Another reviewer said that this was a film for the radio generation, a generation that did serve in World War II that got its entertainment from the radio, a generation that got the words and used its imagination. That is partially the case, but Jungle Patrol if you look at the credits is from a play and the sets do not betray the stage origins of the product. It bears a strong resemblance to Ceiling Zero from before the war and Command Decision which is post war.
When I wrote my review for Ceiling Zero I felt it was too stagy, that is not the same for Command Decision. But both of those films were A products from Warner Brothers and MGM respectively. 20th Century Fox did not invest too much in Jungle Patrol and it shows.
It's one of the weirdest war films I've ever seen. A squadron of Army Air Corps planes and their pilots and support have had an incredible run of luck. Like a whole squadron of Memphis Belles, no one has been killed and they've run up quite a score of downed Japanese.
They also get a surprise visit from a USO performer Kristine Miller who obliges with an impromptu show. More impromptu than normally as the rest of her troupe is delayed and grounded. The men are appreciative, but are somber bunch. This run of luck has to give out sometimes, the odds have to catch up.
Such people as Arthur Franz and Richard Jaeckel went on to some solid careers as did others in the cast. The lack of star names gives the film a grounding in reality. Had it a few more production values I might rate it higher. Still it is a strange and haunting film worth a look.
When I wrote my review for Ceiling Zero I felt it was too stagy, that is not the same for Command Decision. But both of those films were A products from Warner Brothers and MGM respectively. 20th Century Fox did not invest too much in Jungle Patrol and it shows.
It's one of the weirdest war films I've ever seen. A squadron of Army Air Corps planes and their pilots and support have had an incredible run of luck. Like a whole squadron of Memphis Belles, no one has been killed and they've run up quite a score of downed Japanese.
They also get a surprise visit from a USO performer Kristine Miller who obliges with an impromptu show. More impromptu than normally as the rest of her troupe is delayed and grounded. The men are appreciative, but are somber bunch. This run of luck has to give out sometimes, the odds have to catch up.
Such people as Arthur Franz and Richard Jaeckel went on to some solid careers as did others in the cast. The lack of star names gives the film a grounding in reality. Had it a few more production values I might rate it higher. Still it is a strange and haunting film worth a look.