Bataan / Back to Bataan

Starring: Robert Taylor; John Wayne & Anthony Quinn Director: Tay Garnett & Edward Dmytryk

BATAAN

DVD Features:

Encoding: Region 1; USA & Canada
Package Type: Snap Case
Aspect Ratio: Pan & Scan - 1.33
Single Side - Single Layer

Audio:

• Dolby Digital Stereo - English
• Dolby Digital Stereo - French

Additional Release Material:

• Trailer - 1.Original Theatrical Trailer

Additional Products:

• 8-Page "Making Of" Booklet

BACK TO BATAAN

DVD Features:

Encoding: Region 1; USA & Canada
Package Type: Snap Case
Aspect Ratio: Full Frame - 1.33

Audio:

• Mono - English

Description by OLDIES.com:

Bataan (1943, 114 Minutes): Robert Taylor leads valorous U.S. and Filipino combatants facing hopeless odds in a holding action at a bridge in Bataan

Back to Bataan: John Wayne portrays Col. Joseph Madden and organizes resistance fighters in Back to Bataan, a morale booster whose true-life incidents include the rescue of prisoners from Cabanatuan. An on-screen roll call of real-life soldiers freed by the mission underscores the event. Seeing those haunted but happy faces was a touching moment for audiences then. It remains so today.

Product Description:

Two World War II-themed films are combined on this collection.

BATAAN: A group of doomed Americans and Filipinos hold a bridge against invading Japanese. Supposedly based on a true incident, over-the-top patriotism made it a Hollywood blockbuster of the war era, despite a pretty fake-looking jungle. Avoid the colorized version.

BACK TO BATAAN: In BACK TO BATAAN, John Wayne plays Colonel Joe Madden, a rough tough officer serving under General MacArthur during the Second World War. When American forces are forced to pull out of Bataan, Madden volunteers to stay behind and organize the Filipino residents into a top flight guerilla force that will keep the Japanese on edge until MacArthur's promised return. There's some romance amid the suspense and sweaty action as an attractive Manila resistance liason (Fely Franquelli) falls for Wayne's second-in-command, Captain Andres Bonifacio (Anthony Quinn), an earnest fighter trying to live up to his folk hero father's reputation. Madden, however, is to busy for women, preferring to spend his time communicating by radio to his valiant men as they count the boats and plant the mines.

The Duke is nicely understated in this atypical role, a nice counterbalance to costar Quinn's typically impassioned performance. War film buffs should enjoy the film's appealing blend of action, nail-biting suspense, and jingoistic patriotism. Director Edward Dmytryk would later go on to direct THE CAINE MUTINY and THE YOUNG LIONS.

Plot Keywords:

Action | Big Battles | War | World War II

Cast and Crew: