Merrill's Marauders (1962)

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  • MERRILL'S MAURAUDERS


    DIRECTED BY SAMUEL FULLER
    PRODUCED BY MILTON SPERLING
    UNITED STATES PICTURES
    WARNER BROS. PICTURES



    Information from IMDb


    Plot Summary
    Brigadier General Frank D. Merrill leads the 3,000 American volunteers
    of his 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional), aka "Merrill's Marauders",
    behind Japanese lines across Burma to Myitkyina,
    pushing beyond their limits and fighting pitched battles at every strong-point.
    Written by Martin H. Booda


    Full Cast
    Jeff Chandler ... Brig. Gen. Frank D. Merrill
    Ty Hardin ... 2nd Lt. Lee Stockton
    Peter Brown ... Bullseye
    Andrew Duggan ... Capt. Abraham Lewis Kolodny, MD
    Will Hutchins ... Chowhound
    Claude Akins ... Sgt. Kolowicz
    Luz Valdez ... Burmese girl
    John Hoyt ... Gen. Joseph Stilwell
    Charlie Briggs ... Muley (as Charles Briggs)
    Chuck Roberson ... Officer
    Chuck Hayward ... Officer
    Jack C. Williams ... Doctor
    Chuck Hicks ... Cpl. Doskis
    Vaughan Wilson ... Bannister
    Pancho Magalona ... Taggy


    Writing Credits
    Milton Sperling (screenplay) and
    Samuel Fuller (screenplay)
    Charlton Ogburn Jr. (book)


    Original Music
    Howard Jackson


    Cinematography
    William H. Clothier


    Trivia
    Bannister, Merrill's Aide de camp, was played by Lt. Col. Samuel Vaughan Wilson
    (credited as Vaughan Wilson), who was actually one of "Merrill's Marauders" and a survivor of the campaign.


    This movie was released in 1962. At the end of the movie there is a parade review
    that features the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.


    In the battle at Shaduzup, the huge triangular sets of concrete blocks in the rail yard,
    where the close-in fighting took place, were originally built to support huge fuel tanks
    used to fill up the engines as they were leaving the yard.


    Jeff Chandler's final film.


    Director Trademark
    Samuel Fuller: [Lemchek] A recurring character name in Fuller's films.


    Goofs
    Continuity
    When Merrill and Stockton converse after the first battle, Merrill's pipe moves
    instantaneously to and from his mouth between shots.


    When the troops are resting in the swamps, mud patches on Bullseye's arms
    appear and disappear between shots.


    When Stock and the rest of his platoon reach the top of the mountain.
    The lower part of the left sleeve on his shirt has been cut away.
    It remains like this for the rest of the film and isn't explained until the last battle Stock
    has a wound on his arm and a bandaged has been applied but no wound was visible until after the final battle.


    When Merrill is writing his letter at the railhead, the closeup shows his writing
    is well up in the top third of the paper, but in the wider shot he is seen writing under the middle of the page.


    Factual errors
    The British officer incorrectly had his slouch hat pinned up on the right side.
    Commonwealth troops have always worn the slouch hat pinned up on the left side to accommodate left shoulder (sloped) arms.


    Memorable Quotes


    Filming Locations
    Philippines

    Best Wishes
    Keith
    London- England

    Edited once, last by ethanedwards ().

  • Merrill's Marauders is a 1962 Cinemascope war film directed and co-written by Samuel Fuller
    based on the exploits of the long range penetration jungle warfare unit of the same name
    in the Burma Campaign.
    The source is the non-fiction book The Marauders, written by Charlton Ogburn Jr.,
    a communications officer who served with Merrill's Marauders.
    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.


    Look out for Duke 'Pals'
    Chuck Roberson, Chuck Hayward
    both credited as Officers


    User Review

    Best Wishes
    Keith
    London- England



  • In the trivia section--they mentioned this scene (when they assault the tanks) as a battle of some other name--however, they are wrong. This scene is supposed to be a part of the fightinig for Mitkyina (SP?) but pronounced Mitch-in-aw)) rail head/air field/ supply depot.. That was where they assaulted the Japanese Rail head/supply base.

    Es Ist Verboten Mit Gefangenen In Einzelhaft Zu Sprechen..

    Edited once, last by The Ringo Kid ().


  • Great image and that "Ma Deuce" would have shreaded that Japanese Infantry with no probs. I noticed the .30 cal water-cooled MG does NOT--have a water jacket. Other than that one minor mistake--I absolutely love this movie.

    Es Ist Verboten Mit Gefangenen In Einzelhaft Zu Sprechen..

  • De nada, Keith.


    This is an excellent film that never received the recognition that it deserved.
    Warner Brothers cast almost half its stable of popular and competent television actors in it, hired the under appreciated director Sam Fuller and gave Jeff Chandler a great role, which turned out to be his last. Then they threw it away as first feature on a double bill with the British "Night Creatures" (Their oath was terror---Their cry blood). If they had marketed this one properly with a small arthouse type of release instead of stigmatizing it as grind house fodder, it may have been better respected.
    Hope that this thread prompts others to seek it out. It's on dvd.



    We deal in lead, friend.