Purely Joyful Movie!

Pretty Good

For all the hype it got I was expecting a lot more!

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

Directed by Edward Ludwig, based on a story by Borden Chase, who wrote the screenplay with Aeneas MacKenzie, this average war drama about the formation of Construction Battalions (C.B. - get it?) by the U.S. Navy during World War II also includes a love triangle subplot involving its three top-billed actors: John Wayne, Susan Hayward, and Dennis O'Keefe. Wayne plays a well known (and well liked, by his crews) construction company owner Wedge Donovan, who's recruited by Lieutenant Commander Robert Yarrow (O'Keefe) to help sell his idea to train and arm the construction specialists to his superiors.But Wayne's character (who dances the Jitterbug with Adele Mara, uncredited) is a bit of a hothead who doesn't take direction nor orders from others very well and that, in addition to his interest in Yarrow's girlfriend Connie Chesley (Hayward), is the basis for the story's conflict. The film's Score was nominated for an Academy Award.After Donovan's construction crew returns from doing a job for the Navy, during which several of his men are killed, Lt. Cmdr. Yarrow asks him to help go before some admirals to arm these specialists against the enemy. But when Donovan learns that the Navy wants to do more than just provide his men with weapons, that they want to train them (to fight properly) for perhaps 3 months or more, Wedge is impatient and refuses to cooperate further.Donovan decides to go with his men - William Frawley plays foreman Eddie Powers, Leonid Kinskey, J.M. Kerrigan, Grant Withers, Paul Fix, and Ben Welden (among others) - on their next job for the Navy, and Yarrow's newspaper reporter girlfriend Connie is assigned to go along for the story. She tells Donovan that the Lt. Cmdr. had been sent ahead to keep Wedge and his men from getting into trouble (e.g. the war). Their convoy heads for a Pacific island that's later invaded by the Japanese. During the invasion, when a few of his men are killed (because they weren't in the Navy's provided shelter), Donovan's temper gets the best of his judgment and he leads his construction crew into the middle of the crossfire that Yarrow had set–up to contend with Japan's invading force. The result is not pretty: a large number of Donovan's crew is killed or injured, including Connie, who'd been spending a considerable amount of time with Wedge.While Donovan is tending to her wound, she tells him that she loves him and Wedge proclaims the same before she passes out. Yarrow heard it all, but that doesn't keep him from forgiving and apologizing to Donovan's men for his error when, after realizing what he'd wrought, Wedge is at a loss for words.Wedge seems to have learned his lesson because he then helps Yarrow to form the Seabees, by recruiting construction specialists into training by the Navy for specific battalions (e.g. to build and repair runways and other requirements). Donovan's even given the rank of Lieutenant Commander in the Navy, working for Yarrow. When Connie's better, she's as upset to learn that Wedge doesn't want her as Yarrow is that she doesn't want him.Donovan and Yarrow then ship off to another Pacific island to build and secure a runway with a fuel depot. Unfortunately, his men make easy targets for the (smiling) Japanese snipers that still infest the "jungle". Naturally, this leads Donovan, who had changed and learned to perform within the Navy's system, to ignore Yarrow's orders once again and nearly cause the depot to fall into the now invading enemies' hands. But, like the cavalry, Donovan and his men who had been hunting the snipers return just in time to save the day (tractors & cranes in combat!), causing Wedge to lose his life heroically.After a ceremony honoring the brave Seabees and their successful defense, Yarrow and Connie decide that they can be together once again.

