Guadalcanal/Leckie (14 Mar. 2010)

Veteran Sergeant John Basilone ships out soon after Pearl Harbor for Guadalcanal while other young enlistees are sent to boot camp.

Director:

Timothy Van Patten

Writers:

Bruce C. McKenna, Robert Leckie (based in part on the book "Helmet for My Pillow"),

Stars:

James Badge Dale, Joseph Mazzello, Jon Seda

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
James Badge Dale	...	Pfc. Robert Leckie
Joseph Mazzello	...	Eugene Sledge (as Joe Mazzello)
Jon Seda	...	Sgt. John Basilone
Jon Bernthal	...	Sgt. Manuel Rodriguez
Joshua Bitton	...	Sgt. J.P. Morgan
Tom Budge	...	PFC Ronnie Gibson
Linda Cropper	...	Mary Frank Sledge
Caroline Dhavernas	...	Vera Keller
Josh Helman	...	Pfc. Lew 'Chuckler' Juergens
Ashton Holmes	...	Pfc. Sidney Phillips
Toby Leonard Moore	...	Sgt. Stone
Henry Nixon	...	2nd Lt. Hugh Corrigan
Keith Nobbs	...	Pfc. Wilbur 'Runner' Conley
Conor O'Farrell	...	Dr. Sledge
Jacob Pitts	...	Pfc. Bill 'Hoosier' Smith

Storyline

Directly following the attack on Pearl Harbor, Seargent John Basilone ships out to fight the enemy somewhere in the Pacific, and a young journalist called Robert Leckie enlists in the Marine Corps. Sidney Phillips ships off to boot camp after saying farewell to his friend Eugene Sledge, who cannot go with him due to a heart murmur. Eight months later, Phillips and Leckie, having completed boot camp are sent to secure a airfield on Guadalcanal, and to help defend it against counterattack.

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Plot Keywords:

marine | pearl harbor | guadalcanal | heart murmur | trip and fall | 

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Drama | History | War

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Details

Release Date:

14 March 2010 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Playtone, DreamWorks SKG, Home Box Office (HBO)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

52 min

Did You Know?

Trivia

The quote Leckie recites, "Without a sign, his sword the brave man draws, and asks no omen, but his country's cause.", while he and his fellow Marines eat before landing on Guadalcanal, is from the ancient Greek poet Homer.

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Goofs

The map of the world showing the Axis powers' extent shows Iceland as Nazi occupied - although a plan to invade Iceland was drawn up during WWII, the island was never invaded or occupied by Germany. The British occupied the officially neutral Iceland in May 1940, replaced by the USA in July 1941. So at the time of Episode 1, December 1941, Iceland was occupied by the USA, not the Nazis.

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Quotes

PFC Robert Leckie: [Writing a letter to Vera Keller] Dear Vera, it seems a lifetime since we met outside Saint Mary's. This great undertaking for God and country has landed us in a tropical paradise, somewhere in what Jack London refers to as "those terrible Solomons." It is a garden of Eden. The jungle holds both beauty and terror in its depths, most terrible of which is man. We have met the enemy and have learned nothing more about him. I have, however, learned some things about myself. There are things men can ...

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Connections

Version of Guadalcanal Diary (1943)

User Reviews

Very good start

Greetings from Lithuania.

I've been waiting for this show from the first time i heard that creators of "Band of Brothers" are making this. And, i can say now, i'ts been worth waiting. First episode is very good. It's not a masterpiece, it's nothing we haven't see before, but it's a very good first episode of (hopfuly) great mini series. Acting, directing is good

• no surprise, when S.Spielberg is ex-producer. Watching the first

episode, i start thinking about "The Thin red line", but it's a totally different (no surprise here). So far so good.Can't wait for next episode.