American Guerrilla in the Philippines (1950) User Reviews

Where Hirohito's Writ Did Not Run

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 27 April 2007]

If anyone thinks they've seen this film before, An American Guerrilla in the Philippines bears no small resemblance to the John Wayne film Back to Bataan. But what a difference in terms of production.

Back to Bataan was done on the RKO back-lot with their official jungle set used for films going back to King Kong and The Most Dangerous Game. An American Guerrilla in the Philippines was shot entirely on location in the Phillipines and the cinematography is beautiful.

I'm not sure that Tyrone Power's military service brought him to the Philippines, but he did serve in the Marines in the Pacific Theater in several campaigns against many islands. It certainly lent a lot of credibility to his performance.

Unlike John Wayne who is ordered into the hills to begin organizing resistance, Power is a navy ensign who's just trying to escape the Philippines after Bataan has fallen and to avoid the brutal Japanese prison camps. Along the way Power decides along with Tom Ewell and others in his motley group to join the resistance.

And unlike John Wayne, Power gets an opportunity for a little romance with a plantation widow, Michelline Presle.

Power does a good job here. The film is not a dark and moody Fritz Lang type product, but Lang does all right with a project that he obviously took for a pay check. I will say this though the ending is a bit too much to swallow as Douglas MacArthur does indeed return, and in the nick of time as well.

rousing World War II drama

[blanche-2 · 7/10 · 25 October 2005]

Not one to see a lot of war films, I have to say I enjoyed "American Guerilla in the Philippines," starring Tyrone Power and directed by Fritz Lang. Power plays a real-life navy man, Chuck Parsons, who helped organize guerrilla forces in the Philippines after MacArthur promised to return. There are some exciting and tense scenes, and also, the film is a tribute to the courage of the Filipinos. There are obvious non-actors in small roles, which is a little distracting, but I suppose this was done for the sake of realism. Power is rugged and handsome as Parsons, and Tom Ewell gives an excellent performance as a wisecracking soldier. Micheline Presle is the de rigeur love interest - it's Tyrone Power who's starring, after all, and their love scenes are great, as are their scenes where she subtly fights her attraction to him. Of course, I'd have caved right in.

Power did not get to meet the real Chuck Parsons until a few months after filming, when Parsons appeared, unannounced, in Power's dressing room when the actor was performing "Mr. Roberts" in London. One must assume Parsons was pleased to have been portrayed by a matinée idol.

Fritz Lang did a wonderful job of directing, but of course, this film is a far cry from Metropolis. It was a hard shoot for Power, as his wife, Linda Christian, miscarried while visiting him on location.

Despite other reviews on this page, Amrican Guerrilla is very watchable. You have to take it for what it is - propaganda to get the U.S. ready for the Korean war.

This film and the Hayes Code

[twotontoni · 5/10 · 19 January 2013]

It's not really about what I thought of the film - I note military and naval experts have commented on various inaccuracies. This is more a comment on an aspect of the film, which I saw many years ago in b/w, and got a greater insight into when seeing the Canadian commentator Elwy Yost's programmes on cinema history in the 1970's. How many viewers realise that the reason the heroine (the Filipino hero's wife) is cast as a Frenchwoman? This is not to make the story more romantic, or as a tribute to 'our gallant wartime allies' or even because the actress might be French, but because in those days to comply with the Hayes Code, the heroine, if she gets the white hero in the end (or vice versa!) has to be white!

American G.I.s help against invasion of the Philippines.

[michaelRokeefe · 26 August 2001]

This movie had a rush release just weeks before American soldiers get serious in Korea. A very good feel from this war drama about American fighters stranded in the Philippine Islands waiting for Gen. Douglas MacArthur's return. Guerrilla warfare helps sustain against the invading Japanese in 1942. Some very nice scenery and interesting war action. Top direction from Fritz Lang and potent acting from Tyrone Power and Tom Ewell.

Pretty good, but overshadowed by several similar films

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 11 November 2007]

Had BACK TO BATAAN and BACK TO BATAAN not been made, then I assume that American GUERILLA IN THE PHILIPPINES would probably be a better remembered film. That's because it's an excellent movie in just about every way, but the earlier John Wayne and Robert Taylor films about the Philippines during WWII were very outstanding films and tend to overshadow this Tyrone Power flick.

While the plot is not identical to these other two films, there are many similarities. All three document the heroic efforts of the Philippino partisans as well as that of Americans stuck in this land during the war. About the only noticeable difference was that the Power film was in color and I really think for this subject matter, black and white actually worked better--looking more like what you'd expect a WWII film to look like. Plus, the other two films are just a little more exciting and involving--but this isn't to say this Power film is bad--it just isn't quite as involving.

