classicsoncall

(2013-05-28 11:39:39)

"You make with the pencils, and we'll make with the shovels."

There should be no doubt that this film is a highly over simplifiedaccount of how the U.S. Navy Seabees came into existence. John Wayneportrays the hot headed owner of Donovan Construction Company, whooffers his services to the government in building airfields and relatedsupport fortifications for the war effort. The story centers on WedgeDonovan's single mindedness in getting his men armed so they can defendthemselves under attack; as civilians they have no such authority.Boiled down, Wayne's role was to make a lot of foolish mistakes thatgot many of his men killed, both out of uniform and as soldiers.Complicating matters for Donovan is a three way love triangle suppliedby reporter Connie Chesley (Susan Hayward) and her fiancé LieutenantCommander Robert Yarrow (Dennis O'Keefe). When Connie suffers a nearfatal wound following a Japanese invasion of Island X-371, Yarrowoverhears Donovan and Chesley exchanging "I Love You's" together. Everthe stalwart military man, Yarrow doesn't seem to take it personally,even as he continues to pine for his woman.The fight scenes offer some unique twists that one would not expect. AsJapanese tanks advance on the island, the Seabees combine ingenuitywith resolve by battling the enemy with bulldozers and cranes. Thesurreal nature of the exchange makes one wonder if such fightingactually could have taken place, though I imagine it would have beenpossible.Only John Wayne could go into battle without a weapon, and in secondstake out three attacking Japanese while securing a rifle in theprocess. It comes as a surprise then when his character dies on thebattlefield, first shot and then blown up by enemy fire. Most of hismen suffer the same fate, a colorful supporting cast that includesWilliam Frawley, Leonid Kinskey, Grant Withers, Paul Fix and BenWelden.With no sense of a time dimension for the history of the Seabees, and ahit and run approach to the Wayne/Hayward/O'Keefe romance, the moviehas a disjointed feel and is best approached as an entertainment pieceand not a serious exploration of it's subject matter. The film closeson an appropriately patriotic note, with Commander Yarrow reading apresidential citation for the heroes of X-371. The movie's theme isformalized with the line - "We build for the fighters, we fight forwhat we build".

(2013-05-27 18:04:09)

Three-and-a-half stars for this very fine John Wayne WWII pic, 50th anniversary at that.

John Wayne plays Wedge Donovan (acharacter name he would use 19 yrs.,later in 1963's Donovan's Reef), aconstruction Engineering magnate whoends up selling the US Navy on armingcivilian personnel in hot LZs! He doesget killed in here (like in 'The Cow-boys' - **.5)but his movie was way bet-ter! Enough referrences to'japs', 'mon-kies', et, al and other racial epithe-ts to turn off the 'politically stupid'types. Well, that was the terms used at the times. [to cross referrence, see J.Garner's fine 'Grand Prix' movie to seehow attitudes changed by 1966!]

(2013-05-19 03:58:50)

waynefan

What can you say that hasn't been said already? It was nice to find it on DVD -- can retire the poor old VHS now. Was easy to find the copy I was looking for -- and what a movie. One of my and my spouse's favorites.

(2013-05-18 13:51:00)

Shows the Seabees Doing It To It

The Navy Seabees did a whole lot to win the war in the Pacific. This movie shows how civilian contractors failed in combat situations, and how the Navy created a new kind of builder-warrior. And who better to illustrate the metamorphasis than The Duke?The Duke puts on a uniform, accepts rank and begans growling for reports the Navy way. In exchange, he and the crew have become people who can fight as well as build.While it's kind of a low budget film, many people will relate to the scene where The Duke sends the bulldozer into the machine gun nest.

twoot

(2013-05-01 22:59:32)

