Battle Cry (film)

Plot

The film is a drama set in World War II, following a group of United States Marines from boot camp to combat as members of the Communications Platoon, 6th Marines, 2d Marine Division. It depicts the forming of comradeships and the relentless training that the battalion, led by Major "High Pockets" Huxley, has to undergo. In two battles (Guadalcanal and Tarawa), the battalion is used only for mop-up duties, but after an out-of-line argument between "High Pockets" and the commanding general, they are used as lead battalion in the Battle of Saipan, suffering heavy casualties as they land on the exposed left flank of Red Beach. Huxley is killed and as they watch his body being carried off the field his grim-faced men fix bayonets ready to meet a Japanese counter-attack.

Besides describing the battalion's everyday activities, the movie also details the private lives of three of the Marines. On military rest and relaxation ("R and R") in New Zealand, Andy Hookens falls in love with Pat Rogers, the widow of a New Zealand soldier killed at El Alamein. Pat becomes pregnant and they marry. Andy is tempted to desert in order to be with his wife and baby, but Pat persuades him that their lives would be impossible as fugitives and he goes back to his ship. Andy loses a leg on Saipan and speaks bitterly of a useless future, but the Master Technical Sergeant, Mac, convinces him he is wrong and at the end of the movie Andy returns to his wife and child on her family's New Zealand farm. During training, Danny Forrester has an affair with an older woman, Mrs Yarborough, the USO manager. He realises there is no future in the relationship and breaks it off, to Mrs Yarborough's distress. While on furlough he marries his sweetheart Kathy. After being wounded on Saipan he is reunited with his wife.

Cast

Awards

Battle Cry received an Academy Award nomination for Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture by composer Max Steiner.