CONTINUING in the Hollywood tradition and fine custom of rendering a fine line of films which were used as a means of communications and edification to the American People; we find the folks over on "Poverty Row" chipping in and pulling more than their weight. With the release of THE FIGHTING SEABEES (Republic Pictures, 1945) not only filled the bill, but also turned out to be one of the finest movies to come out of that studio.BEING the Studio which had the (deserved) reputation of producing mostly attractions for the Saturday Matinée crowd; these of course being mainly the "B" Western Series and the Serials;Republic did such titles as THE RED PONY, SANDS OF IWO JIMA and THE QUIET MAN;all "A" Films.IN addition to those listed above, we must add what is today's analyzed specimen, the screen story of the Naval Construction Battalion, much better known as THE FIGHTING SEABEES. Although it was produced in time for a 1945 release, it still packed a punch with the morale of the Armed Forces; as well as that of those at home.SENSING that they had a very important story to tell, the Production Team set out to "Bulk up" the headliners of the cast. First of all they needed a male lead. They wanted someone who would have had experience in both the dramatic vein and in the action genre. He would have to be a 100% red blooded American Male. Well, the Republic Brain trust didn't have to look very far at all; for among their Contract Players one True Movie "Star" who would fit the bill to an absolute degree. Gee, I wonder just who that would be? ONE would certainly not have to be a film buff to come up with the answer in John Wayne.DUKE had put in a lot of time and paid his dues with a long stint as the featured player in that series of Lone Star Western Productions, which of course was a subsidiary of Monogram Pictures. Mr. Wayne later signed on with Republic, where he was cast as the lead in their THREE MESKITEERS Western Series. More importantly, it was during this period that he was lent out to just about every studio for some movie or other. In one of his loan-outs, Director John Ford borrowed his services from Republic for the male lead in STAGECOACH (Walter Wanger Productions/United Artists, 1939) It gave a big boost to Duke's value and her saw his stock go sky high.WORKING for about all of the other Studios in various types of roles (mostly those of a Man of Action of some sort or another), Wayne's name and reputation grew considerably. So for this time at least, there would be no going to 20th Century-Fox, Universal, Paramount or MGM for a starring role in a major motion picture. Duke would have only to stay on the Republic lot.COSTARS for the production were a pair of most capable and popular Actors. Second lead went to Dennis O'Keefe, who while never ascending to the heights of Star, nonetheless had been most successful in many a lesser movie and as a capable, likable of a Second Lead. His casting proved to be well done as he and Wayne performed very well together, having several great scenes together.ADDITION of Miss Susan Hayward, on loan from 20th Century-Fox (?) to the cast gave the film a great balance on the top of the bill. The insertion of her character (or any lovely lady) into the story would almost always be cause for an example of "the Eternal Triangle." And so it was; but this was Wartime and it would be handled in such a way as to remind all that this was a time of sorrow and self-sacrifice.REPIUBLIC spared no expense in adding to the cast in a great number of tried and true character actors in supporting roles. The task was accomplished with the employ of such names as: William Frawley (Fred Mertz and 'Bub', later on TV), Grant Withers, Chief Thundercloud, J.M. Kerrigan, Leonid Kinskey, Paul Fix (Mica), Ben Welden and many others.WHILE Republic gave THE FIGHTING SEABEES a much larger budget than most, they still got their money's worth in every respect; for while the movie called for a great deal more outdoor shooting on location than most any other of what they usually made in their Westerns and Serials. Their remedy was to stick to what they always did the best; that being to put their 'Thrill Factory Assembly Line" into working on the production.THIS meant that they merely went to doing what they did best. They could use some of their own stock scenes of explosions, floods, fires and volcanic eruptions in movie after movie, without any adverse effect. These were always convincing and had served them well for years in lesser films.THE reason because of their great Special Effects department, the scenes of train & airplane crashes or what have you, were done by the best guys in the business; being the Brothers Lydecker, Howard and Theodore. Their work was as fine as any in Hollywood and much better than in most cases. Even the 'Big 5' Studios of MGM, Paramount, 20th Century-Fox, RKO Radio and Warner Brothers all looked covetously at Republic's Special Effects team.OUR STORY…………………Following the events of December 7, 1941 the need to have an all military construction unit; as the Imperial Japanese Armed Forces had no respect for unarmed civilian workers who were employed in building air strips, military compounds, etc., all throughout the Philippines and other locales in the South Pacific, They waste not a frame of film in giving background, the problems and the solution.POUND for pound or rather frame for frame, we can't think of a better example of a great World War II Movie, BAR NONE! POODLE SCHNITZ!!

Done by the numbers, no chances taken, this is the kind of Herbert J. Yates product that everyone went to see during the war years. John Wayne, looking youngish and handsome, is Wedge Donovan, head of a civilian construction company whose workers include such familiar faces as Paul Fix, J. M. Kerrigan, and Fred Mertz -- I mean William Frawley. The roustabouts all work hard, drink hard, and get into brawls.Wayne's labor force is working on a Pacific island occupied by the U.S. Navy, mainly in the person of LTCDR Yarrow, Dennis O'Keefe, when they are attacked by Japanese aircraft and three of the men are killed. This raises John Wayne's hackles, and that, as usual, turns out to be a bad idea, especially for Wayne. He and his men grab guns and rush into the middle of an ambush the Navy has set for a Japanese landing. Wayne's impetuosity breaks up the trap and results in further deaths for his men.O'Keefe persuades Wayne and his men to join the Navy and become part of a new type of unit -- construction battalions, or CBs, or SeaBees. Now they're trained in military protocol, tactics, and the handling of arms, though their principal job remains the construction of airfields and other facilities near the front lines. If the script didn't spell this out for us, we'd get it anyway because of the patriotic chorus on the sound track -- "We build to fight and fight for what we build; We're SeaBees of the Navy!" O'Keefe is promoted to Commander and Wayne receives a commission as Lieutenant Commander. The Worker SeaBees remain swabs.Well! The NEXT time the Japs pull a landing, things turn out differently, I can tell you, although the SeaBees are outnumbered. Heroism abounds. And this time our side wins.John Wayne makes the ultimate sacrifice but it's a splendid one. He's shot dead while driving a bull dozer towards a huge oil tank. The dozer's blade cuts into the tank, the oil blossoms into a colossal explosion, and the ocean of flame cascades down upon the screaming, stereotypical monkeys below.Oh, did I mention that Susan Hayward is in this as a reporter? Well, a love interest really. Both O'Keefe and Wayne are in love with her. It's easy to understand why. She's young, fresh faced, with a wide expanse of forehead and a cutely upturned nose. Keeps the distaff side of the audience entertained. She's in love with both men and can't make up her mind. In the end, she decides she loves the gallant O'Keefe, perhaps because he's survived the battle while Wayne did not.It's a modest and engaging movie, a twin narrative of Wayne's integration into the disciplined life of the Navy and of the love triangle involving O'Keefe, Wayne, and Hayward. There's nothing in the least original or poetic about it. But if you're looking for a fast, exciting movie about a seldom-noticed unit of the Navy, this gets the job done. A bonus is that you get to see the massive bulk of John Wayne jitterbugging with a supple little girl.

Probably the least sympathetic character ever played by The Duke. How many times is his character "Donovan" going to make the same mistake? This highly fictionalized account of the birth of the Seabees does little to inform OR entertain. I know that the war in the Pacific was still raging in 1944 when this was filmed but the constant stereotypes became tiresome very quickly. Every shot of Japanese fighters showed them as grinning baboons. The construction workers were all shown as drunks or incompetents. The love triangle was never believable and the misogynistic treatment of Susan Hayward was laughable as she was alternately treated like baggage or acted like a lapdog. Still, Susan Hayward was a bright spot in this picture if only for her occasional glimpse of potential as an actualized professional woman and her undeniable attractiveness.View if you must but don't expect any great (or even small) expositions about Seabees, war or love. This was a badly made propaganda film that should have been retired in 1946 when we didn't need to sign-on anymore Seabees to finish WWII. No doubt John Wayne was trying to do his patriotic duty by making this call-to-arms/shovels biopic but it misses on every cylinder to a "modern" viewer. There are too many decent WWII era films available to waste your time on this dog.