MacArthur (1977)

Biopic of General Douglas MacArthur covering his war exploits during WW2 and the Korean War.

Director:

Joseph Sargent

Writers:

Hal Barwood, Matthew Robbins

Stars:

Gregory Peck, Dan O'Herlihy, Ed Flanders

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gregory Peck	...	Gen. Douglas MacArthur
Ivan Bonar	...	General Sutherland
Ward Costello	...	General Marshall
Nicolas Coster	...	Colonel Huff
Marj Dusay	...	Mrs. MacArthur
Ed Flanders	...	President Truman
Art Fleming	...	The Secretary
Russell Johnson	...	Admiral King (as Russell D. Johnson)
Sandy Kenyon	...	General Wainwright
Robert Mandan	...	Representative Martin
Allan Miller	...	Colonal Diller
Dan O'Herlihy	...	President Roosevelt
Dick O'Neill	...	Colonel Whitney
Addison Powell	...	Admiral Nimitz
Tom Rosqui	...	General Sampson

Storyline

The story of General of the Army Douglas MacArthur, Supreme Allied Commander during World War II and United Nations Commander for the Korean War. "MacArthur" begins in 1942, following the fall of Phillipines, and covers the remarkable career of this military legend up through and including the Korean War and into MacArthur's days of forced retirement after being dismissed from his post by President Truman.

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Plot Keywords:

character name as title | douglas macarthur character | korean war | general | japan | 

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Taglines:

When Japan attacked, he led us back to victory - When Korea exploded, we turned to him again. It was a time that requires heroes and General Douglas MacArthur was there...and then he was fired.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | History | War

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 July 1977 (USA)

Also Known As:

MacArthur - Held des Pazifik

Filming Locations:

Pacific Southwest Railway Museum, Santa Fe Depot, San Diego, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$9,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

130 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This movie is most notable for Gregory Peck's performance and characterization of General Douglas MacArthur. Peck, however, did not received a Best Actor Academy Award nomination for it. Peck however was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture Actor - Drama for his portrayal of MacArthur.

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Goofs

When MacArthur is notified about the start of the Korean War he is watching Winchester '73. The war started on June 25, 1950 and the movie was released on July 12, 1950.

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Quotes

[Responding to restrictive attack orders]
General Douglas MacArthur: In my all my fifty years of military service, I have never learned how to bomb HALF a bridge!

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Alternate Versions

TBS (Turner Broadcasting Station) shown an extended version never seen before. This version had never before seen footage Starring James Shigeta as General Yamashita. There are scenes of him reviewing Macarthur's military background. His aid pleading his surrender and Macarthur's refusal to pardon him after his war crime trial.

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Connections

Referenced in Don't Say No Until I Finish Talking: The Story of Richard D. Zanuck (2013)

User Reviews

A solid, fair introduction to a complex figure

History buffs will find plenty to quibble with in "MacArthur." Like a lot of World War II movies, it has its share of minor errors. And American military enthusiasts are certain to have strong opinions on Douglas MacArthur already, which will affect their views of the film.

But all in all, I think this is a remarkably balanced look at an extremely controversial person. For those who know little about MacArthur, it's a good place to start. He was a larger-than-life figure, and in this film you can see both why he was revered and why he was despised.

Although MacArthur came of age in the 19th century and became a general in World War I, this movie focuses on his high and lows in World War II and the Korean War. During that time he was an iconic figure. "Iconic" is an overused word, but it applies to him. With his trademark hat and corncob pipe, plus his curiously old-fashioned way of speaking and his instinct for controversy, he was unmistakable and larger than life.

During the late 1970s, the post-Watergate era, traditional war pictures were no longer in vogue. "M*A*S*H," the mildly pacifist TV series set in the Korean War, treated MacArthur as a rather silly figure. But this movie, made in 1977, takes the man seriously, while showing his flaws clearly. It also is more frank than most classic films about how little consensus there is in warmaking. Leaders quarrel and connive while making policy, and the most loyal grunts are often dismayed at the decisions that put them in harm's way.

Gregory Peck is excellent in capturing the complexity of Douglas MacArthur. Peck was an outspoken political liberal, and one has to assume he was no admirer of the unabashedly right-wing MacArthur. But he takes on the man's persona admirably.

After heaping so much praise on "MacArthur," I must admit it is not great cinema. It's more interesting than moving. But if you're under 50 and know Douglas MacArthur only as a name in the history books, this will be an eye-opener. Like any good introduction to a subject, it should encourage you to seek other information and form your own opinions about the man and his times.