''Thunderbirds'' is a 1952

war film War film is a film genre concerned with warfare, typically about navy, naval, air force, air, or army, land battles, with combat scenes central to the drama. It has been strongly associated with the 20th century. The fateful nature of battle s ...

directed by John H. Auer and starring

John Derek John Derek (born Derek Delevan Harris; August 12, 1926 – May 22, 1998) was an American actor, filmmaker and photographer.

John Drew Barrymore John Drew Barrymore (born John Blyth Barrymore Jr.; June 4, 1932 – November 29, 2004) was an American film actor and member of the Barrymore family of actors, which included his father, John Barrymore, and his father's siblings, Lionel and ...

, Mona Freeman,

Gene Evans Eugene Barton Evans (July 11, 1922 – April 1, 1998) was an American actor who appeared in numerous television series, television films, and feature films between 1947 and 1989. Early life Evans was born in Holbrook, Arizona and raised i ...

, Eileen Christy and

Ward Bond Wardell Edwin Bond (April 9, 1903 – November 5, 1960) was an American character actor who appeared in more than 200 films and starred in the NBC television series ''Wagon Train'' from 1957 to 1960. Among his best-remembered roles are Bert th ...

. It features the exploits of the 45th Infantry Division in the Italian campaign of World War II. The film was made by

Republic Pictures Republic Pictures is currently an acquisition-only label owned by Paramount Pictures. Its history dates back to Republic Pictures Corporation, an American film studio that originally operated from 1935 to 1967, based in Los Angeles, California ...

with sequences filmed at

Fort Sill, Oklahoma Fort Sill is a United States Army post north of Lawton, Oklahoma, about 85 miles (137 km) southwest of Oklahoma City. It covers almost . The fort was first built during the Indian Wars. It is designated as a National Historic Landmark an ...

Plot

Close friends Gil Hackett and Tom McCreery both love and leave the same girl, Mary Caldwell, after they are called up to the

Oklahoma National Guard The Oklahoma National Guard, a division of the Oklahoma Military Department, is the component of the United States National Guard in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It comprises both Army (OKARNG) and Air (OKANG) National Guard components. The Governo ...

and then on to the Army for wartime duty in 1940. A tough, stoic sergeant named Logan keeps an eye on them as the unit ships out to North Africa following the Japanese

attack on Pearl Harbor The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Empire of Japan on the United States Pacific Fleet at Naval Station Pearl Harbor, its naval base at Pearl Harbor on Oahu, Territory of ...

. Tom speaks of his father, who supposedly died a hero's death in the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, but another soldier claims he's heard that Tom's father was disgraced and dishonorably discharged. Mary reveals that Tom is the one she loves. Gil finds solace in meeting Lt. Ellen Henderson, an army nurse. The fighting continues in

Sicily Sicily (Italian language, Italian and ), officially the Sicilian Region (), is an island in the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian Peninsula in continental Europe and is one of the 20 regions of Italy, regions of Italy. With 4. ...

and when Tom ends up missing, Logan will not permit a search. Logan later heroically reports a movement of German tanks just before being shot. With the invasion of Southern France at hand, it is learned that Logan had been court-martialed during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

for authorizing a search party that led to the death of more soldiers. He reenlisted under a false name to prove himself again, particularly to Tom, who is actually his son.

Cast

John Derek John Derek (born Derek Delevan Harris; August 12, 1926 – May 22, 1998) was an American actor, filmmaker and photographer.

as Lt. Gil Hacket * John Barrymore Jr. as Pvt. Tom McCreery (as John Barrymore Jr.) * Mona Freeman as Lt. Ellen Henderson *

as Sgt. Mike Braggart * Eileen Christy as Mary Caldwell *

as Lt. John McCreery (Sgt. Logan) *

Barton MacLane Barton MacLane (December 25, 1902 – January 1, 1969) was an American actor, playwright, and screenwriter. He appeared in many classic films from the 1930s through the 1960s, including his role as General Martin Peterson on the 1960s NBC ...

