The story of men at war and that of the esteemed Pulitzer prize winning war correspondent Ernie Pyle. Soon after the U.S. entry into World War II, Pyle joined C Company, 18th Infantry in North Africa. There he got to know the men and often wrote about them in his columns mentioning them by name, something both the soldiers and their families back home appreciated. Pyle moved to other units but as C Company is the first he went into combat with, he considers them “his” company and rejoins them in Italy. Many will die but his reporting brings a human face to war.
Director: William A. Wellman.
Writers: Leopold Atlas, Guy Endore & Philip Stevenson (screenplay), Ben Bengal (additional dialogue) (uncredited), Alan Le May (uncredited), Ernie Pyle(books) (uncredited).
Stars: Burgess Meredith, Robert Mitchum, Freddie Steele, Wally Cassell, Jimmy Lloyd, John R. Reilly, William Murphy, Combat Veterans of the Campaigns in Africa Sicily and Italy.
1946 Academy Awards – Nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Robert Mitchum).
1946 Academy Awards – Nominated for an Oscar for Best Writing, Screenplay (Leopold Atlas/Guy Endore/Philip Stevenson).
1946 Academy Awards – Nominated for an Oscar for Best Music, Original Song (Ann Ronell).
1946 Academy Awards – Nominated for an Oscar for Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture (Louis Applebaum/Ann Ronell).
1946 New York Film Critics Awards – Nominated for Best Film, Best Director (William A. Wellman) and Best Actor (Robert Mitchum)
1947 Venice Film Festival – Nominated for the Grand International Award.
A beautiful restoration of possibly the best of all WWIl films—understated, heartfelt and magnificent.
Merely a masterpiece. Never seen a better print of this. Thank you for it!
and Russell Metty cinematography, to boot!