Still, among the many, many WWII films, this one is a bit better than average and well worth a peek. And, yes, I also noticed the line that said a Navy Ensign is equivalent to an Army Major! I'm surprised that Power, with his WWII experience, would have said such a stupid line. An ensign is most closely equivalent to an Army Lieutennant--a much lower rank.

Quite authentic, avoids some clichés

[Marlburian · 7/10 · 24 January 2006]

An entertaining film, filmed in the Philippines where the story is set and with some excellent local colour. And Micheline Presle, in one of her few non-French films, reminds me of a former girl-friend! At 37, Tyrone Power looks a little old. (Quinlan's notes that "when he returned from war service, his face had hardened into earnestness and gravity".) But he fills the starring role well.

I feared early on that the film might descend into the cliché of "attractive woman among hardbitten men in trouble" when Power invites Presle to accompany his motley crew on their primitive craft, but luckily she declines (and she looks too classy to have had the experience of such craft that she claims).

Some producers might have been tempted to make more of the American "phonies" (led by the ever impressive Jack Elam) Power observes collecting money from the villagers - a showdown between the good and bad Yanks, perhaps, but they're allowed to slink off. And I wondered if the woman with her head hidden as she denounced collaborators to the Japanese might later be identified and dealt with. Lesser films might have made more of these incidents in the interests of drama The end of the film was a bit unconvincing, with the Japanese soldiers withdrawing just as the survivors of Power's band look to be beaten; they had enough time to finish the job before getting away.

Good action yarn

[Homer900 · 7/10 · 3 January 2008]

While it seems that the premise of this film was based on actual events in the Philippines, it comes across as a good actioner and little more. The movie is enhanced with location filming and, being only 5 years removed from the end of WWII, many of the people in this film served during that conflict. SPOILER: While the end of the movie is pure Hollywood, the cavalry, in the form of the U.S. Army and General MacArthur, riding to the rescue saved the real band of guerrillas, it makes for a tidy, yet abrupt ending to the movie. END SPOILER. For the poster that said the movie was to get the American public ready for Korea, your history is a bit off. The Korean War started in June of 1950, over 3 months before this movie was released and by the time it came out, we were very much involved; the amphibious landings at Inchon, South Korea came in September of 1950. This was not a propaganda movie per se, it was a look back at a time when Filipinos and Americans fought together to defeat the Japanese.

Flag-waging and decent Hollywood production about the freedom fighters in the Philippines Islands

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 21 August 2020]

A rugged war-time combat drama set in 1942 , focusing the actual story of a group of American soldiers in the Philippines who fought with the resistance movement . Classical and true warfare movie titled ¨American Guerrilla in the Philippines¨ , this British title obviously didn't approve of such American jingoist title : ¨I shall Return¨. It stars the great Tyrone Power in the lead and the flick talks about the Phillipines battle , during WWII , concerning on defenders and resistance fighters , but Japan has just invaded ; regarding events happened in Bataan , Corregidor and Leyte .The Japanese army has overrun the Philippines , sending General MacArthur packing , promising to return . The US Army's defense of its Philippines colony and the allied Malay countries/colonies behind it counted on its island fortress of Corregidor on Luzon -and a few others- but loses it in the 6 May 1942 Japanese combined forces attack . Exciting warfare movie following the blockade run that took General Douglas MacArthur and his staff from the Philippines to the safety of Australia , then the survivors of a bombed and sunk PT boat make their way to shore . Ensign Chuck Palmer (Tyrone Power) and crewman Jim Mitchell (Tom Ewell) finally reach Tacloban on the island of Leyte attempting to make Australia by a boat . In a Yankee mission school , Palmer meets the married women Jeanne Martinez (Micheline Presle) and , subsequently , both of whom fall in love . Later on , they are among the escaping survivors who are ordered by general Douglas McArthur to organize a guerrilla , as Chuck forms a guerrilla army to raid Japanese and to help Americans landing on Leyte . As a group of soldiers flee from Japanese repeatedly attack and they head for blowing-up the Japanese installations . The defenders gave a few days for posterior victories and future US conquest like Midway , Island Salomon and Bismark .

