occupation of the Phillipines in the second world war. Kristy McNichol appears in the Bataan Death March, as one of gender disorientation, since her killing of a Japanese soldier makes the others assume she is a boy. In a memorable scene McNichol and Susan Sarandon slug it out as a form of self-punishment for the gratification of the guards. McNichol's role is supportive to Sarandon who is the star, but she brings her usual tomboyish spunkiness to proceedings. The teleplay by Jonas McCord rationalises the Japanese's brand of cruelty with the idea that they do not believe in surrender. They would rather suicide than be shamed in the way they believe the women have allowed themselves to be, and therefore the Japanese think the prisoners deserve no kindness. However not every guard enacts this philosophy, with one noticeably friendly to one woman who falls pregnant, and the commander being an American-Japanese, having being raised in San Francisco, makes him more amenable to Sarandon's requests for mercy. The treatment is narrated by Sarandon, at a post-war hearing, so we know she will survive the camp, but it does not answer the question of why the Americans left the Phillipines so quickly once they declared war on Japan. The idea that they are not aware that any Americans have remained in the area is raised at the camp's liberation, but clearly sentiment is against Douglas MacArthur when he announces his withdrawal. Director Buzz Kulik uses black and white newsreel footage and matching decoloured recreations for the progression of the war.