The Real Glory (1939)

Director:

Henry Hathaway

Writers:

Charles L. Clifford (novel)
Jo Swerling (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

29 September 1939 (USA)

Genre:

Action | History | War

Tagline:

Mighty Thrills With The Screen's Most Romantic Adventurer!

Plot:

A small American contingent tries to train rural tribesmen to defend themselves against fanatical Muskim radicals in 1906 Philippines.

Plot Keywords:

Philippines | Doctor | Booby Trap | Heroism | USA

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)

Gary Cooper	...	Dr. Bill Canavan
David Niven	...	Lt. Terence McCool
Andrea Leeds	...	Linda Hartley
Reginald Owen	...	Capt. Steve Hartley
Broderick Crawford	...	Lt. Larson
Kay Johnson	...	Mrs. Mabel Manning
Russell Hicks	...	Capt. George Manning
Vladimir Sokoloff	...	The Datu
Benny Inocencio	...	Miguel
Charles Waldron	...	Padre Rafael
Rudy Robles	...	Lt. Yabo (as Ruby Robles)
Tetsu Komai	...	Alipang
Roy Gordon	...	Col. Hatch
Henry Kolker	...	The General

Runtime:

96 min (copyright length)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Latin

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #5441) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | USA:TV-G (TV rating) | Finland:K-16 | Spain:13

Filming Locations:

Hunt-Salto Canyon, California, USA

Company:

Samuel Goldwyn Company, The

Trivia:

The New York Times reported that the dam destruction scene had to be re-shot, costing more than $10,000.

Quotes:

Dr. Bill Canavan: [referring to a sick McCool] The germ hasn't been found that can stop him.

Christian Nation

Back in 1999 I made a long planned journey to the Far East and the Phillipines was one of the stops. I learned two things there and they are key to understanding The Real Glory. The first is they are very proud of the fact they are the only Christian nation in the Far East. The second is that they gained their independence in 1898, but suffered American occupation until 1946.

The southern Phillipines are where the Moslem Moros reside and if we hadn't been there, they would still have a lovely religious war with the Christian northern islands. But we were also occupiers and it is part of an occupying army that new American officers Gary Cooper, David Niven, and Broderick Crawford arrive at a post in one of those southern Moslem dominated islands.

The events in this film take place in 1906, four years after the Filipino resistance was crushed. Our three American officers are assigned to a place where the local Osama is running roughshod over the populace and waging a nasty, brutal war on the Americans with tactics not unlike we see in Iraq and Afghanistan.

I can't say too much more about the plot of this film, it gets down right silly at times. But someone should screen this for this president and the one who'll succeed him. If the key to installing fear in Moslem hearts is as simple as Gary Cooper discovers, we'll beat them without any further ado.

Maybe one day someone will make a good film about the Phillipine resistance and our occupation. There's quite a story there, at different points in time, America is shown in a good or bad light. It's sad that this is the only film I can think of about the USA in the Phillipines.