They Were Expendable

PT boat captains (Robert Montgomery and John Wayne) defend the Philippines against the Japanese in World War II, despite little initial support from Navy brass.

They Were Expendable is a different kind of war film, in that it feels more like a “slice of life” war picture rather than a traditional story. While the dangling plot threads and non-ending will no doubt be off-putting for some, the film is better because of them. Director John Ford handles the scope of the picture well, framing the character’s individual struggles against the greater battle for the Philippines, and the lack of a traditional plot allows him to capture the uncertain nature of life during wartime.

Leads Robert Montgomery, John Wayne and Donna Reed all work well. Montgomery, who actually served as a PT captain in World War II, brings a calm sense of realism to the proceedings (though he does look ridiculous in shorts), while Wayne packs the necessary star power. Reed, whose part is rather small, still manages to come across as quite charming.

The film’s not perfect. At 135 minutes, They Were Expendable is a little too long. While the leads are good, the film spends too much time with the various crewmembers, who, with the exception of Ward Bond, tend to blend together, causing the film to drag and robbing the viewer of the emotional connection the filmmaker’s likely wanted to cultivate. This isn’t anywhere near a fatal flaw though, as, even in his misstep, Ford is making a valid point about the faceless masses that sacrificed themselves against a vastly larger Japanese force.