Stylish but barely mediocre overall

Better Late Then Never

This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

Every military archetype is present in this pre-Pearl Harbor training drama that prepared the future "boys over there" just in case. Of course, just in case was can obvious foregone conclusion, so it was just a matter of time and circumstances. Reminding me of the later Pine-Thomas programmers that covered every part of military life without giving away military secrets. These war pictures were important for the parents of the young men going off to an unknown future, not just propaganda but important morale boosters as well.The four young men going into the parachute battalion are as different as different can be. Cocky Robert Preston is the pompous joker of the bunch, while Edmund O'Brien is a commanders son who is a recovering alcoholic. Sweet faced Richard Carlson is a secret coward whose inner tension builds up to being revealed in the film's key scene. Future Jed Clampett Buddy Ebsen is playing a younger version of his hillbilly character, making him the comic relief. Aboard the train to training camp, they meet pretty Nancy Kelly and her gruff father (an excellent Harry Carey), unaware of O'Brien's struggles, but preferring him over the obnoxious Preston who takes an instant dislike to him as well. Is it any real surprise that Carey ends up being their trainer? Mixing the description of parachute battalion training (through stock footage, training films and newly photographed sequences) and romantic complications, this is not bad, but oh so familiar. Of the four young men, O'Brien and Cromwell play the more well defined characters, while Preston and Ebsen are simply "types" and not really given story. Preston does lead a drill much like he would years later lead the boys band in "The Music Man", and Ebsen shows off his rubber legged dancing in one brief sequence as well. It all culminates in a faked battle sequence for training where Ebsen confronts the other soldier he has been searching for ever since the film began for seemingly ridiculous reasons. Absolutely worth catching, but definitely leaves the viewer wanting something a little more substantial once it is all over.

***SPOILERS*** Movie about the US Army 501th parachute battalion released just three months before Pearl Harbor that has a number of recruits overcoming their fear of flying as well as jumping in getting their wings as one of the first group of US paratroopers in US military history. There's the reformed alcoholic who wants to prove to himself that he's got what it takes Bill Burke played by a boyish looking 25 year old Edmond O'Obrien who's dad Col. Burke, Robert Barrat,just happens to be the superintendent of the paratroop unite that's he's assigned to. There's also football hero Don Morse, Robert Preston, who in him fooling around with the fairer sex has him engaged to two women at the same time that can put him behind bars for bigamy. But by him being a private would prevent that from happening since it's against US Army rules to be married unless your an NCO or an officer. And last but not least there's hillbilly Jeff Hollis, Buddy Ebson, who's only there to be trained to fight, by using modern military hardware, to use his military expertise against a rival hillbilly clan back home whom his family has been having an 75 year old blood fraud with.Of course there's the man or top-kick in charge of the 501th tough on the outside but a softie inside MSgt. Bill "Thunderhead" Richards, Harry Carey, who's job is to whip the recruits into shape to face real combat against a foreign enemy of the USA that was to come in the Japansese attack on Pearl Harbor. Which was a lot sooner then anyone in both US government and the military ever expected. There's also the romantic angle with both Burke & Morse vying for the affection of "Thunderhead's" pretty daughter Kit, Nancy Kelly, whom "Thunderhead" want's to get hitched up with a real man, not a draft dodging collage wimp, like one of the soon to become paratroopers that he's training.****SPOILERS*** The film bolls down to the final parachute jump to become a full fledged US paratrooper with both Morse & Bruke missing the bus or plane and left behind from participating in the big jump to get their wings. Commadeering a fighter plane the two take off into the wild blue yonder to make their jump unofficially only to have Mosre's parachute get tangled and unable to open. It's Burke who just earlier was slugging it out with Morse, over Kit Richards, who saved Morse's life as well as the day and motion picture by shearing his parachute with him that prevented Morse from free falling to his death below.

Just before the US entered WWII, quite a few patriotic films were made by Hollywood showcasing the various duties of its armed forces. Some (such as "Caught in the Draft" and "Buck Privates") were comedies others were not ("Dive Bomber" and "I wanted Wings"). But all were films with a message--it's patriotic and important to become part of these fighting units. "Parachute Battalion" is such a film and it debuted several months before Pearl Harbor.The film is about a small group of men who volunteer for the paratroopers. Not surprisingly, it's a scary proposition jumping out of airplanes and the film shows their progress through this school. There are four fellows in particular that they showcase: a brash All-American football player (Robert Preston), the son of the base commander who is keeping his identity secret from his follow soldiers (Edmond O'Brien), comic relief (Buddy Ebsen) and a guy scared out of his wits (Richard Cromwell). All must prove themselves as they progress through camp.So why did I score such a routine with a very high score of 8? One reason is that the men are NOT uniformly perfect--one clearly cracks up and another is close. Such fallibility probably would have NOT been in the film had it been made once the US was in the war--and it adds to the realism. But the biggest reason I liked the film is that little stock footage was used and what was used fit seamlessly into the movie. All too often, crappy, grainy footage is shoved into such films--but here you actually see the actors doing much of the work. Overall, it is an interesting little film--and a nice chance to see a young Edmond O'Brien in an early starring role.

The very fact that President Roosevelt had instituted the military draft about three years before this movie was released suggests that America was anticipating becoming involved in World War Two, probably sooner than later. The film lacks the characteristic jingoistic propaganda that one finds in similar movies which tell of training civilians to be part of a modern industrial army. This is most likely due to the fact that there was no official enemy during the filming. The movie was released just nineteen days after the attack on Pearl Harbor, much too early to include enemies even though there had been a recent declaration of war against Japan. The dialogue, the characters and the plot are standard issue. One finds the tough instructor, the frightened recruit, the benevolent commander, the misguided football hero, and the one attractive female that everyone wants to marry. Still the movie is worth seeing, even with its shallow dramatic moments. The most entertaining scene in the movie is the dancing of Buddy Ebsen, who plays hillbilly recruit Jeff Hollis. One wishes there were fewer practice paratroop drops and more dancing by Ebsen.