Customer Reviews

Halls of Montezuma

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

With its grim tone and gritty production values, Lewis Milestone's "The Halls of Montezuma" is a strong entry in the annals of Hollywood war films, marred only by its almost propagandistically negative portrayal of the Japanese. The underrated Richard Widmark plays a determined patrol leader (and former teacher--shades of "Saving Private Ryan") who leads his men in what seems the fruitless search for a Japanese rocket base that is showering destruction upon his fellow Marines. A great ensemble cast of such now familiar faces as Karl Malden, Jack Webb, Martin Milner, Richard Boone, and Jack Palance share his onscreen struggles, which include the typical tragedies of war (shown in relatively graphic ways for the time). The stench of death nearly permeates the screen in "The Halls of Montezuma," punctuating each scene with a visceral energy many films today lack, which adds to the suspense of the film. The only real problem with Milestone's vision is its determination to treat the Japanese as something other than human--sneaky, arrogant, mechanical, mercenary, barbaric--calling to mind so much of the vicious anti-Japanese propaganda of World War Two (which the Germans and Italians--whose populations in the U.S. were significantly larger--seemed relatively spared of). It would be campy if not for the fact that such portrayals inspired generations of empty-headed movie-goers to think of Asians in general in such racist terms.

Halls of Montezuma is a surprisingly realistic view of war-life in the Pacific theater of World War II. The themes found in the film are close to those of Saving Private Ryan, where one's man's life is worth more than we know. Each main character's past is explored, showcasing some excellent direction by Milestone. The editing found in the origin stories is similar to that of Tom Hanks' directed episode, "Crossroads" in Band of Brothers and is a pleasant surprise.

I find that many of the "go-getter" Hollywood-isms found in the war films of that era are for the most part absent in this film, give or take a few scenes. The battles are brilliant executed and the face-to-face confrontations with the Japanese are both nerve-wrecking and frightening.

I think that Halls of Montezuma is so precious because it's grittiness and realism was a rariety among the big budget war pictures of the 1940's-60's. Films like this one and Kubrick's "Paths of Glory" are truly great war films long before their time.

I first watched this movie as a kid and bought it recently. Watching it the second time was even better. It portrays the Marines as real people that had lives before the war and as unique individuals on the front lines. Each one had his own fears and failings but each continued on in the face of overwhelming challenges.

The main thrust of the movie is that a group of combat veteran marines invade a Japanese held island. At first they make quick progress. But then they are met by a rocket barrage that goes on for hours. The advance comes to a stop, the rockets continue. The main part of the movie involves the Marines trying to find the location of the rockets so they can pass the info on to the Navy's carrier based attack planes.

The ending is predictable, but how they get there isn't.

As a side note, Jack Webb (Sargent Friday from Dragnet) plays a war correspondent.

Where is the cinematic version of this great movie?

Superior war flick about Pacific island beach landing and aftermath. Good characters. The DVD presents a pleasingly clean and colorful image--of the Technicolor original.

What would it feel like to fight with a terrible pain.A man that used to be a school teacher is now a liutenent.Fighting and death is stressing him.Horror at so many friends that have died.Why not die too? He must make sure his last seven companions survive.Even if he doesn't.Impossible.It's frightening and disturbing.In the whats the use of fighting? Because their is a higher power. God,who wants man to survive and live to tell other people about this hellso it won't happen again.Thats the actual meaning to this film.It feels like life is worthless, but it is not.
The portrayal of the Japanese is, I believe, true. The director wasn't making up the way US soldiers felt about their opponents.They hate them and in those times many people did."Pip" is a real term.It's better to show the effects and shade it so people won't be offended.History can't be changed.