This classic warlike movie is nicely starred by Tyrone Power at one of his best and unknown roles as a two-fisted officer , he's accompanied by a plethora of first-rate secondaries , all of them form the small army of Guerrilleros endeavoring to blow up pivotal Japanese headquarters . Stirring actioner warfare completed with slice of military stereotypes although some characters are very one-dimensional . This rousing action saga results to be a a good film dealing with war in human terms . Here director Lang has a sensitive handling of actors and provides an exact compositional sense . Fritz handles in all -especially the battle scenes- with flair play and vigour . There is a fair bit of flag-waving and patriotism , but that was just what was needed when the picture was made . It may not be an awesome film , but this is a thrilling and well made war epic . This colorful movie contains action , breathtaking battles , thrills , historical events , romance , and the battle scenes are impressively made with special mention at the end as they are besieged at a church . Stalwart main cast , Tyrone Power , the French Michellie Presle , both of whom provide splendid interpretations . Being stunningly supported by Tom Ewell giving an eye-catching and sympathetic portrayal , Robert Patten, Tommy Cook , Vic Diaz , Carleton Young , uncredited cameo by Robert Barrat as Gen. Douglas MacArthur and Jack Elam as a grizzled swindler .

This is one of a handful of feature films that have featured the story of the World War II , Philippines surrending and Battle of Bataan , they include as follows : ¨Bataan¨ (1943) by Tay Garnett with Robert Taylor , ¨So proudly we hail ¡¨ by Mark Sandrich (1943) , ¨They were expendable¨ (1945) by John Ford with John Wayne , ¨Back to Bataan¨(1945) by Edward Dmytryck with John Wayne , Anthony Quinn , Beulah Bondi . The film is set into a lush , abundant jungle with nice cinematography in technicolor , though a perfect remastering being extremely necessary . It contains an atmospheric as well as evocative musical score by Cyril J. Mockridge . It is well set in South Pacific , Philippines and shot on location in Manila, Subic Bay, Philippines. The motion picturewas professionally directed by Fritz Lang but far from his classics , being a strange stuff to come from this German ex-patriate filmmaker. He is a prestigious director , his films deal with a deep description of civilized societies , he believes that corruption is an essential part of it , that society punishes sincerity , innocence and love, vengeance and greed determine the behavior of people . Rating : 6.5/10. The picture is pretty well , it is a spectacular picture but resulting to be sometimes a vaguely dull war Hollywood production .

The actual deeds deal with Philippines fall , creation of Guerrillas ,and concerning an unsuccessful attempt by US and Filipino troops under General Douglas MacArthur to defend the peninsular against the Japanese 1 Jan-9 April 1942 . Following the surrender of Bataan , MacArthur was evacuated , but Allies captives were force-marched 95 km/60 mi to the nearest railhead in the Bataan Death March,i ll-treatment by the Japanese guards during the march killed about 16.000 US and Filipino troops .

"It was not all war however"

[Steffi_P · 5/10 · 21 November 2010]

There were hundreds of these cheap-ish World War Two quickies in the decade following the close of the conflict itself. They differed little from those produced during the war, still being in a kind of adulatory propagandistic mode, except that they were a little more vague usually having no direct message. What's more, as more time went by the seemed to get further and further from the realities of the conflict.

An American Guerrilla in the Philippines sees Tyrone Power, swashbuckling idol of the pre-war years, as an officer battling Japs in the Philippine jungle. Power has matured as an actor since his pictures a decade earlier, appearing tougher and less boyish, although he has also become less interesting in the process. His performance is steady and natural, but he is unable to make anything of what is admittedly a rather bland character on paper anyway. His buddy Tom Ewell is an unusual addition to the cast. He was in later years a very fine comedy actor, but it's hard to tell if he's appearing here as comic relief or not. In some moments, such as his burbling in the water trying to stay afloat, seem as if he is trying to play them for laughs, inappropriately if so, and certainly not at all funny. The rest of the cast is simply plain bad or plain boring.

Director Fritz Lang is normally someone who can give a nice baroque touch to even the most American of film formats, while still remain true to genre and tone. He seems uncertain however quite what to do with this one. He gives many shots in the jungle an abstract feel, with no familiar points of reference, giving them a threateningly wild look. Often his camera takes a spectator's position, peeping out through foliage. It's hard to tell what purpose this serves, as it distances us from the events on screen. Incidentally, Lang was a very good director of crowds and action, as evidenced in his big-budget silent pictures. There are some very powerful moments, with characters moving straight towards us down the middle of the shot and memorably stylised movements. However for a director who is normally so good at imbuing his work with a dark and nightmarish feel, An American Guerrilla in the Philippines has none of the bleak terror of, say, Operation Burma, a picture which really worked because it made us the audience feel lost within the jungle ourselves.

