Prismark10 A Walk in the Sun lacks intensity of Lewis Milestone's masterpiece All Quiet on the Western Front. In fact there is too much jaw jaw as the platoon soldiers chat among each other while walking.A platoon lands in Italy with the object to take a Nazi held farmhouse, their lieutenant is injured and it is up to the platoon's sergeants to lead them further and achieve their aims.This is an unsentimental look at the life of the infantrymen, we get to learn about their background and what makes them tick. The trouble is it's all a bit dull. The film has a solid cast but I felt they could had done with more snappier and profound dialogue.

jacobs-greenwood Already revered for making the seminal anti-war (World War I) film and the third Academy Award Best Picture winner All Quiet on the Western Front (1930), producer-director Lewis Milestone selected Harry Brown's novel (and screenwriter Robert Rossen) to make this highly thought of WW II drama which tells a story about the Lee platoon of the Texas Division (United States Infantry) that came ashore at an Italian beach near Salerno in 1943. Earl Robinson wrote a song and Millard Lampell provided the lyrics that are hauntingly and soulfully sung by Kenneth Spencer, comprising most of Freddie Rich's background score and filling in the details behind what was more than "just a little walk in the sun", to become an anthem for foot soldiers then and now.The credits open with narration from an uncredited actor, Burgess Meredith, who ironically would go on to play real life war correspondent Ernie Pyle in a documentary style drama that similarly chronicles the lives of infantry soldiers (during the same war) titled Story of G.I. Joe (1945), the film which earned Robert Mitchum his only Academy Award nomination. After introducing the major characters, Meredith's voice-over is supplanted by the title song:It was just a little walk In the warm Italian sun But it was not an easy thing And poets are writing The tale of that fight And songs for the children to singThe music continues while the film opens with a night scene of the soldiers in their landing craft still a few miles offshore:Let them sing of the men of the fighting platoon Let them sing of the job they done How they came across the sea to sunny Italy And took a little walk in the sun They took a little walk in the sun.Almost from the start, it's apparent that the movie will not be like others from its genre, which are typically dominated by action sequences. Instead, A Walk in the Sun (1945) is a dialogue dominated picture that features at least ten character sketches which provide insight into the (kind of) men that fought in the (Texas division of the) infantry:Rivera and Friedman, Tyne and Porter, A Texan from Jersey, and one from Dakota A Texan from out near Duluth, Minnesota Kansas, Maine and Tennessee, Lord God, They're all in the Texas Infantry They're all in the Texas InfantryWhen the characters fall silent, the song and its lyrics fill in the blanks; the singer's voice plaintively wails while cinematographer Russell Harlan pans the line of dug in soldiers:It's a long long time a man spends a waiting' waiting around in a war I think of a gal I've never seen The hair is black and her eyes are green Her name is Helen or maybe Irene It's a long long time for waiting I think of all the things I haven't done or love the women I haven't won It seems like my life ain't really begun It's a long long time a waiting'Important details of their mission is initially revealed via this background music:This is the story of one little job One day from dawn until noon Just one battle more in a long long war And the men of a single platoon It was 53 men started out that day Along the Italian shore And some of those were mighty good joes Who never see the sunrise anymore, poor boys They'll never see the sunrise anymoreWhen the task is complete and the day has been won, the song repeats its opening and concludes with these telltale words:It's the walk that leads down through a Philippine town And it hits Highway seven, north of Rome; It's the same road they had coming out of Stalingrad It's the old Lincoln Highway back home It's where ever men fight to be free.It stars Dana Andrews as Sergeant Tyne, who ultimately leads the frontal assault on a farmhouse that's a German stronghold after directing the destruction of a strategic bridge (the sergeants play a more prominent role because the platoon's lieutenant was mortally wounded before they even reached the beach); Richard Conte plays the machine gunner, Private Rivera; George Tyne plays Private Friedman; John Ireland plays a minister's son & Pvt. that verbally and somewhat poetically "writes" letters to his sister; Lloyd Bridges plays a former MN farmer, Sgt. Ward; Sterling Holloway plays the medic McWilliams; Norman Lloyd plays Pvt. Archimbeau, who always draws the toughest assignments; Herbert Rudley is initially second in command as Sgt. Porter, but gives way to Sgt. Tyne when he can't handle the pressure; Richard Benedict plays a New Yorker who speaks two languages, Brooklyn and Italian; Huntz Hall, George Offerman Jr. and Steve Brodie are among the many others.

wes-connors In Italy, a platoon of American GIs must rid a farmhouse of its Nazi occupants. "A Walk in the Sun" is expertly directed by Lewis Milestone, utilizing Russell Harlan's perceptive camera. It's unusually poetic, for the time, courtesy of writers Harry Brown and Robert Rossen. And, certainly, the film should grow in stature, over the years, when compared to the more typical war dramas released during its era. Upon release, the film was no doubt considered noteworthy for its "realism". Presently, this strength is weighted. Still, the film's substance endures...Strong characterizations are provided by the cast of soldiers. Two stand out, and give the film greater emotional depth. Though it begins, necessarily, as a team effort, reluctant Dana Andrews (as Bill Tyne) emerges as the "hero"; and, John Ireland (as Windy Craven) stands out among the other soldiers. Mr. Andrews is the man who takes command, after leader Herbert Rudley cowers under the pressure. Andrews is terrific; especially, note how he fights off the same war fatigue and mental illness that claimed his predecessor.Mr. Ireland's performance, as a poetic minister's son, is award-worthy. Each of the film's characters attempt to grab you: "the farmer", "the prophet"… accompanied by an almost too sentimental, heart-tugging soundtrack. But, however you try to resist, it's impossible not to fall under Ireland's spell, as he explains "G.I. Dirt", and writes letters home "in his head". While Andrews takes explicit control of the mission, it's Ireland who implicitly provides the battle plan. The film does well in portraying a platoon's waiting, talking, teamwork, and action during war. ******** A Walk in the Sun (12/3/45) Lewis Milestone ~ Dana Andrews, John Ireland, Richard Conte, Lloyd Bridges

owen-163 Fascinating film depicting the reality of infantry life in the Italian campaign towards the middle and end of the Second World War. The character acting is marvellous, the dialogue interesting and well-written and the story well scripted. Yes it's a bit slow, and you get to read an awful lot of thoughts in people's heads, as it were, but for me this was part of the film's magic, as the reality of an infantryman obviously has little enough to do with guns going off, and lots more to do with time being spent waiting for the shooting to start. Nevertheless, the battle scenes are also well done and there is some interesting camera-work and other technical features that cine fans will appreciate.Thoroughly enjoyable and quite suitable for younger people of high school age, who might learn a great deal if they listen carefully, but who might also find it a bit too slow moving.