They Were Expendable
1945 · Movie · NR · 135 min · ★ 6.5
After a demonstration of new PT boats, Navy brass are still unconvinced of their viability in combat, leaving Lt. "Rusty" Ryan frustrated. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, however, Ryan and his buddy Lt. Brickley are told they can finally take their squadron into battle. The PT boats quickly prove their worth, successfully shooting down Japanese planes, relaying messages between islands, and picking off a multitude of enemy ships.
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Details
- Years
- 1945
- Release date
- 1945-12-07
- Language
- English
- Rated
- NR
- Runtime
- 135 min
- TMDB rating
- 6.5/10 (135 votes)
Themes
- navy
- based on novel or book
- world war ii
- pearl harbor
- philippines
- pacific war
- pacific theater
- bataan
- 1940s
- corregidor
Awards & recognition
- Academy Award — Best Special Effects · 1946 · nominated
- Academy Award — Best Sound · 1946 · nominated
Cast & crew
Robert Montgomery
as Lt. John Brickley
John Wayne
as Lt. (J.G.) 'Rusty' Ryan
Donna Reed
as Lt. Sandy Davyss
Jack Holt
as General Martin
Ward Bond
as "Boats" Mulcahey, Chief Boatswain's Mate
Marshall Thompson
as Ens. 'Snake' Gardner
Paul Langton
as Ens. 'Andy' Andrews
Leon Ames
as Major James Morton
Arthur Walsh
as Seaman Jones
Donald Curtis
as Lt. (J.G.) 'Shorty' Long
Directed by John Ford