War drama starring Robert Montgomery and John Wayne. Manila Bay 1941: navy lieutenants John "Brick" Brickley and "Rusty" Ryan are convinced that their motor torpedo boats can do more for the war effort than merely ferry messages between garrisons. When a Japanese warship is spotted in the vicinity, the two men seize the opportunity to test their theory.
During the Second World War, John Ford served in the navy, attaining the rank of rear admiral, and made several documentaries, including the classic The Battle of Midway. When the war looked like being won, he enlisted with MGM to make They Were Expendable, a drama about buying time for the navy after the disaster of Pearl Harbor. It's an epic that follows the struggle of two officers (Robert Montgomery and John Wayne) to persuade the navy top brass that motor torpedo boats could play a useful role in the battle against the Japanese. Long, reflective and bursting with incident as the action crosses the Pacific, it contains fine performances from Montgomery, Wayne, Donna Reed and members of Ford's stock company.
| role | name |
|---|---|
| Lt John Brickley | Robert Montgomery |
| Lt R G "Rusty" Ryan | John Wayne |
| Lt Sandy Davyss | Donna Reed |
| General Martin | Jack Holt |
| "Boats" Mulcahey | Ward Bond |
| Ensign Snake Gardner | Marshall Thompson |
| Ensign Andy Andrews | Paul Langton |
| Major James Morton | Leon Ames |
| Seaman Jones | Arthur Walsh |
| Lt J G "Shorty" Long | Donald Curtis |
| Ensign George Cross | Cameron Mitchell |
| role | name |
|---|---|
| Director | John Ford |
| Director | Robert Montgomery |