And ultimately An American Guerrilla in the Philippines is too light, and too sparing on any true sense of tragedy. It's lack of a real feeling of danger gives it many dull stretches, and its lack of realism does a disservice to those involved in the conflict. All of which is rather odd because the picture is also far from being a comedy. The only thing which saves it and makes it watchable is Fritz Lang's strong, vibrant imagery, such as dozens of hats waving in the air or a soldier's dying scream just inches from the lens. Having said that, there are far better Fritz Lang pictures to see these brilliant touches in.

Lensed on a lavish scale! But now somewhat dated!

[JohnHowardReid · 6/10 · 24 May 2018]

Filmed entirely on location in the Philippines with (as a Foreword is careful to point out) the co-operation of the Philippines Government and its armed forces (many of the leaders of which took an active part in the war-time guerrilla movement), American Guerrilla in the Philippines may have been a bit of a trail-blazer in its time but, seen today, it is not much different from many other films dealing with these events, such as No Man Is An Island.

This one, however, has been lensed on a lavish scale, although - aside from its shoot-out climax - the action scenes are not all that spectacular. All the same, Lang's pre-occupation with violence is evident in many scenes (the killing of Anzures, the Japanese interrogation of Torena and Miss Presle, the Japanese commander shooting a peasant who offers him a pack of American cigarettes) and his cynicism also comes to the fore in such episodes as the scene with Carleton Young as a nonchalant officer or the sequence in which Jack Elam and his confederates plunder the natives.

In other respects, Lang's direction is capable, although camera movement and frame composition are not particularly imaginative aside from some isolated shots (the boat nearly capsizing with Power at the tiller, the Japanese soldier advancing almost into the lens of the camera before being shot back).

The playing is little more than adequate, but it's interesting to see Tom Ewell, who is high up in the billing here in his second attempt at a Hollywood career (the two Willie and Joe films plus Abbott and Costello Lost in Alaska followed, after which he dropped out of sight again until his triumphant return a few years later in The Seven Year Itch). Actually, Ewell is comparatively subdued, as his part here calls for naturalistic comedy rather than exaggerated slapstick - the former certainly tones in better with the over-all mood of the film.

In her first color movie (and what was to be her second last English-language role), Micheline Presle looks very glamorous. Robert Barrat appears briefly in his accustomed part of General MacArthur. Power is his usual self. Some of the indigenous players, particularly Miguel Anzures and the unidentified actor who plays the Japanese commander, are very effective.

I am glad that Lang has the Japanese soldiers speak Japanese instead of fractured English (Hollywood's usual device in these circumstances).

The film was an unusual assignment for writer-producer Lamar Trotti, but he has brought off both the screenplay and its production with his usual capability. Though the plot is to some extent stereotyped (a fault that occurs in the original novel and has unfortunately become more obvious due to the large number of imitations the film has inspired), at least the dialogue avoids many of the usual Hollywood cliches (having the Japanese dialogue untranslated is an advantage here).

The film has been realized on an extensive budget. Both production credits and production values are first class.

A vacation and something approximating a movie

[davidmvining · 3/10 · 16 September 2022]

I sometimes describe directors as on autopilot, when they make movies that speak to their thematic obsessions, but the films don't have the same kind of passion or craft as their best work. This a level below that. This is Fritz Lang going through the motions of directing a motion picture. I don't think there's a single thing in this film that spoke to him, and he simply took the paycheck and a trip to the Philippines. At least when John Ford made Donovan's Reef, it seemed like everyone was having a good time. I can't say that about anyone here.

Ensign Chuck Palmer (Tyrone Power) is in the Philippines in 1942 when the Japanese defeated the American forces and pushed MacArthur back, leaving Palmer and many others to fend for themselves deep behind enemy lines. In the confusion, he tries to negotiate his way onto a boat to Australia to rejoin the fight with a colonel readying to bug out, but he can't get on. Instead, he manages to put in a good word for a woman, Jeanne (Micheline Presle), who is looking for a doctor to help with a pregnant woman. Will Palmer and Jeanne end up together by the end? Have you ever seen a movie before?

This movie begins to drag almost immediately. It was based on a non-fiction book by Ira Wolfert of the same name, and the script seems to be the dreary kind of adaptation that is simply interested in capturing moments from source material and putting them up on screen without any regard for how movies work, get structured, or are simply different from books. The recreation on screen of Palmer taking his little group of army men (despite him being a naval officer) to live in the hills for months and then make their way to a Filipino military base to see if they can offer them a ride to Australia is just lazily laid out with each event flatly filmed, perfunctorily acted, and slowly moving from one event to another. There's even a shootout with Japanese soldiers that has no real energy to it before the group just eases on into the next scene.