Wayne's "War" Record

Werner's rather tepid 6 out of 10 evaluation of THE FIGHTING SEABEESnotwithstanding (I'd have given the film much higher, but that is justopinion), the allegation that Wayne failed to perform military serviceduring World War II owing to "disabling restrictions" is simply nottrue. Accounts vary in accounting for his lack of military service, butnone of them have to do with disabilities of any kind. As a married manwith four children, he was exempt from the draft. His daughter Ayssareports that Wayne was eager for military service but that pressurefrom Republic Pictures (with whom he was making enormously profitablefilms) convinced him not to volunteer for military service. A lessflattering picture emerges from Gary Wills JOHN WAYNE'S America: THEPOLITICS OF CELEBRITY in which evidence seems to indicate that Wayne(who was no physical coward by any stretch of the imagination) made acomplex decision based on his growing stature in the film industry, hisvalue as a propaganda symbol, his increasing paycheck, and the factthat he found film-making so rewarding. Whether an outside observerfinds this an appealing portrait or not, there is ample evidence tosuggest that Wayne always regretted thereafter not having served onactive duty.

spookym5

(2013-05-01 05:39:45)

John Wayne Dies

This is one of only 10 movies out of hundreds that He made that JohnWayne actually dies or is killed in. The other nine are not seen thatoften on TV---but people cannot believe that "The Duke" even died orwas killed in any of His movies. The list contains both westerns &action movies from almost all decades. 40s--50s--60s & 70s. The listincludes: The Wake Of The Red Witch, Sands of Iwo Jima, The Cowboys,The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The Shootist, The Alamo, Reap TheWild Wind. It is widely know of a story which was told By a person whowas there on the Tonight Show of the night that a man bragged of makingWayne back down in a Hotel lobby that He & Wayne were staying at whilefilming a Movie. A film crew member heard the boast & went too Wayne'sroom too inform him of the mans claim. Wayne walked up behind the man &In His most recognisable voice said "I Hear You Made Me Back Down FromA Fight Pilgrim"--at which the man passed out in shock.

vales1431

(2013-04-18 09:30:16)

Only Good For The Action

Typical John Wayne fare, with all the patriotic mumbo-jumbo and heroicbanter which clearly betrays the picture as upright propaganda. Still,considering that it was released during the course of World War II ,it's fairly justified.There is plenty of action including impressive hand-to-hand combat andfirefight engagements; surprisingly, the Japanese two-man tanksemployed against the Seabees (Construction Battalion)towards the climaxdefinitely resembled the Imperial Japanese Army Type 94 tankettes(wonder how Republic Pictures pulled that one off)! Aside from thecombat sequences, however, the corniness and simple, gung-ho dialect,not to mention that trite, Hollywoodesque love triangle gig sends onespiraling. And portraying the Japanese as the quintessentialbug-toothed, eye-squinting, bespectacled subhumans constituted acomplete turnoff (the profound racial overtones of those days nevercease to amaze me; yes, they were our enemies - but what about thestereotypes about Black-Americans and Hispanics?). Frankly, theJapanese are an attractive people, and clearly those extras inside thetanks were N O T...(I had read in some movie book that they were hiredfrom LA' s Chinatown). In any event, if you're ever in the mood for anordinary World War II flick just for the action, then The FightingSeabees could very well be a candidate; just for the action, nothingelse!!

(2013-04-18 01:59:11)

Don't get me wrong...

...I'm a huge John Wayne fan, but this movie has some serious shortcomings, including some of the acting by the cast and portrayals that, while acceptable at the time, are not so well received today. I won't knock John Wayne's acting, however, because he performed it as only John Wayne could. But some of the other acting was downright daffy, like when the singing Eddie Powers (William Frawley) was shot by the sniper and his singing wound down as though the sniper missed him and hit a nearby phonograph machine. ... The Fighting Seabees wasn't a totally bad movie, and I thought the formation of the SeaBees (if this movie is accurate) was very interesting. But some refinement and a small dose of reality would have made it much better.

(2013-04-15 03:23:44)

Educational

This review is from: The Fighting Seabees (DVD) This is one of those John Wayne films that gives the viewer an excellent look at the work and difficulties the Seabees face during war time. As a Navy Veteran I greatly appreciate this film.

Mractionadventure

(2013-04-14 13:36:08)

Excellent world war 2 action movie

The fighting seabees is an excellent little war movie and John Wayne isterrific in the lead role.The film has a good storyline and there is a lot of action and battles.The action is extremely loud and heavy use is made of rifles,machineguns, gattling guns, grenades and cannons. The final battle is the bestpart of the movie, in which the duke heroically risks his life to blowup a fuel tank.I liked the fighting seabees because of the action and the storyline.Its just as good as the dukes other war movies like back to bataan andflying tigers. Highly recommended

daviddaveinternational

(2013-03-29 03:53:03)

Can't remember watching it.

