atlasmb It seems like most of the reviews on this site are glowing, with 8-10 stars awarded. Yet the average score for this film is 7.4. Obviously the reviews are not representative of the general consensus."Pride of the Marines" does a good job, in the beginning, of providing stark contrast between life at "home" and the hell that was war for those on the front lines during WWII.After Al (John Garfield) is injured and shipped back to the states, the film takes a turn for the worse. It was released in 1945, so we have to give it some slack, but it is just so heavy-handed that it is cringe-worthy. No one would talk the way Garfield does; and he talks nonstop. The biggest problem with the film is that the writer(s) have Garfield voice every thought that goes through his head. The script would have been more effective if it were more subtle. I suppose I should provide an example. In "Stalag 17", for example, the protagonist (played by William Holden) is a man who is hated by his fellow prisoners of war, but he doesn't voice (much) his feelings of disappointment, hate and revenge. His mannerisms and his face convey these feelings as clearly as if we had read his diary.From the beginning of the film, Al is not a very sympathetic character. He is one of those guys who is too proud to express his feelings, like it might make him a sissy. After his injury, his pride gets in the way of his recovery and his relationships. This is a common theme that has been done better in other films. Ironically, the film's title refers to pride, but pride is Al's biggest problem.Part of what makes the film heavy-handed, besides the overbearing dialogue, is the music. And the way it marries patriotism with religious piety. But Hollywood was good at laying it on thick for the home audiences, using its influence to manipulate the masses. The talk about America being a chosen land is standard wartime content. You can bet that German and Japanese scriptwriters were putting out the same sentiments.Garfield does a good job with the script he is given. Eleanor Parker, as his girlfriend, is a fitting representation of the sweet, wholesome woman who remains loyal to her man.

WarnersBrother There isn't a lot to say that hasn't been said, This is a masterpiece on the level of "The Best Years of Our Lives" and Delmar Davies best picture. A fantastic supporting cast and Garfield is great. But special mention to Eleanor Parker who is superb (and i am not a fan) and thank heavens that the always wonderful Rosemary De Kamp had an opportunity to play a role where she was the young and attractive woman she was, and not the Mother!IMDb requires more text, so here is a shout out for Dane Clark,Tom D'Andreaand good old reliable Tom Ridgely!

bkoganbing Definitely at the top five of best John Garfield movies has to be Pride of the Marines. It's the true story of Marine private Al Schmid who at the cost of his own sight, while wounded held off a horde of storming Japanese on Guadalcanal. The story nicely segments in three parts, Al Schmid's home life where he's a simple working stiff who's just getting serious with a woman and who likes nothing better than his bowling night. Pearl Harbor is bombed and he's off to war as millions of others were.The second part is at Guadalcanal and we see part of the action where he's in an isolated machine gun nest, holding off Japanese troops. His action prevented Marine positions from being overrun, but a grenade does in his eyesight.And of course the third part is his painful adjustment to civilian life and to reassure himself that people aren't just caring for him out of pity, most of all that girl he was seeing Eleanor Parker.This film was broadcast on TCM on John Garfield's 95th birthday and there was a documentary on Garfield hosted by his daughter. One of the people interviewed said that Garfield was the actor most believable in working class roles in having and holding a union card. In that respect he was lucky in that he did land with Warner Brothers in Hollywood. Though he kept getting typecast in gangster roles in the tradition of that studio, Garfield was terrific in these parts because of his background, because he came from the kind of life Al Schmid had, with the exception of Garfield's Jewish background.In that respect he was perfect to play the part of a working class hero like Al Schmid who accepted the responsibility of defending his country. No super heroics here, just a guy who'd rather have been back in Philadelphia, but doing a job that had to be done.It's a great part for Garfield. It's a film one shouldn't miss. I do wonder though whatever happened to the real Al Schmid.

jkucharik Being from the Philadelphia suburbs and extremely interested in local history, this film provides an excellent vintage view of Philadelphia in the 1940s. There are scenes of downtown, a train station that no longer exists, 30th Street Station--which still does exist, as well as scenes from the Northeast part of the city. Good shots of the old row-homes as they appeared then. The movie gets a bit "chatty" at times - causing the viewer to briefly lose interest...but the overall storyline is solid and very moving. Anyone who enjoyed this movie should also try to see the film "Bright Victory", also with local footage of the Valley Forge Army Hospital in Phoenixville, PA - and scenes from downtown Phoenixville. The Army Hospital has since become a college campus. Neither of these films are out on any format and I can't imagine why. I have them both on VHS from home recording, as shown on TCM in recent years. I highly recommend them to any other history buffs out there from my area!