Darby's Rangers (1958)

Fantastic!

Wow! What a bizarre film! Unfortunately the few funny moments there were were quite overshadowed by it's completely weird and random vibe throughout.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

This is an above average War Film with an impressive cast (James Garner (Col. Darby), Jack Warden (The narrator Mst Sgt. Saul Rosen), Stuart Whitman (All of whom would do better things later on)), and Director (William Wellman), in his next to last film. The main reason to watch is Edd Bynes (Lt. Arnold Dittman), who comes straight from West Point with no knowledge of the real world, either on the battlefield or in dealing with people. Spoilers: There is one scene where he kills an Itallian Soldier and feels incredible guilt about it, and Darby, has to explain why he had to do it. Later on, he and his men are ordered to disinfect some Itallians, and one woman, Angelina De Lotta (Etchika Choureau), objects because it is degrading, and will only allow herself to be disinfected if he does it. He gets himself involved with her, and she is essentially using him, because she is extremely desperate, and very sick. When she tells things about her he is disgusted and leaves. He gets drunk and is complaining about her (Including the statement "Do you think you were the first?"). Darby goes to investigate, and finds out that she slept with an Itallian Partician (Someone fighting Mussolini), and was killed. The problem is she got pregnant, and although she fell in love with Dittman, was ashamed to say it it to him, and is dying. Darby wakes up Dittman and explains what happened and said: "This woman has been through hell, I am not saying what she did is right, but compassion does not come out of an Army Manual, this is a big mess, and it takes a big man to clean it up." He goes to a Doctor and and the Doctor explains that sulfur will not help, she needs penicillin and when he tried to get some from the Army, it was explained that "It is only for soldiers and in rare cases, for their Dependants." Basically, the options are, marry her or let her die. He decides to get a local Priest, who could not speak English, but the Doctor translates and explains why they must be married. She is able to be saved but the baby inside her died. After the final military scene, where the Rangers meet up with a German Panzer (Tank) Division), and the conditions were summed up well by Rosen. "This was the low, clinging kind of fog I used to see when I was hunting duck out on Long Island... Now I know how the duck felt." Dittman is one of the few Rangers to survive, and comes back to her and is sad that the baby died, but as she pointed out that "We can have lots of babies together." What I like is not only did he love her enough to marry her, but she really loved him as well, and was elated he came back to her. You can tell they will have a fresh start, and spend a lifetime together. Byrnes performance, and the relationship with Angelina is what makes it a good film. 7/10 stars.

Routine, by-the-numbers war film made on an off-day by the great William A. Wellman. It's no better, and somewhat worse, than other WW II films of that era, with some sappy and contrived love stories thrown in. Although Wellman hadn't made "B" pictures for years, that's just what this one comes across as--far too much of it is shot on sound stages (apparently to save money on location shooting) which makes it look cheap, as does the surfeit of poorly integrated newsreel stock footage, and what little action there is isn't particularly well done. The script is, to be honest, awful, and the acting--other than Garner, whose first major role this was and who's quite good and Edd "Kookie" Byrnes, who plays an arrogant young West Point officer on his first combat assignment--is for the most part pedestrian, with the tired stereotypes you see in pretty much every war picture: the slow-witted hillbilly, the fast-talking city slicker, the weary veteran sergeant, etc.Overall, it's slow and boring, with some unnecessary comedy relief thrown in and too much attention paid to the GIs' love interests. Not one of Wellman's better films, by a long shot.

At the United States War Department, artillery officer and future colonel James Garner (as William Orlando Darby) persuades superiors he is the man to lead a new World War II combat unit in Europe. Consequently, "Darby's Rangers" are trained. They face tough action, have relationships with beautiful women abroad, and face the inevitable tragedies you've see in many other war movies. Based on reality, this was the penultimate film from director William A. Wellman. He still has a knack for battle scenes, light interludes (like the "dusting" bit) and can punctuate blitzkriegs with the sound of a tea kettle..."Darby's Rangers" is well produced, freshly cast, but hardly ever less than obvious. Believable on the big screen, in his first "starring role," Mr. Garner is absent much of the running time, as this is really an "ensemble" war drama. An unsubtle Jack Warden (as Saul Rosen) provides narration. The other soldiers' stories are more interesting, with nicely styled Edward "Edd" Byrnes (as Arnold Dittman) essaying arguably the best-written role, handsome young Peter Brown (as Rollo Burns) making the greatest emotional impression, and card shark Stuart Whitman (as Hank Bishop) leading the rest of the pack.****** Darby's Rangers (2/12/58) William A. Wellman ~ James Garner, Edd Byrnes, Peter Brown, Stuart Whitman

I had not seen this film before this year, and I was surprised how good it was. Though obviously filmed in the USA its portrayal of British characters (though incidental to the plot), was refreshingly good. The action scenes were well filmed and it is nice to see James Garner not playing for laughs. Though a good light comedian, I think he is best in straight roles like in 36 Hours and the Great Escape. The cast is on the whole very good, and I have to say that I thoroughly recommend watching this film, if like me you are a war movie fan.