Sands of Iwo Jima

I have seen this John Wayne classic war film many times, but only recently learned that three surviving original flag raisers (at the time the film was made) had cameo roles in it. Towards the end of the movie, after the beachhead and Mount Suribachi are secured, Sgt. Stryker calls for a squad to raise a flag. Watching from behind Stryker, we see three young men squat down in front of him. Stryker hands them an American flag and directs them to climb to the top of Mt. Suribachi and raise it. The three men playing the roles as themselves are: PFC Rene A. Gagnon, USMC; PFC Ira H. Hayes, USMC; and, PH3 John H. Bradley, USN -- three of the five original famous flag raisers captured on film in the famous scene atop Mt. Suribachi, and forever etched in stone in the Iwo Jima Memorial at Arlington, Virginia. The other two flag raisers were shot and killed later on the island.

This film takes place in the Pacific Theater during World War II with a U. S. Marine rifle company led by a man named "Sergeant John M. Stryker" (John Wayne). As it so happens, having experienced combat firsthand he is extremely determined to train and fine-tune his company into being as capable and ready as possible. Needless to say, his hardline approach is not welcomed by everyone in the company with one particular person named "Al Thomas" (Forrest Tucker) having had a personal quarrel with him in a previous assignment. Additionally, another man by the name of "Robert Dunne" (Arthur Franz) also has a dislike for him but for an entirely different reason. Yet even so, Sgt Stryker realizes that he cannot let their personal animosity deter him from his mission-especially since they are bound to see ferocious combat in the very near future. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that I found this to be a pretty good World War II picture due in large part to the serious plot and the acting of John Wayne who essentially carried this film. That being said, I recommend this film for those interested and have rated it accordingly. Above average.

John Wayne did a bunch of war movies, always playing the heroic soldier. It is ironic then that he was considered medically unfit for service in WWII. Nonetheless, "Sands of Iwo Jima" is certainly the definitive John Wayne war movie. He got his first Oscar nomination for this movie which is enough to make it important just for that (he was only nominated one other time, winning for "True Grit").

The movie plot is just straight formula and has the same collection of ethnic types that you find in every war movie ever made---the fast-talking big city guy, the farm boy, the wisecracking Italian, etc. The battle scenes had to be sanitized for audiences back then and the treatment of the Japanese as the enemy in this movie is outrageously stereotyped by today's standards. Every time the Japanese come on camera the background music turns sinister and the little Japanese actors have an appropriate villainous and fanatical look to them. The only war movie I can think of where the Japanese are humanized in any way is "Bridge on the River Kwai" while there are many movies where the German soldiers and especially General Rommel, are portrayed if not sympathetically, at least respectfully.

Catch the last scene where the three real-life survivors of the Iwo Jima flag raising are given the flag by the Duke to raise on Suribachi. One of the flag-raisers, John Bradley, was so modest about his exploits afterwards that he didn't even have a copy of the famous flag-raising photo hanging up in his home. It wasn't until after he died that his children learned that he had won the Navy Cross for his heroism in the war. The book written by his son, "Flags of Our Fathers" is being made into a movie by Steven Spielberg and is sure to be sensational. No doubt that it will be immediately compared to "Sands of Iwo Jima" which, until "Flags" comes out, is the definitive movie about that battle.

Sgt John M. Stryker is a battle hardened Marine who's job it is to prepare his new charges for the realities of war. With no care for making friends, Stryker does what ever it takes to make these men tough and ready for the Pacific conflicts to come.

Sands Of Iwo Jima is unashamedly proud in its jingoistic fervour, and rightly so. Iwo Jima, and the now immortal portrait of weary American soldiers hoisting the flag atop Mt. Suribachi, has become a bastion of bravery, a beacon of triumph if you will. So it's no surprise to find Allan Dwan's film has no intention if deviating from boasting its colours, and hooray to that. Here as Stryker we find John Wayne giving a bit more to his character portrayal than merely some beefcake winning the war. Wayne puts depth and sincerity into Stryker, an air of believability shines through as he shows vulnerability, we believe he can win this war with his men, but we also see tenderness and it lifts Sands higher than your average war picture.

Wise old director Dwan (432 directing credits to his name), weaves the picture together with admirable restraint. Fusing actual newsreel footage with his own tightly handled action sequences, Sands plays out as the tribute and rally call that it has every right to be, even finding place in the film for three of the soldiers who hoisted that now famous flag. Ira Hayes, Rene Gagnon and John Bradley are the three gentlemen to look out for. The rest of the cast don't really have to do much outside of respond to Wayne's two fold performance, but keep an eye out for a fresh faced Richard Jaeckel as Pfc. Frank Flynn, while I personally enjoyed the brief, but important contribution from Julie Bishop as Mary.

Wayne received a nomination for Best Actor at the Academy Awards (too bad for him that 49 contained brilliant shows from the winner Broderick Crawford & a blunderbuss turn from Gregory Peck), with other nominations going to the Best Story, Editing and Sound categories. Ironically it was a role Wayne didn't fancy doing, but some encouragements from war veterans humbled him into starring.

Lock and load and saddle up for a top entry in the WWII pantheon. 8/10

John Wayne acted in a number of war films: Operation Pacific, Back to Bataan, The Green Berets, and The Longest Day. No doubt, this is his best. It's one of the true classics.

Some may find it unrealistic due to its sanitized language and relatively meager gore (remember, it was made in 1949). But its themes are timeless: duty, honor, country. The skillful integration of battle scenes and real-life newsreel footage makes it seem almost like a documentary.

If you want a politically correct war film, try something else. If you want a well-made, well-acted, patriotic film, this is it.