The Filipino authorities send him to join the American guerrilla forces in the Philippines, and it's there that Palmer becomes a guerrilla. I did not expect so much of his guerrilla activities to be dealing with radios, though. Really, it's all about setting up a radio tower, and it's just kind of dull. It's so dull, that we end up spending more time with Palmer reconnecting with Jeanne, who lives nearby, with her husband Juan (Juan Torena). Is that going to prevent Palmer and Jeanne from getting together? Don't you believe it. That guy is gonna die so that our two attractive leads get together in this movie about guerrilla fighting in the war.

Seriously, this movie is just lazy. I was reminded of They Were Expendable, John Ford's John Wayne movie about the temporary nature of life in a warzone. That had a similar setting with a similar cast of character, but the terror of losing everything precious, no matter how little it is, dovetailed very well with the romance that popped up between Wayne and Donna Reed. The thematic weight gave greater feeling to the actions at play in the film. Here? It just feels like an extra subplot that could be cut without harming anything around it. There is no thematic connection anywhere in this film. It's just a lazily assembled series of events that eventually lead to an exciting action conclusion.

So, I was mostly bored by this, and then the final action conclusion starts, and I was actually entertained a bit. A bit. It was very much a surface-level entertainment of Lang simply managing an action sequence well enough, but it was a nice way to end a movie of mostly boredom. Palmer leads his men into a small town where some Japanese soldiers soon roll through. They hide in a Catholic church (the one touch that feels like it might have come from Lang himself, but the Philippines being so Catholic it might just be a coincidence), and a shootout ensues. It's a well-filmed shootout, and, as a combat short film, it would be pretty okay on its own.

Powers, Presle, and Tommy Cook as the Filipino guerrilla Miguel are fine. There's no standout performance anywhere helped none at all by the fact that the actors have so little to do. I'm not even sure I'd call Palmer a character. It's pretty much just Stock Military Man slowly making his way through the Philippines and waiting for MacArthur to return.

It's mostly just boring. There's nothing to grasp onto in terms of character, theme, or even plot. It's plodding and dull, but at least the final action sequence is decent.

How many war movies can boast that some of their actors actually fought in the war ( WWII) ? You see it through their eyes and hearts, as it was filmed on their home ground!

[dedewagner-1 · 10/10 · 31 May 2007]

The great Tyrone Power does it again! Not only does he wow the audience with his fabulous looks, he also makes you feel like you're really there, with his great acting ability. It is natural, not put on. The real chemistry with Michelle Perelle is very evident. (It's easy to see why Ty had thousands swarm to see him where ever he went.) You not only get a history lesson about the war in the Philippines, you also get to see it through the eyes of those who risked their lives and suffered through it! This includes Ty Power who sacrificed big bucks in offered movie contracts to go fight for our freedom instead. What a great American! It has dynamic movement, not a dull moment in it anywhere. The scenery is great, too! I must say I like having Tyrone Power doing the areas of narration, also. A real must to see with the whole family.

Interesting if only intermittently exciting uncharacteristic Lang war film

[OldAle1 · 7/10 · 8 April 2008]

One of the few remaining Lang films that I hadn't seen and that was at all accessible, I finally caught up with this color war film on AMC. Though not amongst the directors finest works, it was certainly worth a watch, with Tyrone Power leading a group of Navy enlisted men on a circuitous journey across the islands, at first in the hopes of making their way to safe Australia but eventually settling for becoming part of an American guerrilla warfare effort. The film is notable for not presenting the Japanese in as brutal a light as was common at the time -- though they certainly are "the enemy" in every way, and the film definitely has a rah-rah go America feeling to it at times, particularly the ending. The use of color is outstanding as I've found it always to be with this director despite his favoring black and white, and the performances are all quite solid. The problems lie mostly in the central third of the film as the guerrilla mission gets going; there's a little too much repetition here, and the romance between Power's ensign Palmer and Micheline Presle's Jeanne Martinez doesn't really seem necessary nor is it well thought out; overall the film feels a little too long and verges on tedious. But the final shootout is pretty well done and I certainly wasn't bored, even if this is a far from typical Lang effort that does not show him at his best.

The writers of this screenplay didn't research rank very well.

[yamsi531 · 5/10 · 16 March 2006]

As an ex-military person, the discrepancy of rank in this movie is very glaring to me. Chuck Palmer is an Ensign (the lowest navy officer rank), but wears silver clusters (the rank of a Lt. Commander). At one point he is talking to an army Major and mentions that, although he is in the navy, they are of the same rank (the navy equivalent of an army major is a Lieutenant). It's an interesting movie to watch when you're up at 2 am and can't sleep. But, overall, I think this is a very sanitized version of the guerrilla fight in the Philippines during World War 2. If you've just tuned into the film at some parts, you'd think you were watching a documentary. An interesting trivia note: Jack Elam is the narrator in this film, but he also has a cameo in which he plays a con artist who bilks the locals of money in order to "buy guns and ammunition to fight the Japanese".

