Ambush Bay

Much of this film takes place in the dark. So it is impossible to make out what is going on,which is rather frustrating. However what I did see looked cheap and cheesy. The Mitchum character was simply ridiculous. Why was he wearing a red cap in the jungle. Its all very predictable and second rate.

The criteria presented regarding this movie is correct, except for the comment on the US M4 Sherman. In all wars, including the Second World War, forces from all sides wind up capturing enemy equipment. M3A1 Stuart light tanks of US manufacture were caputred by the Japanese in the Philippines (in Bataan) during 1941 and subsequently pressed into their service. The tank depicted in the movie could have been captured during the Guadalcanal campaign as the island kept continuously changing hands, shipped to the Phillipines and assigned to serve whatever division occupied those islands. Simple as that. There are records that show a few Sherman tanks were INDEED captured during the entire Pacific War.

I saw this on a crappy B&W TV in 1969 or so at around the age of 8. It always stuck in my head as my favorite war movie as a child. I lived in the middle of the city, San Diego, but there were miles of wooded canyons directly behind my house, and in the 60's we all played soldier. It was always WWII, even though it was the middle of the Vietnam war. In watching this for the first time in over 50 years, I know why I liked it as a kid. It has the exact feel of me and my friends running around the bushes in the canyons playing war. I have always remembered the Mickey Rooney grenade/potato scene. Has not come up yet as I type this, but has always been imprinted in my brain. I am surprised how this is all filmed on location, and not in a studio where it could have looked like Gilligan's Island. Seeing it on widescreen and in color gives away some of the shear stupidity of this movie, like the red hat. But hey, for a kid watching on an old TV 50 plus years ago, it is one of the great WWII movies ever made.

Moving warlike production set on the Philippines plenty of Japanese and a crew of Marines battling an important base on the Pacific . The picture is divided in 4 chapters : first , second , third and fourth day . During WWII , October 1944 , a commando is assigned a dangerous mission on the Philippines Islands already inhabited by stranded Japanese forces , they have 38 hours to get their objectives . The Americans are commanded by a captain but he early dies and a sergeant (Hugh O'Brian) rules over soldiers . The group is formed by First Sergeant Steve (Hugh O'Brian) , 2ª Sergent (Mickey Rooney) , Sgt. William (Pete Masterson) , Corporal Alvin Ross (Henry Lauter) , Cpl. Parrish (Amsterdam) , Pvt George (Tony Smith) , Capt. Alonzo (Clam Stadler) and the starring James Grenier , a soldier without experience(James Mitchum , the tale is narrated under his point of view by voice in off) . At the beginning the Marines are successfully in wiping out Japanese . But they are spotted and descended upon by enemies forces ; meanwhile suffering casualties , exhaustion, encounters until execute their mission and to be rescued by a ship . They must go to the other side of the island until Panpassan at a Japanese resort , a 'House of tea' where contact a spy called Miyazaki who has top information and transmit it by radio . Then , the daredevil sergeant and the rockie radio-man soldier (James Mitchum) find themselves vying during the escape . The group must try to survive enemy that undergo a chase and a mini-war , as they fight all by themselves and finally find how wrong his misconceptions are . At the end the survivors endeavor to blow up a pivotal Japanese installation .

This is a Schenck-Zabel-Hal Klein Production realised thru United Artists and written by Ib Melchor , a Sci-Fi expert ; being well photographed by Emmanuel Rojas . Flag-waver wartime movie with a typical crew of Marines battling the 'yellow menace' and retrieve a messenger . The film packs warlike action, thrills, drama and is quite entertaining . The story contains a brief studio character seeking human frailty beneath surface heroism . Splendid Hugh O'Brian as tough sergeant , in one of the best roles and James Mitchum -who bears remarkable resemblance his father Robert- is fine , no thanks to mediocre script . Director Ron Winston's skill with the thrills overcomes the artificiality of the story . A cool cast, nice direction from Winston with riveting climax and enhanced by energetic score by Richard La Salle make this a must for wartime fans . The picture was filmed entirely on actual locations in the Republic of the Philippines . The producers gratefully acknowledge the cooperation of the Philippine government and its armed Force . Thanks to the U.S. Department of Defense , U.S. Navy , Marine Corps and Coast Guard , for their invaluable assistance , the producers extended thru United Artists .

Others movies concerning the wartime sub-genre about American soldiers battling Japanese on the Pacific islands and Philippines during the WWII are the following : Guadalcanal diary(43)by Lewis Seiler with Anthony Quinn and Lloyd Nolan ; the classic Sands of Iwo Jima(1949) by Allan Dawn with John Wayne ; Beachhead (1956)by Stuart Heisler with Tony Curtis and Frank Lovejoy ; None but the brave, directed and starred by Frank Sinatra; and Between heaven and hell(1956) with Robert Wagner, among them.

This is one of those modest films about life in the Marine corps during War time. Directed by Ron Winston, it's depiction is that of a select group of specialized soldiers, sent on a top secret mission to destroy a specific target which threaten the U.S. Navy's amphibious assault. The movie stars tough guy Hugh O'Brian as 1st Sgt. Steve Corey. Mickey Rooney follows as Gunnery Sgt. Ernest Wartell, as an equally tough as nails non-com who is convincing as a career soldier. James Mitchum is interesting, though irritatingly naive as Pfc. James Grenier who joins the elite group at the last minute. Their mission is dangerous, indeed nearly impossible as they are required to land on a heavily guarded island held by the Japanese, traverse a dense jungle and to destroy their radar station controlling a hidden underwater mine field awaiting the unsuspecting Americans. Despite the minor flaws in the film, the acting is top notch and the drama is consistent with true war like Military action. The movie is easily recommended to war buffs and fans of the main stars. ****