Rent A Walk in the Sun (1945)

A little walk in the Italian Sun - A Walk in the Sun review by NO

Too long & very dark at the beginning-difficult to make out who was who.Realistic with men who were afraid-no gung ho but too much silly

American talk.Glad it was B&W without gratuitous violence .Good characterships with dependable Actors but little action.Having read the

Crictics reviews,Iwas expecting something better but worth seeing.

Italian Campaign. - A Walk in the Sun review by Steve

This is a WWII film which follows a platoon of US infantry from landing on a beach at Salerno to their primary objective, the seizing of a heavily defended farmhouse six miles away. Which they achieve through great loss of life. The film appears to be an attempt at realism. It is understated, and unheroic for a US war film. Much of the time, the men are waiting, or glimpsing distant flashes of combat. There is no propaganda.

 Yet, it is theatrical. There are three narrative voices on the soundtrack, including a sung commentary of ballads. The constant crosstalk of the soldiers is intended to be vérité; they rarely talk of the danger of their situation, but repeat verbal leitmotifs, usually pessimistic and ironic and expressed without emotion: "You kill me', 'Nobody dies'. This style is interesting, but unreal and dreamlike and feels literary.

 Despite this, it is a film that many returning soldiers claimed best captured their experience of being at war. The time is spent just walking from the beach to the assignment as members of their group are picked off. The Lieutenant dies on the landing craft and his second in command becomes incapacitated through fear. Dana Andrews gives a fine performance as the pragmatic Sergeant suddenly thrust into the role of leader.

 This is another ensemble war story that brings together Americans of many ethnic and social groups.The men capture the farmhouse with great bravery but the staging makes explicit just how reckless are the risks they take to achieve their target. It's a weary, noirish film which feels appropriate for men who have fought a war for three years with no impression of how it will end. It is one of the best US films of the war years.