Prismark10
A Walk in the Sun lacks intensity of Lewis Milestone's masterpiece All Quiet on the Western Front. In fact there is too much jaw jaw as the platoon soldiers chat among each other while walking.A platoon lands in Italy with the object to take a Nazi held farmhouse, their lieutenant is injured and it is up to the platoon's sergeants to lead them further and achieve their aims.This is an unsentimental look at the life of the infantrymen, we get to learn about their background and what makes them tick. The trouble is it's all a bit dull. The film has a solid cast but I felt they could had done with more snappier and profound dialogue.
JohnHowardReid
Produced and directed by Lewis Milestone with loads of money secretly provided by Samuel Bronston (and now available on a mysterious but excellent DVD with no manufacturer credit whatever), A Walk in the Sun seems less realistic today than when first released back in 1945. It is too glib. True, a big effort has been made to portray all the miniature details of this spectacular raid on a remote but well-armed Italian farm house that stands in the way of an allied advance, but that is just the problem. Too much is crowded into the script, and the players, by and large, don't come across as real infantrymen, but as actors vigorously playing at real infantrymen. True there are exceptions and one of them fortunately is Dana (pronounced "Deena") Andrews. Another is Lloyd Bridges. And yet another is Huntz Hall – of all people – who plays his brief scene in a surprisingly realistic manner. All told though - and take it from one who served in the army for over 3 years - this movie is not really all that realistic, but it sure puts on a good front!
rayxt
Two things weight heavily on how and why this movie disappoints all but the hardcore cinephile now: supposedly set in Italy it was filmed entirely in Calabasas, Los Angeles. And the release date of December 1945. When hundreds of thousands, if not millions of returned servicemen would still be waking up screaming in the night pursued by the horrors of war; seeing men blown to pieces all around them, the mindless destruction and carnage impossible to rid from their minds.Even if it were conceived then, making and releasing 'Saving Private Ryan' type war film at that time would have made audiences sick in the cinemas or run screaming into the street.'Action' then is replaced by dialogue of realism of the interminable tense periods of 'waiting' for war in a world of dangerous unknowns.70 years on the generations whose greatest emotional tension is sitting in traffic jams, and who HAVE seen it all before just can't relate to the stage-play pace of this kind of film making anymore. And the story would be much better appreciated if read as a screenplay.
The Bronson Fan
An American platoon lands on the beaches on Salerno Italy and are tasked with taking a farmhouse farther inland. The movie begins in the dark early hours, in landing craft headed for the Italian coast, dialogue ensues. The platoon's Lt, is injured and eventually dies, leaving a number of sergeants to lead the platoon to the objective. More dialogue follows. Eventually they hit the beaches uncontested and dig so they can talk about nothing. In one of the few action scenes of the film, a medic (Holloway) is killed by a strafing plane, and more talk follows. They move inland all while talking and come across some deserting Italian soldiers. The token Italian American is able to speak to them and they get some info about the area. After more long winded chat of no importance, they get ready to hit a German half track. One of the sergeants basically wets his pants, cries, and can't fight. They blow up the half track and move on to the all important farmhouse. After much talk, they attempt to hit it, and they fail. They come up with a foolhardy plan to take the place. With much less casualties then would have actually happened, they manage to take the house and talk some more.I have to say this is one of the most disappointing "war films" I have ever scene. I'm amazed with a cast like this the film came out so poorly, in virtually every aspect. Lloyd Bridges seems to stand out by far and even his character is a bore. The real problem with the film is there is too much needless boring dialogue. Everyone knows to have a good film you need a good script and dialogue, the problem is that almost all of it is pointless. They attempted to show you what the average Joe would be talking about while he's out on patrol. But it becomes tedious and extremely boring, with dialogue if you're not outright laughing at for being so poor, you may just be fast forwarding. For instances some have said how "real" the dialogue is. Yet, near the end, they have just lost some men, are under fire and don't know how their going to take the farmhouse. So with no real emotion the one guy starts up a conversation about how a leaf off the ground is more complex than the human body. If it sounds stupid, it is. His first thoughts would be is he going to see his family again or live to see another day. Other ones are equally as silly, about dirt, apples, and how one man wants to be hit man after the war. The only scene that was good was when they talk to the Italians to get some information. It comes off well. But I haven't mentioned characters, because they are ones that no one could care about. I couldn't even give you a name. Although you really never see them, you will probably be begging for the Germans to attack just so something happens in the film. The song that is played periodically during the film is awful, but I can excuse this for it is not the tastes of my era.Those above aren't the only situations that are impractical. The officer is killed yet among at least 3 sergeants they have no idea what their doing. No one seems to carry a radio. When friends die, rather then stripping them of at least their ammo or weapon, they leave them there with a loaded Garand shoved in the ground. Same with the medic, he's killed and they don't take his supplies. And of course let's not forget the non climatic ending. Not only do they poorly plan the attack, but they are suppose to have cover from a machine gunner who does nothing but brag, yet he cant hit the broad side of a barn, or a farm house in this case. In reality virtually all of those men would be back in WWI, slaughtered from machine gun fire. If you wanted reality poor planning actually may be kosher to the green US military of the time, so maybe the movie is correct in that case.I know what people will say, go watch Private Ryan (overrated) or something with big special effects. No actually I don't need all that. Most of the greatest war films, among others were from years back, from black and white to color, with little or lots of violence, bad effects to great effects and with varying dialogue. This is just a poor war film. Guadalcanal Diary was made before this and is far superior on all levels. Among other greats about WW II, Attack!, The Longest Day, The Train, The Dirty Dozen, Bridge on the River Kwai, The Great Escape, and depending on how modern you want to be, Downfall. There are too many to name. I'm sure this holds a special place for some, but overall it is poorly done and should be avoided by most, unless a die hard WW II buff. 1 and half out of 10 stars.
