Objective, Burma! (1945)

A platoon of special ops are tasked to parachute into the remote Burmese jungle and destroy a strategic Japanese radar station, but getting out isn't as easy.

Director:

Raoul Walsh

Writers:

Ranald MacDougall (screenplay), Lester Cole (screenplay)

Stars:

Errol Flynn, James Brown, William Prince

Nominated for 3 Oscars.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Errol Flynn	...	Capt. Nelson
James Brown	...	SSgt. Treacy
William Prince	...	Lt. Sid Jacobs
George Tobias	...	Cpl. Gabby Gordon
Henry Hull	...	Mark Williams
Warner Anderson	...	Col. J. Carter
John Alvin	...	Hogan
Mark Stevens	...	Lt. Barker (as Stephen Richards)
Richard Erdman	...	Pvt. Nebraska Hooper (as Dick Erdman)

Storyline

A group of men parachute into Japanese-occupied Burma with a dangerous and important mission: to locate and blow up a radar station. They accomplish this well enough, but when they try to rendezvous at an old air-strip to be taken back to their base, they find Japanese waiting for them, and they must make a long, difficult walk back through enemy-occupied jungle.

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Plot Keywords:

jungle | tropics | american soldier | jungle warfare | territory name in title | 

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Taglines:

Doorway to Japan !

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Drama | War

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Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

This film has no female roles.

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Goofs

It's a mistake to think that the design of the radar unit with men sitting on seats on the unit would harm them, as has been said earlier in this section. The American radar units that surrounded Pearl Harbor (SCR-270 model) were operated with four men sitting on the main unit on the same level with the antenna. And the whole unit turned. In the American Military during World War II the radar units did not use microwave radiation like this they do since the Vietnam Era. These units were not powerful enough to be dangerous to humans. Many pictures of this kind of unit and other types can be found on the internet.

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Quotes

Paratrooper: [upon following the dead body of young paratrooper Hollis] So much for Mrs. Hollis' nine months of pain and twenty years of hope.

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Crazy Credits

Closing credits: This story has a conclusion but not an end- It will end only when the evil forces of Japan are totally destroyed. This film is gratefully dedicated to the men of the American, British, Chinese and Indian Armies, without whose heroic efforts Burma would still be in the hands of the Japanese.

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Alternate Versions

Some prints of "Objective Burma!" have been cut to 127 minutes. Also shown in computer-coloured version.

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Connections

Featured in Hearts and Minds (1974)

User Reviews

Underrated War Film!

Objective Burma has to be one of Errol Flynn's best movies not to mention performances. he is unlike many of the swashbuckling roles that made him famous. There are other fine performances as well throughout the cast. There is only a small amount of the stereotypical Bronx or New York guy with an accent.Objective Burma is an entertaining movie about a paratrooper units mission to destroy a radar station and how it their escape route becomes blocked and they must fight their way out. It is a very underrated war movie that doesn't get the accolades that a Saving Private Ryan, The Longest Day or even the Dirty Dozen. It was a made up story about a small mission in the Pacific Theater of operation.It portrays the men's bravery, sacrifice and and heroism quite well. The acting, storyline and action make for a very well done and in some areas ahead of its time movie. I have never really been an Errol Flynn fan, but this has to rank as one of his better and yet more subdued performances. Henry Hull also gets high marks for his portrayal as a newspaperman. Rent this or buy it, you won't be disappointed!

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Japanese

Release Date:

17 February 1945 (USA)

Also Known As:

Objective Burma

Filming Locations:

Palm Springs, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

142 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1