Even Fritz Lang has to eat.

[rmax304823 · 14 November 2004]

Not a bad movie, really. Colorful, exotic locations, educational, some interesting combat scenes. But coming from the director of "Metropolis" and "M"?

It reminds me of an anecdote told by the psychologist who wrote "The Three Christs of Ypsilanti." That's a psychiatric hospital in Michigan. Three patients claimed to be Jesus Christ. The psychologist was watching a film with the one named Louie. Adlai Stevenson, then Governor of Illinois, appeared on the screen. "That's me," cried Louie, "I'm Adlai Stevenson." The psychologist replied, "I thought you were Jesus Christ." "I am," said Louie, "I'm Jesus Christ too -- but I've got to make a living."

Fritz Lang must have had some similar motive for making this rather routine war film. It has every cliché in the book. The romance thrown into the middle of the muddle. The cavalry riding to the rescue at the last possible moment. The acting of the principals is at par, but some of the bits are played by people who seem to have had no training in inducing a suspension of audience disbelief.

The best scene in the film has Tom Ewell (in an uncommonly dramatic part) trying to hide from the Japanese under a rotting log. His bare feet are on an ant hill and soon his skin is crawling with stinging ants while he bites his tongue and prays.

The best performance is given by the Japanese officer. He's great. Sinewy, dapper, ruthless, ironic. Speaking to Michelline Presle, who has been aiding the guerrillas -- "You rike Americans with WHITE FACES, like boiled pork." Marvelous line. (That bleached skin, like blue eyes, is an evolutionary anomaly confined to northwestern Europe.) The guy is fascinating to watch physically, in the way that Jack Palance is.

Minor error. Ty Power and Tom Ewell are reporting on the position and movements of two Japanese destroyers (actually, they look like Geary-class American ships). Power gives the info on the ships to Ewell next to him, who relays it by phone to a radio operator who encodes and transmits it. But the operator isn't sending information on the location of the ships. He keeps sending the word "news" over and over, interspersed with a couple of letter "b"s.

It is not, as I say, a bad movie. It's just done rather by the numbers. A far better job dealing with our defeat in the Phillipines was done by John Ford in "They Were Expendable." This film is worth watching as a description of the very real guerrilla movement that developed in the Islands after that initial defeat.

Patriotism takes another necessary return.

[mark.waltz · 6/10 · 27 January 2021]

As issues between the United States and Korea created another war, Hollywood looked back to a recently ended world war in locations near to the newest conflict to promote much needed propaganda once again. This time, the setting is the Philippines and the efforts to keep the nearby Japanese from accomplishing their goal of taking control. Tyrone Power and Tom Ewell arrive at the American base after being separated from their troop and desire to get to Australia where their troop is said to be now.

Their attempts to get there by pontoon boat fail so they have to try another way and this means delivering a message from the Philippino residence to an American officer stationed in the jungle. More adventures follow in the conflict with the Japanese so their journey is further delayed, and Power finds himself attracted to a French girl (Micheline Presle) raised in the Philippines, a romance doomed by her marriage to Philippine officer Juan Torena.

There are some terrific moments in this typical war adventure, particularly the shot of Power hiding from the Japanese and forced to remain quiet while being covered by an army of ants. The influence of Spanish culture on the Philippines is interestingly documented with a few light hearted moments, but most of the film focuses on Power and his men fighting as guerillas for the cause of freedom. Nice color photography aids this greatly, and the tension of the Japanese brutality on the Philippino people makes this nail biting at times.

Power Is Under-ranked

[alexdbevil · 6/10 · 2 July 2023]

I found and just watched this movie on YouTube. I remember watching it repeatedly in B/W on TV over 60 years ago. I enjoyed it then, as I did now. However, I now have some issues.

First, the dialog was wooden at times. When it was revealed that the woman Powers had his eye on was married; I thought, "I hope she has a black dress to wear at his upcoming funeral."

At 36, Power was rather old to still hold the rank of ensign in the U. S. Navy. Secondly, while temporarily attached to the Army, he says his rank is the equivalent of a major. All the while he's wearing silver oak leaves of a Lt. Colonel. In the U. S. military, a lieutenant in the navy is the equivalent of a captain in the army.

I did think that it was daring to show a higher-ranking Filipino officer giving orders to a lower-ranking white American officer.

