Guadalcanal Diary (1943)

Simply A Masterpiece

Good , But It Is Overrated By Some

Absolutely brilliant

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

GUADALCANAL DIARY is an American WW2 movie made when the war was still in full flow. It's a surprisingly modern film in feel, with the battle sequences in particular feeling expansive and well-staged; they're chock-full of explosive action and gunfire, and they feel large budget and convincing as a result. Not bad when you consider the war effort going on at the time.The story is straightforward and, as it happens, true; a bunch of marines invade an island in the Pacific held by the Japanese and all hell breaks loose. There are many turns from famous faces like Anthony Quinn, Richard Conte, Lionel Stander, Richard Jaeckel, and William Bendix. The performances feel naturalistic and real, without any overt mannerisms or the like that can make them ring hollow. It's solid stuff throughout.

Though I've never actually counted I'm willing to bet the farm that there have been at least four other films featuring Guadalcanal so I can justify my summary. However many there actually were they'd be hard pushed to eclipse this effort which has several things going for it; it was produced less than a year after the events it portrays and at a time when the war - in terms of US involvement - was more or less at the halfway point and to add to the authenticity it was based on a first-hand account - or, as Historians say - Primary Source material by war correspondent Richard Tregaskis. Throw in an excellent cast, none of whom was really a leading man but were the cream of supporting actors led by Lloyd Nolan, William Bendix and Preston Foster and the result is one of the finest of the First Wave of World War II movies.

"Guadalcanal Diary" came out smack dab in the middle of the U.S. fighting in WW II. It was made the year after the actual events portrayed in the film. It's based on a book by the same title, written by Richard Tregaskis. He was a war correspondent who covered the taking of Guadalcanal. One can appreciate this film for its reality and straightforward portrayal as written by the author. This was before Hollywood began to fantasize and over dramatize many of the battles and the war action in later films. The narration is a nice touch, with an actor representing the author who tells us about the story as it unfolds. Others have commented on the excellent cast. All actors did a superb job in portraying a bunch of American Marines who hadn't yet seen war and had no idea of what to expect. Onboard ship somewhere in the South Pacific, we see the men lying around and waiting and wondering. The usual hijinks and talk about girls back home, baseball and family take place. Finally, we see the naval bombardment, the beach landing unchallenged by the Japanese, and then the battles as the Marines move inland and route the enemy. Some other nice touches of realism are in the lines by various actors. Lloyd Nolan as Sgt. Hook Malone cautions the men about not going after Japanese souvenirs because they could be booby-trapped. Preston Foster as the chaplain, Father Donnelly, is a paternal figure for the men who will be right beside them in the first wave to hit the beach. Col. Grayson tells the men it will be a tedious, tough job to route the enemy, because the Japanese soldiers are tough. We see ordinary men fighting, getting wounded, and being killed – on both sides. When Army replacements arrive, the Marines welcome them. The battle action sequences are very realistic, and the movie makers must have received actual film footage of the naval bombardment from the Navy. It's very impressive. Some people quibble about racial slurs. We must remember that this film is an accurate portrayal of what really happened, and what it was like for and with our troops. Later modern sanitized films were scripted to be politically correct, but in the process they sacrificed some of the truth and realism of the times and events. Movie companies today put disclaimers on older films for various portrayals, especially regarding race and culture. They point out the inappropriate language, behavior or treatment of some people in the older films, by today's standards. And, they note that to expunge or change the film to eliminate such material after the fact, would be a denial of the facts and truth that such things had occurred in history as portrayed. Therefore, they have significant historical value in educating society about those times and behaviors of the past. This film is a must for any serious war film collection.

Because "Guadalcanal Diary" was made during the war, the film was meant as propaganda--to build support for the war at home and to convince folks that the war would be won. However, the film is not just simple-minded propaganda and is well worth watching. The American marines, while tough, are NOT invincible in this one and the story is based on the invasion of Guadalcanal in 1942. It also helps that the film has a very good ensemble cast of actors and decent production values. The only negative, and it's true in most of these films, is that there is the use of some grainy stock footage. Fortunately, it's not used too often and the story gives you a good but slightly sanitized view of this important battle in the Pacific. Nothing brilliant but very well done.