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Halls of Montezuma

Halls of Montezuma

List Price: $14.98
Your Price: $13.48
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A brilliant film long before it's time.
Review: Halls of Montezuma is a surprisingly realistic view of war-life in the Pacific theater of World War II. The themes found in the film are close to those of Saving Private Ryan, where one's man's life is worth more than we know. Each main character's past is explored, showcasing some excellent direction by Milestone. The editing found in the origin stories is similar to that of Tom Hanks' directed episode, "Crossroads" in Band of Brothers and is a pleasant surprise.

I find that many of the "go-getter" Hollywood-isms found in the war films of that era are for the most part absent in this film, give or take a few scenes. The battles are brilliant executed and the face-to-face confrontations with the Japanese are both nerve-wrecking and frightening.

I think that Halls of Montezuma is so precious because it's grittiness and realism was a rariety among the big budget war pictures of the 1940's-60's. Films like this one and Kubrick's "Paths of Glory" are truly great war films long before their time.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: I love this movie!
Review: I first watched this movie as a kid and bought it recently. Watching it the second time was even better. It portrays the Marines as real people that had lives before the war and as unique individuals on the front lines. Each one had his own fears and failings but each continued on in the face of overwhelming challenges.

The main thrust of the movie is that a group of combat veteran marines invade a Japanese held island. At first they make quick progress. But then they are met by a rocket barrage that goes on for hours. The advance comes to a stop, the rockets continue. The main part of the movie involves the Marines trying to find the location of the rockets so they can pass the info on to the Navy's carrier based attack planes.

The ending is predictable, but how they get there isn't.

As a side note, Jack Webb (Sargent Friday from Dragnet) plays a war correspondent.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: I love this movie!
Review: I first watched this movie as a kid and bought it recently. Watching it the second time was even better. It portrays the Marines as real people that had lives before the war and as unique individuals on the front lines. Each one had his own fears and failings but each continued on in the face of overwhelming challenges.

The main thrust of the movie is that a group of combat veteran marines invade a Japanese held island. At first they make quick progress. But then they are met by a rocket barrage that goes on for hours. The advance comes to a stop, the rockets continue. The main part of the movie involves the Marines trying to find the location of the rockets so they can pass the info on to the Navy's carrier based attack planes.

The ending is predictable, but how they get there isn't.

As a side note, Jack Webb (Sargent Friday from Dragnet) plays a war correspondent.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Ok second World War ra ra marine movie
Review: Interesting footage, flag waving patriotism, pick the future star movie of Marine landing on Japanese held island, but little suspense.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Grim & Gritty
Review: Superior war flick about Pacific island beach landing and aftermath. Good characters. The DVD presents a pleasingly clean and colorful image--of the Technicolor original.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A memorable tribute to The Marines!
Review: The Marines are graphicaly displayed as the bravest , brawliest, toughest and roughest of all the military who fought for the preservation of the liberty . Widmark plays a very convincing role . Lewis Milestone as always showing the best of his powerful direction .
A must in your collection.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Good movie
Review: This is a good movie about Pacific island battles. It has a variety of characters, with Richard Widmark especially good as a thoughtful teacher who becomes a tough officer. Jack Palance also has a good performance.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Halls of Montezuma down and dirty
Review: This is a grim and austere W.W.II film dealing realistically with Marines pulled from civilian life and thrust into the horrors of combat in the Pacific. It is strong on characters and their motivations and convictions that carry them through the rigors of war. It's lack of a big budget adds to its realism, bringing the narrative to a more intimate level, and elicits emotional responses from the viewer.

The fine cast includes Richard Widmark, Jack Palance, Robert Wagner, Karl Malden, Richard Boone, Skip Homeier, Jack Webb, Neville Brand and Martin Milner.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Halls of Montezuma down and dirty
Review: This is a grim and austere W.W.II film dealing realistically with Marines pulled from civilian life and thrust into the horrors of combat in the Pacific. It is strong on characters and their motivations and convictions that carry them through the rigors of war. It's lack of a big budget adds to its realism, bringing the narrative to a more intimate level, and elicits emotional responses from the viewer.

The fine cast includes Richard Widmark, Jack Palance, Robert Wagner, Karl Malden, Richard Boone, Skip Homeier, Jack Webb, Neville Brand and Martin Milner.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: What it really feels like to die.
Review: What would it feel like to fight with a terrible pain.A man that used to be a school teacher is now a liutenent.Fighting and death is stressing him.Horror at so many friends that have died.Why not die too? He must make sure his last seven companions survive.Even if he doesn't.Impossible.It's frightening and disturbing.In the whats the use of fighting? Because their is a higher power. God,who wants man to survive and live to tell other people about this hellso it won't happen again.Thats the actual meaning to this film.It feels like life is worthless, but it is not.
The portrayal of the Japanese is, I believe, true. The director wasn't making up the way US soldiers felt about their opponents.They hate them and in those times many people did."Pip" is a real term.It's better to show the effects and shade it so people won't be offended.History can't be changed.


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