They Were Expendable
film by Ford [1945]
They Were Expendable, American war film, released in 1945, that was based on a book of the same name by William L. White. It is notable for its stark portrayal of bravery in the face of sometimes hopeless situations during World War II, and it became a well-respected depiction of that war. Lieut. John Brickley (played by Robert Montgomery) leads the 3rd Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron in the Pacific during the early days of World War II, when an outgunned U.S. Navy turned to the small, quick, but highly vulnerable patrol torpedo (PT) boats as offensive weapons. (The film’s title ...(100 of 291 words)