Screenplay by Joseph KrumgoldOlive Cooper Starring Paul KellyJune TravisPurnell PrattReginald DennyWarren HymerIrving Pichel | ||
Join the Marines is a 1937 American action film/comedy directed by Ralph Staub and written by Joseph Krumgold and Olive Cooper. The film stars Paul Kelly, June Travis, Purnell Pratt, Reginald Denny, Warren Hymer and Irving Pichel. The film was released on January 25, 1937, by Republic Pictures.
Contents
Plot
New York Policeman and Olympic javelin thrower Phil Donlan is on his way to the 1936 Olympic Games when he meets lovely Paula Denbrough on the ocean liner to Europe. Paula is planning to marry playboy Steve Lodge, but her father, a U.S. Marine Colonel uses his influence to break up the marriage. Paula believes the broken off marriage is the fault of Phil and gets her revenge by exaggerating some of Phil's pranks into a scandal that gets him thrown off the US Olympic Team and later the NYPD. Paula and Phil fall in love of the return trip, but with no career prospects for Phil, and wishing to impress Paula he joins the Marine Corps. When Paula and Phil break up, Phil boasts he'll become an officer so he can resign his commission and leave the Corps.
Phil's strong physical fitness. self-reliant leadership capabilities and command presence from his former occupations do not go unnoticed by the Corps and he is rapidly promoted to acting Corporal, and later acting First Sergeant. He volunteers for overseas duty in the South Seas and singlehandedly puts down a rebellion by challenging the natives to javelin/spear throwing competitions that win their respect rather than engaging in warfare. When commissioned a Seonnd Lieutenant, Phil plans his resignation but faces a revolt by the natives who do not respect Phil's replacement.