as Sgt. Durkee *

Wally Cassell Wally Cassell (March 3, 1912 – April 2, 2015) was an Italian-born American character actor and businessman. Early years Wally Cassell was born as Oswaldo Silvestri Trippilini Rolando Vincenza Castellano. (A 1951 newspaper article gives C ...

as Pfc. Sam Jacobs *

Ben Cooper Ben Cooper (September 30, 1933 – February 24, 2020) was an American film and television actor who won a Golden Boot Award in 2005 for his work in Westerns. Stage Cooper appeared on Broadway in '' Life with Father'' (1939). He debuted in th ...

as Calvin Jones * Scott Elliott as Keith Watson (as Robert Neil) *

Slim Pickens Louis Burton Lindley Jr. (June 29, 1919 – December 8, 1983), better known by his stage name Slim Pickens, was an American actor and rodeo performer. Starting off in the rodeo, Pickens took up acting, and appeared in dozens of movies and TV sho ...

as Pvt. Wes Shelby *

Armando Silvestre Armando Enrique Ricardo Silvestre Carrascosa (January 28, 1926 – June 2, 2024) was an American and Mexican actor. Life and career Silvestre was born on January 28, 1926, in San Diego, California, but was raised in Tijuana, Mexico. He dropped ...

as Cpl. Ralph Mogay * Norman Budd as Pvt. Lou Radtke *

Mae Clarke Mae Clarke (born Violet Mary Klotz; August 16, 1910 – April 29, 1992) was an American actress. She is widely remembered for playing Henry Frankenstein's bride Elizabeth, who is chased by Boris Karloff in ''Frankenstein'', and for being o ...

as Mrs. Jones *

Sammy McKim Sammy McKim (December 20, 1924 – July 9, 2004) was a Canadian film actor and artist. He graduated from Los Angeles Art Center with a Bachelor of Arts Degree and was born in Vancouver, British Columbia. He died in Burbank, California from ...

as Cpl. Ray Hanford (as Sam McKim) *

Allene Roberts Emma Allene Roberts (September 1, 1928 – May 9, 2019) was an American actress. Early years Roberts was born in Fairfield, Alabama, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank W. Roberts. In 1941, she won the "America's Most Charming Child" contest s ...

as Margie Hanford * Richard Simmons as Capt. Norton *

Walter Reed Walter Reed (September 13, 1851 – November 23, 1902) was a United States Army, U.S. Army physician who in 1901 led the team that confirmed the theory of Cuban doctor Carlos Finlay that yellow fever is transmitted by a particular mosquito ...

as Lt. Hammond *

Suzanne Dalbert Suzanne Dalbert (12 May 1927 – 31 December 1970) was a French actress who appeared in a number of American films and television series during the 1940s and 50s. Biography Dalbert was born in Paris, France and moved to the United States, follow ...

as Marie Etienne *

Barbara Pepper Barbara Pepper (born Marion Pepper; May 31, 1915 – July 18, 1969) was an American stage, television, radio, and film actress. She is best known as the first Doris Ziffel on the sitcom '' Green Acres''. Early life and career Marion Pepper ...

as Mrs. Louise Braggart *

Pepe Hern José Hernández Bethencourt (June 6, 1927 – February 28, 2009), better known as Pepe Hern, was an American supporting actor, who usually played Spanish and Latino (primarily Mexican) roles throughout his career.Victor Millan as Pvt. Joe Lastchance

Reception

''Filmink'' wrote "This film set the template for many of Derek’s subsequent war movies: a story about two friends in love with the same girl who deal with a crusty old timer and lots of stock footage. It’s really dull."

References

External links

* {{Authority control 1952 films American black-and-white films Italian Campaign of World War II films Republic Pictures films Films scored by Victor Young Films directed by John H. Auer American war films 1952 war films 1950s English-language films 1950s American films English-language war films