First to Fight (1967)

After seeing this and being familiar with the series, The Pacific, it seems this is a fictional and weaker version of the real story of Sgt. John Basilone.Nevertheless, this is a decent film and does convey some of the hell our men went through in the early stage of the war over there.The Pacific portrayed it all much better.

A B-Movie at best, but when you're in it changes everything. M1 rifles on Guadalcanal? Japanese soldiers with rubber bayonets. Several modern day vehicles in the background at various points. But hey! It did honor a real life Marine hero.. Manila John Basilone.In August 1966, I was 19 years old, had just graduated Recruit Training at MCRD San Diego and had relocated to Camp Pendleton for Infantry Training Regiment.Reveille went 30 minutes early for us one day... 0500 instead of 0530. Once we were in formation, we were double-timed (shuffle run) 5 miles to a location none of us had ever been to before. It was the location of the current day's shooting of The First to Fight.In one scene, they took two of our platoons and put us behind a platoon of actors on the side of a hill with a path running down it. When they yelled action, the actors were to run down the path and turn left. We were to run down the path and turn right. As we waited, one of the film's crew came up through the platoon of actors spraying water on them that was supposed to make them look sweaty. After he finished when them he came to us, took one look and said I don't think you fellas need this. Having run 5 miles to get to the "lot" he was right. Unfortunately, that scene was left on the cutting room floor.The scene we were in that made the final cut occurs about 50 or so minutes into the film. Chad Everett is mad as his men for not picking up on instruction and is berating them. Our 4 platoon company is marching around in rectangles in the background making it appear there were a lot more Marines present than were actually present.I've always wanted to ask Gene Hackman if he remembers the movie we made together. I'm sure that would draw a quizzical look. He'd certainly have no idea who I was... but it's one of my favorite memories and favorite stories to tell... but a pretty crappy movie when you get right down to it.

I watched this on TCM, they played it for Memorial Day 2012, I had never heard of it but when I saw Chad Everett it seemed different so was interested. The beginning battle scene is straight out of many films before, it would seem, but especially reminded me of the battle scene in Pride of the Marines with John Garfield. Not that it was bad, it just seemed like a verbatim copy of it to a point. The movie then goes into a love affair part which I always hated before but this one had some realism to it and reminded me of questions in my own life and with todays never ending wars I have had the option as a reservist to go back to a war zone and these issues are address in this film with Chad's fiancé and then wife. I thought that was pretty interesting and I normally hate the domestic relationship parts in these war films. Which brings me to what I now started thinking of this film, it was made in 1967 but sure did seem that it was made in 1957 or 55 or even 52. I'm guessing like others have said that this was made solely to be a B movie/ drive in fare. It's target audience being the Marine Corps, and the South. I believe Gomer Pyle USMC was the number one TV show that year so this was made to cash in on that audience somewhat, IMHO. The final battle scenes seemed rushed and unrealistic in Chad's sudden change of heart but I guess they thought the film needed something, it really didn't they should have just left the good chance of death be enough tension for the audience and then when it gets all solved it really reveled itself as just a B movie action flick. Chad did a good job and showed a wide range of emotions I liked him, Gene Hackman was wasted here especially with the drama of having a coward officer above him, he was not the Gene Hackman you and I know. Claude Akins has major billing but has a very bit part as a Major at the CP, no drama went on there. Dean Jagger does a convincing Marine Colonel, and William Conrad adds his distinctive voice as a narrator. The combat hardware seemed real enough for the period. It was probably post WW2 hardware but unlike a film like Battle Of The Bulge where the Germans are using Pershing tanks as Tigers and it's distracting, since I am not familiar with Pacific WW2 hardware it looks realistic enough and the stock footage was in color and blended in OK. All in all, I was entertained enough but this wont go down as any Sands Of Iwo Jima best of film. I give it a 6 of 10 as far as B movie war dramas go.

I've always had a warm spot in my heart for this "B" movie because I watched some of it being made and some scenes were shot immediately in front of the quonset hut in which I lived at that time, at the Second Infantry Training Regiment, San Onofre area, Camp Pendleton, where I was stationed in the training section. It was pretty neat to watch and is the only movie I've ever seen "made" and I had the pleasure of driving Chad Everett and Dean Jagger around in a Jeep for two or three days. (Some other lucky Marine got to drive the heroine!) I got Chad Everett's autograph, but way back then he wasn't as famous as he would be later.The movie itself is pretty good - but I'm favorably prejudiced toward any USMC movie!