To paraphrase Willy G. Davidson, "How did I get into the Seabees? I wasBORN!" In December of 1954, I was born in the Port Hueneme SeaBeeHospital. I was too young to remember, though. My Father was stationedat Point Mugu in Naval Aviation. We lived in Oxnard at the time. I haveseen the movie, I just can't remember it. I saw one entry from the sonof a SeaBee who said his Father called the movie "rubbish". You have tounderstand, if it were completely factual, 99% of it would be boring tothe point of tears. Another entry from a Viet Nam SeaBee (thanks foryour service and work, my friend!) said it was about as factual as youcan get. Who's to say? Anybody wanting to really know, JOIN! Idelayed-entered the U.S. Army as a mechanic (52B20) and was in basictraining 2 weeks after high school graduation. Looking back, had Iknown better, I was more cut out to be a SeaBee. The Army was a joke(at least at Giebelstadt Air Base in West Germany in 1975) We wouldhave continuous guard duty but were not issued any ammo for our M16.Huh? No ammo? Now, THAT'S a joke! Of course before Germany, I wasstationed at Fort Sill, OK. (14th. Aviation Battalion) and it wasbeautiful! No guard duty and the brass was very professional. I heardJohn Wayne could not serve due to his bad back. His macho-like walk wasnot "macho". His back just hurt like hell!

sol1218

(2013-03-28 16:54:49)

Why did you shoot him for? I was afraid that the fall might kill em!

***SOME SPOILERS*** One of John Wayne's best WWII movies has him incharge of the first Seebee construction battalion in the Pacificbuilding airfields and port facilities for the US Navy and Air Force aswell as fighting off hundreds of wild eyed and charging Japanesesoldiers. Things at first didn't go too well from the men of the Wayde Donovan,John Wayne, Corps. Construction Company. Searving the US military inthe Pacific their easy marks for Japanese snipers who pick off theunarmed construction workers. while the US Army and Marine Corps. arebusy fighting the main Japanese forces on the many islands contested byin that theater of war.Demanding to be armed and part of the US military, not contractworkers, has Donovan's men incorporated into the Army. Donovan'sSeebees are then sent fully armed to island X-214 to build a base forthe US Navy to refuel it's war-ships. Right from the start Donovandoesn't have the discipline thats demanded of him and is men byengaging the enemy. When told by his superior Lt. Cmdr. Yarrow,DennisO'Keefe, to stay in the barracks and, in what looks like an Americanversion of a Bonzai charge, Donovan has almost his entire constructioncompany wiped out by the invading Japanese forces! Donavon, now a Lt.Commander, also screws up an ambush that the US Army had set up to stopthe Japanese. That resulted in his, and Yarrow's, girlfriend warcorespondent Constence Chesley, Susan Hayward,to be gunned down but notkilled by a wounded Japanese soldier. Back in the states Donovan tries to make amends with the US Navy Lt.Cmdr. Yarrow and Constance over his bullheadedness on the battlefieldthat cost scores of US military and Seebee's lives. His relationshipwith Constance is handicapped by her also being in love with Wayde'scommander Lt. Cmdr. Yarrow who, unlike Wayde,is a handsome and refinedspit and polish Annapolis Navy man. Given a second chance to show his,and his Seebees, worth on the field of battle Wayde Donovan'sconstruction battalion is sent ashore on island X-371. Not only tobuild a fuel depot and airfield but to defend if against a possibleJapanese invasion of the island. Rip roaring battle scenes, some of the best ever put on film withoutthe benefit of computer enhancement, makes "The Fighting Seebees" standout among the score of war movies released during WWII by the majorHollywood studios. In fact the film was released by Republic Pictureswhich only specialized in low budget B and C movies up until then. Taking heavy casualties from Japanese fire Donovan decides, againstorders, to take it, the fight, to em' and organizes another Banzai-likecharge on the Japanese forces, which seems like a full division, thatare invading island X-371. The US forces, Army & Marines, deafening theisland are badly chopped up with Lt. Cmdr. Yarrow seriously wounded inthe fighting and Donovan's Seebees are on the verge of being overrun bythe fanatical Japanese troops. Having nothing but earth-moving and construction equipment to fight offthe hoards of highly motivated and heavily armed Japanese troopssupported by tanks the Seebees still hold on to the fuel tanks that'sdesperately needed for the US Navy Task Force in the area. Donavan toldby the wounded Lt. Cmdr. Yarrow that he'll see to it that's he'scourt-martial-ed if he survives this action takes matters into his ownhands. With a steam shovel loaded with explosives Donovan drives itinto one of the fuel tanks causing it to explode and smoke out anddrive into the open the attacking Japanese troops, their then moweddown by the Seebees and US Army and Marines.Donovan for his bravery got a medal, posthumously, not a court-martialat the end of the film, Let. Cmdr Yarrow gets the girl that both he andDonovan left behind Constance Chesely.

