Surely you have seen this strong war movie: ‘A walk in the sun’
Shortly after the end of World War II, films about that war were released. One such film is A Walk in the Sun, which was released in 1945, the same year World War II ended. The film is based on the 1944 novel of the same name by Harry Brown.
A walk in the sun is one of the most underrated war films of its time. It was actually actor Burgess Meredith (of Rocky fame) who initiated the project after convincing a producer to adapt Brown’s book. Although Meredith is not A walk in the sun plays, he took on the role of the uncredited narrator.
History
The film follows a platoon of American soldiers who land in Italy in 1943 and have to fight their way through enemy territory, suffering many losses and increasing tension along the way. Those who survived the initial landing, including Sgt. Tyne and Sgt. Ward, are ordered to take a farm and blow up a nearby bridge.
When the soldiers are not fighting the enemy, they spend their time chatting as they march through the Italian countryside, but their objectives are always present. A walk in the sun shows an unusually realistic portrait of war, in which long, silent moments of conversation alternate with sharp, random bursts of violence, the meaning of which in the bigger picture is often unknown to the soldiers.
Only
The film was directed by Lewis Milestone, who had a varied career and is known for directing the anti-war classic All Quiet On The Western Front and the original Ocean’s 11 with Frank Sinatra.
A walk in the sun It didn’t feature any big names, making the soldiers feel even more authentic, and was unique in war films of the time because it took a more realistic approach to the way the soldiers were portrayed. The men in the platoon are all tired, scared and exhausted by the conflict.
Modest budget
A walk in the sun It was also made on a modest budget, putting emphasis on characters rather than big action scenes, with a few fights here and there. The film has no real hero or message, just a group of American soldiers fighting indecision, uncertainty, boredom and fear on the front lines.
A walk in the sun is an intense and humanistic war film, and its realistic approach to the subject resembles later films such as Platoon of Saving Private Ryan have inspired. It remains one of the most underrated war films of its time. One critic even mentioned the film. “The Most Underrated World War II Film of the 1940s”.
To look at?
Want A walk in the sun to see? You can’t find the film on the various streaming services in the Netherlands, but you can buy it on DVD.
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