Second World War drama starring Frank Sinatra and Gina Lollobrigida, and featuring Steve McQueen. Captain Tom Reynolds leads a small army of guerrillas against the might of the Japanese army in Burma. While on leave, he falls in love with the beautiful Carla Vesari, but must woo her away from her shady boyfriend.
This MGM drama about wartime activity in Burma was clearly influenced by The Bridge on the River Kwai, and is notable mainly for its use of Ceylon locations. But any hopes for meaningful drama are quickly discarded for the sake of a hot romance between Frank Sinatra and the immaculate Gina Lollobrigida. When the film was released, two virtually unknown actors received career-boosting reviews: both Richard Johnson and Steve McQueen progressed to better roles, the latter famously teaming up again with co-star Charles Bronson and director John Sturges for The Magnificent Seven and The Great Escape. Today, this film is a fascinating relic of a studio in decline, combining those on the way up (McQueen, Bronson) with those in the twilight of their careers (Paul Henreid, Brian Donlevy) in a story undimmed by the star casting of Sinatra, who had yet to acquire the image that would undermine his credibility in such roles forever.
| role | name |
|---|---|
| Captain Tom C Reynolds | Frank Sinatra |
| Carla Vesari | Gina Lollobrigida |
| Captain Grey Travis | Peter Lawford |
| Bill Ringa | Steve McQueen (1) |
| Captain Danny de Mortimer | Richard Johnson |
| Nikko Regas | Paul Henreid |
| General Sloane | Brian Donlevy |
| Sergeant Jim Norby | Dean Jones |
| Sergeant John Danforth | Charles Bronson |
| role | name |
|---|---|
| Director | John Sturges |
