A Walk in the Sun is a 1945 American war film based on the novel by Harry Brown, who was a writer for Yank, the Army Weekly based in England. The book was serialized in Liberty Magazine in October 1944.

The film was directed by Lewis Milestone, stars Dana Andrews and features Richard Conte, George Tyne, John Ireland, Lloyd Bridges, Sterling Holloway, Norman Lloyd, Herbert Rudley and Richard Benedict, with narration by Burgess Meredith.

In 2016, the film was deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the United States Library of Congress, and selected for preservation in its National Film Registry.

Plot

In 1943 during WWII, the lead platoon of the Texas Division is delivered by landing craft to a beach near Salerno, Italy. They make their way to a nearby wooded area, by which time their lieutenant, platoon sergean, and medic have been killed, leaving in command Sergeant Eddie Porter, assisted by Sergeants Tyne and Ward.

Their mission is to blow up a bridge and occupy a farmhouse, six miles away. They are wary of enemy tanks and planes, and have some encounters. Sgt. Porter has a mental breakdown and Tyne takes command.

They reach a stone wall within sight of the farmhouse, which they discover is occupied by the enemy. Tyne sends two patrols, led by Sgt. Ward and Pvt. Windy Craven, down to the river to get past the farm to the bridge, while the rest of the platoon keeps the enemy occupied at the front of the farmhouse. When the bridge is blown up, the entire platoon charges the farmhouse and overwhelms the enemy.

During the film there is some combat, but much of the story takes place between skirmishes, within the interactions and banter of the soldiers.

Cast

  • Dana Andrews as Staff Sgt. Bill Tyne
  • Richard Conte as Pvt. Rivera
  • George Tyne as Pvt. Jake Friedman
  • John Ireland as PFC. Windy Craven
  • Lloyd Bridges as Staff Sgt. Ward
  • Sterling Holloway as Pvt. 'Mac' McWilliams
  • Norman Lloyd as Pvt. Jack 'Arch' Archimbeau
  • Herbert Rudley as Staff Sgt. Eddie Porter
  • Richard Benedict as PFC. Tranella
  • Huntz Hall as PFC. Carraway
  • James Cardwell as Sgt. 'Hosk' Hoskins
  • George Offerman Jr. as Pvt. Tinker
  • Steve Brodie as Pvt. Judson
  • Matt Willis as Plt. Sgt. Pete 'Hal' Halverson
  • Chris Drake as PFC. Tim Rankin
  • Alvin Hammer as Pvt. Johnson
  • Victor Cutler as Pvt. Cousins
  • Jay Norris as Pvt. James
  • John Kellogg as Pvt. Riddle

Uncredited Cast

  • Danny Desmond as Pvt. Trasker
  • Robert Horton as Pvt. Joe Jack
  • Tony Dante as Pvt. Giorgio
  • Robert Lowell as Lt. Rand
  • Burgess Meredith as Narrator

Production

Actor Burgess Meredith, who eventually narrated the film, persuaded his friend Samuel Bronston to produce a film based on the book by Harry Brown. Due to problems with creditors, Bronston had to shut down production and the project was taken over by Superior Productions, which included the director Lewis Milestone Bronston filed a lawsuit, and in an out-of-court settlement received 21.25% of the film's profits.

Songs composed for the film include:

  • Ballad of the Lead Platoon
  • Texas Division
  • Waiting
  • One Little Job
  • The Platoon Started Out
  • Six-Mile Walk
  • Trouble A-Coming
  • Texas Division Blues
  • They Met Hitler's Best
  • Moving In
  • Black and White
  • Walk in the Sun

Traditional music:

  • The Army Goes Rolling Along by Edmund L. Gruber

Reception

The review in PM was both extensive and positive: "A Walk in the Sun is so different—materially and intentionally—from any other film dramatization of the war that it is difficult to judge it by the usual standards of comparison. Yet it seems to be the most satisfying of the soldier films—the most convincing in its portraiture of the U.S. soldier, the least contrived in plot and characterization and the first war film to attempt successfully a style and composition of its own....Yet it is not the theme ballad, nor the sparse though mighty excitement of the film's moments of combat, that make [it] a memorable film. Rather it is most distinguished for the real and comradely relationships among men of varying origins and modes of life, for its vital and sparkling dialogue...and for its unaccented tribute to the resourcefulness of the American soldier, working out battle problems with the co-operation and efficiency of a smart football team."

thumb|right|[[Realart Pictures Inc. re-release lobby card]] In The Nation in 1946, critic James Agee wrote, "A Walk in the Sun is often very alive and likeable, thanks to several of its players... But mainly, I think, it is an embarrassing movie. The dialogue seems as unreal as it is expert. Most of the characters—as distinct from the men who play them—are as unreal and literary as the dialogue. The aesthetic and literary and pseudo-democratic preoccupations are so strong that at times all sense of plain reality drops out of the picture." Leslie Halliwell gave it three of four stars: "Vivid war film in a minor key, superbly disciplined and keenly acted." Pauline Kael took issue with it: "This account of an American infantry platoon in Italy has a great big inexplicable reputation. Maybe people were impressed by its serious and poetic intentions... But this is the kind of literate movie that is more impressive than enjoyable."

Re-release

A Walk in the Sun was reissued by Realart Pictures in 1951 as Salerno Beachhead. In the 1980s, the film was released on VHS tape.

In 2022, A Walk in the Sun was reissued after restoration by the UCLA Film & Television Archive in cooperation with the British Film Institute using a 35mm nitrate fine grain master positive and a 35mm acetate composite dupe negative. It was issued on Blu-Ray disc by Kit Parker Films.

Notes

  • A Walk in the Sun at AllMovie
  • A Walk in the Draft