I also thought the close-ups of several tooth-challenged natives celebrating their liberation by Gen. MacArthur's forces was a garish, demeaning, and grotesque attempt at humor at their expense.

Lang's lousiest.

[brogmiller · 2/10 · 5 September 2022]

Even Fritz Lang's staunchest devotee would find it hard to enthuse about this lamentable opus as it is possibly, nay probably, his very worst film. By this time he was persona non grata with 20th Century Fox and although Daryl F. Zanuck took control of the editing, nothing further could be done either to damage or improve it.

By all accounts Herr Lang and Gallic import Micheline Presle, spelt Prelle for the benefit of American viewers, got along splendidly and she fares best. It must be said that in common with so many European actresses her sojourn in Hollywoodland was utterly fruitless and a waste of talent.

Whenever this worthless piece was alluded to in afteryears its perpetrator would react with his customary modesty: "I never made such a film. It would never fit into the Fritz Lang world vision."

There's a reason it's a lesser known Fritz Lang film.

[hitchcockthelegend · 4/10 · 23 February 2010]

It's because it simply isn't very good, not painfully bad exactly, just a meanderingly paced time filler is all. Adapted by Lamar Trotti from a novel by Ira Wolfert, it stars Tyrone Power, Tom Ewell and Micheline Presle. The plot focuses on Chuck Palmer (Power) & Jim Mitchell (Ewell) who are stranded in the Philippine Islands waiting for Gen. Douglas MacArthur's return. As the impending surrender to the Japanese is unappealing to the guys, they attempt to escape the Islands. Only to be thwarted at every turn. So digging in they set about building a communications station to aid the guerrillas in the war effort. But the Japanese are closing in.

First time viewers should not be fooled by some of the advertising catch phrases that proclaim this to be a rousing spectacle, or a great Pacific adventure. It's a sedate character driven story that's more concerned with flag waving jingoism than any adherence to action entertainment. Which would be fine if Trotti's script wasn't so unimaginatively bland. It's nicely shot at the actual locations by Harry Jackson, and Power is as ever, watchable; working from actual military experience helps of course. But with Ewell and Presle out of their depth {the former out acted by ants in one of the film's rare suspenseful moments} and the romantic sub-plot as tiresome as it pointless, this only serves to be a huge disappointment as a picture, and a blot on the directors CV. 4/10

great movie set in WWII

[vmoreno2007 · 10/10 · 4 February 2010]

Even as a non-movie war buff, I really enjoyed this movie. As a Filipino who lived in the Philippines for 16 years, 6 of which was in the province and the rest in the States, I really identify with the movie. It shows the beautiful scenery of the country and the rustic huts which are still being used to this day. It displays the villager life quite authentically as I recognized the national costume, (barong Tagalog and filipiniana), a typical nipa hut, the way people typically wash their clothes, and the huts on stilts.

Tyrone Powell stars as the dashing war hero who gets blown off his PT boat and leads his motley crew to Australia. In the process, he gets caught up with the Filipino guerilla movement against the Japanese, trying to duck the Japanese whenever the village is invaded. It is an interesting portrayal of trying to make do with Asian countryside resources to make a viable radio to contact general MacArthurs troops. He meets the heroine who later becomes widowed and the two fall in love in the midst of the war. The ragtag crew gets caught in a last stand at a sturdy church, when General MacArthur arrives in the nick of time, making for a feel good movie, I found it exciting, easy to get into and located in a typical local Filipino flavor even featuring the typical native dance tinikling. I loved this movie, it will not disappoint. Maybe they could have portrayed the Japanese high rankers as a little bit more cruel, the way my mom used to describe to me, and they could have shown some Japanese as young kids who had no choice and were just homesick and were in a war they never wanted to be in. But other than that, an excellent war movie. The difference between movies in the 1950's and 2000's clearly show in terms of excellent acting and inspiring cinematography.

Fritz Lang couldn't have been proud if this one

[nomoons11 · 5/10 · 20 August 2011]

well...he couldn't have. Man this was pretty darn bad. Terrible casting and severely bad script make for a film Mr. Lang probably phoned in the directing.

The main cast was just fine but the secondary cast must have been made up of totally unprofessional actors....and they were terrible. I'm guessin they used actual GI's not far out of the war for the scenery but even their few lines these guys talked like cigar store indians. Totally wooden and their lines were just totally corny. The script was just bad. This was almost like a post-war propaganda film the way Tyrone Power narrates all throughout it. The only thing I got from this one was the Philippines scenery. Very beautiful place.

