Introduction

During World War 2, a 3000-strong American unit, known as Merrill’s Marauders, battles the Japanese forces in Burma.

Outline

The film begins with off-screen narration over black-and-white historical footage of the World War II Burmese campaign, including mention of all American allies who participated. The film then segues into Technicolor as we observe Lt. Stockton’s (Ty Hardin) platoon moving through the jungle toward their first objective, the Japanese-held town of Walawbum. After Stockton radios General Merrill (Jeff Chandler) that they are nearing their goal, he and the rest of the brigade carry out a successful raid.

Afterwards, General Joseph Stilwell (John Hoyt) arrives in Walawbum to order Merrill on another objective, the railroad centre of Shaduzup, and ultimately the strategic airstrip at Myitkyina. With reluctance, Merrill later summons Stockton to brief him on their next mission and the unit continues their march through hellish swamps before taking Shaduzup from the enemy.

The brigade continues their mission up steep mountains for several days and nights before digging in just outside Myitkyina. As night falls, the unit endures a massive artillery barrage. The dawn then brings a Japanese banzai attack, which Merrill’s men successfully repel. Then, while desperately rallying what is left of his unit to move on to the base at Myitkyina, the general suddenly collapses from a heart attack. The men, led by Stockton, slowly rise up and trudge onward toward Myitkyina as an incredulous “Doc” (Andrew Duggan) cradles Merrill in his arms. In fact, it is Doc’s off-screen narration we hear next as he informs us that Myitkyina was indeed taken.

The Real Merrill’s Marauders

Merrill’s Marauders (named after Frank Merrill) or Unit Galahad, officially named the 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional), was a United States Army long range penetration special operations jungle warfare unit, which fought in the South-East Asian theatre of World War II, or China-Burma-India Theatre (CBI).

The unit became famous for its deep-penetration missions behind Japanese lines, often engaging Japanese forces superior in number.

Film Inspiration/Source

The inspiration for the film is the 1959 non-fiction book ‘The Marauders’, written by Charlton Ogburn Jr., a communications officer who served with Merrill’s Marauders.

Trivia & Goofs

• Filmed on location in the Philippines, the economical historical epic film stars Jeff Chandler (in his final role) as Frank Merrill and several actors from the Warner Brothers Television stock company who were then the lead actors in American television shows.
• Vaughan Wilson, who plays General Merrill’s aide-de-camp Bannister, was actually one of the members of Merrill’s Marauders (as Lieutenant Colonel Samuel Wilson), and served as Merrill’s deputy during the campaign.
• At the end of the movie there is a parade review that features the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
• Claude Akins also appeared in The Devil’s Brigade (1968). Both pictures were based on the experiences of real life military units.
• Sam Fuller agreed to direct this in the hope that Warner Brothers would also finance ” The Big Red One “. It would be another 15 years before the movie actually began shooting, with Lorimar financing. Eventually the Homevideo rights would belong to Warner Brothers.
• A lot of the music in the movie was lifted from Objective, Burma! (1945) and composed by Franz Waxman.
• Director Samuel Fuller had original wanted and asked Gary Cooper to play the part of General Merrill, but shortly after agreeing to play the part, Cooper was diagnosed with cancer and had to withdraw.
• General Stilwell tells Merrill that he is concerned about the Japanese linking up with the Germans in India. This was a fear in 1942, when the Germans had conquered a vast expanse of Soviet territory, and it looked like they would reach the Caspian Sea and then Persia. But the German advance was turned back at Stalingrad in February 1943. At the time of the conversation in the movie, in early 1944, the Germans were being pushed out of Ukraine. They had no chance of linking up with the Japanese any more.
• When they reach the railroad and airdrops are scheduled, Will Hutchins’ character watches the airplanes making the drops. The aircraft are Douglas C-124s which didn’t enter service until 1950 – for the 1944 era of the movie, the aircraft would have been Douglas C-47 or Curtiss C-46 airplanes.
• The role played by the Chinese Nationalist Army in the campaign is completely absent. In reality, troops from the 42nd and 150th Chinese Infantry Regiments of the X Force were a major part of the fighting; indeed the final victory at Myitkyina was only possible after Chinese reinforcements were flown in. The role of Japanese-American translators who served with the 5307th is also ignored.

Production & Filming Details

• Directer: Samuel Fuller.
• Writers: Smauel Fuller and Milton Sperling.
• Producer: Milton Sperling.
• Music: Howard Jackson, Franz Waxman, and F.W. Meacham.
• Cinematography: William H. Clothier, Technicolor, and Panavision.
• Editor: Folmar Blangsted.
• Distribution: Warner Brothers.
• Release Date: 13 June 1962 (US), 14 July 1962 (UK).
• Running time: 98 minutes.
• Country: US.
• Language: English.

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