(2013-03-26 09:29:24)

seabees

My son had been asking to see this movie. I had never seen this John Wayne movie before, so it was a treat to watch. It's a good movie, not John Wayne's best but not his worse. If you like John Wayne in his war movies you will enjoy this movie. Highly recomend to see.

helpless_dancer

(2013-03-26 02:53:43)

This should have been called "The Drunken Airheads"

Well, Big John fights and loves his way across the 7 seas in this one.Whatta guy! What a load of propaganda drivel! The Big Guy storms thebeacheswith his gang of hard drinking, 2 fisted construction workers. Amidstirringpatriotic music and a touching love triangle, The Duke opens a can ofwhup-ass and douses the nasty Nips with it. Pathetic acting, phony battlescenes, and ditzy dialogue made for movie masochist mayhem. I'll bet thisfluff swelled the ranks of the U.S. Navy back there in '44. What astinker.

(2013-03-12 17:07:49)

Navy Heritage - US Navy Seabees

This review is from: The Fighting Seabees (DVD) This movie has become a part of lore among the men and women of the finest combat contstruction organizations of the US military. It is a nice Hollywood adaptation of the creation of the US Navy Seabees. And who can forget the best character in the movie -- Natasha! It's not often that you see JW's character make the ultimate sacrifice. I watch this and see the beginning of some traditions and attitudes still in practice today. "With Compassion for Others, We Build - We Fight, for Peace with Freedom," from the Seabee Museum. Remember their montra: Seabee Can-Do.

(2013-03-12 02:12:19)

The Fighting Seabees

This review is from: The Fighting Seabees (DVD) Have watched this movies over the years on TV/Satellite. I really enjoy this movie and John Wayne. Received the movie in great condition and got it before estimated shipping time. If you like John Wayne and war movies, this is a great movie.

(2013-03-12 07:34:17)

Classic

If you went to a Seabee "A" school, you know all about this, it's nice to have in the collection.

(2013-03-11 21:54:53)

Good B Picture.

This review is from: The Fighting Seabees (DVD) What can I tell you? Fighting Seabees is a WW2 John Wayne actioneer from the Republic B-Picture factory. Pro character actors in a propaganda, morale booster (had an uncle who served in the Seabees) genre offering that has no resemblance to reality but nevertheless is a window into the era's pop culture.

(2013-03-02 18:34:25)

very well done and accurate

This is a movie that all should see , to better understand one of the less known fighting groups in themilitary.

planktonrules

(2013-03-02 12:43:55)

Another excellent Wayne wartime propaganda piece

Saying this film is "propaganda" is not an insult. No, it wasdeliberately crafted to encourage Americans that we can and will winthe war if we stand firm. And what better image of this than theever-vigilant John Wayne--the embodiment of the Hollywood image ofheroism.This film reminds me a lot of The Flying Tigers, though the plot isn'tso melodramatic. It's about a crew of civilian engineers sent overseasto do construction for our troops (such as building runways and otherprojects). BUT, the evil Japanese in the movie take advantage of thefact that these are unarmed civilians and butcher them at everyopportunity. So, what is The Duke and his trusted pals to do? Take uparms and use their own equipment when necessary to beat the stuffingout of the Japs! Yes, guys with bulldozers and clubs NEVER could haveinflicted the casualties you witness in the movie, but man if it isn'tentertaining to watch--particularly the explosive ending.