If someone offers you this one to watch...just say,..." I'll pass."

Great

[brice-945-410027 · 13 July 2018]

This is a seldom referenced and very overlooked old movie, but Fritz Lang still shows what an amazing filmmaker he is here. The script is good (not great) but the direction and some surprisingly good acting turn this one into a real winner. Definitely worth watching.

A Run-of-the-Mill War Movie

[Uriah43 · 5/10 · 29 June 2016]

"Ensign Chuck Palmer" (Tyrone Power) is an American Navy officer who just happens to be stranded in the Philippines at the onset of World War II. With him are a few American Army soldiers who willingly accompany him on a small boat headed for Australia. Unfortunately, they encounter a typhoon and become stranded once again on the Filipino island of Leyte. It's at this time that they are encouraged to make a daring trek to another island in the Philippines to make contact with an American unit conducting guerrilla activities against the Japanese forces which are increasing at an alarming rate. However, rather than being given passage on a submarine back to Australia, Ensign Palmer is given the dangerous mission of setting up radio stations at certain key points to keep General MacArthur informed of enemy movements. And this is something that he has to do even though he knows nothing about radio communications and has very few supplies with which to carry out his assignment. Along with that he also has to contend with superior Japanese forces all around him. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that had this movie been filmed during World War II I might have cut it a little slack as these type of grade-B patriotic films were the product of the times. But because this was clearly not the case I feel compelled to be slightly more critical. As a result I have to say that this was a movie which was long on patriotism but sometimes a bit short on entertainment. There just wasn't much here to get excited about. Now don't get wrong-it wasn't necessarily a bad movie at all. But if the viewer is expecting something other than a run-of-the-mill war movie then they are likely to be somewhat disappointed. In any case, I rate this movie as about average-and that's giving it the benefit of the doubt even then.

War in the Philippines

[TheLittleSongbird · 5/10 · 4 May 2019]

A great director like Fritz Lang is reason enough to see any film, regardless of its reception. It is hard though to not expect much when you see Lang's name attached. Also Tyrone Power, while not one of my favourite actors, is always watchable, although not every film he starred in was great (though few were "bad" strictly speaking). They were the two reasons for me watching 'The American Guerilla in the Philippines', as well as appearing in my more like this section with no prior knowledge of it.

Watching it, 'American Guerilla in the Philippines' didn't strike me as a bad film and there are a fair share of good elements. It also didn't strike as a particularly good film with an equal amount of bad things, and the main reason to see it in the first place is if you are wanting to see everything that Power and Lang did, so completest sake really. Power doesn't come off too badly here, being in a role that suits him (that actually has been the case more than once in his overall lesser films), but this is not a good representation of Lang in one of his weaker efforts.

There are good things here in 'American Guerilla in the Philippines'. It is shot beautifully in striking Technicolor, which enhances the already beautiful Philippine locations extremely well. The music is suitably rousing and lush, while the action sequences are truly exciting (especially the climax).

Power plays his role with the right amount of brooding charisma, he is not too lightweight for it and his strengths are at least played to. Tom Ewell does surprisingly too playing against type, while the Japanese officer is chilling in parts.

However, the dialogue, which can be too talky, often ranges between bad and painful and in the non-action scenes 'American Guerilla in the Philippines' tends to go dead pace-wise. The romance is particularly tedious in this regard, and not helped by a Micheline Presle and hardly any chemistry between her and Power, it doesn't add very much either and seemed to be there because it is seemingly obbligatory to have one. The acting from the rest of the cast is rather amateurish

It is hard to believe that this came from the same director who directed masterpieces like 'M' and 'Metropolis', am really trying to be fair here but it is hard not to compare. It is always nice to see a director do something atypical and there have been numerous instances of that happening and the film being good and even great, but Lang was well and truly out of his depth here shining only in the action scenes with the romance especially betraying that notion. The story execution is very hit and miss, leaning towards miss with the momentum mostly not being there and the same can be said for any tension. There is even some patriotism thrown in and it felt heavy-handed and unnecessary.

Concluding, watchable for the technicolor and Power but a big disappointment by Lang standards. 5/10

Good movie!

[w0aq · 9/10 · 14 February 2006]

I caught this movie on the Fox Movie Channel last week. A shame that the DVD is not available as this one would be a keeper. If you like WWII era movies this one is a good one. It documents insurgency activity against the Japanese during the war. A rag-tag group of people including some Americans separated from the rest of their detachment lead locals in a courageous and sometimes complex scheme to keep the enemy unaware of their activities.

This was an easy movie to get into and one I would add to my collection if available. It is in color as well and features some spectacular shots.