The Fighting 69th (1940)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

William Keighley

Writers:

Norman Reilly Raine (original screenplay) &
Fred Niblo Jr. (original screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

5 July 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Biography | Drama | History | War

Tagline:

Jammed With Action ! . . Loaded With Excitement ! . . . And Every Thrill-Packed Word Is True !

Plot:

Although loudmouthed braggart Jerry Plunkett alienates his comrades and officers, Father Duffy, the regimental chaplain, has faith that he'll prove himself in the end.

Plot Keywords:

Chaplain | Cowardice | Faith | Braggart | Execution

Cast

James Cagney	...	Private Jerry Plunkett
Pat O'Brien	...	Father Francis P. Duffy
George Brent	...	Major 'Wild Bill' Donovan
Jeffrey Lynn	...	Sergeant Joyce Kilmer
Alan Hale	...	Sergeant 'Big Mike' Wynn
Frank McHugh	...	Terence 'Crepe-Hanger' Burke
Dennis Morgan	...	Lieutenant Oliver Ames
Dick Foran	...	Lieutenant 'Long John' Wynn
William Lundigan	...	Private Timothy 'Timmy' Wynn
Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams	...	Paddy Dolan
Henry O'Neill	...	The Colonel
John Litel	...	Captain Mangan
Sammy Cohen	...	Mike Murphy, an alias of Mischa Moskowitz
Harvey Stephens	...	Major Alex Anderson
William Hopper	...	Private Turner (as DeWolf Hopper)
Tom Dugan	...	Private McManus
Frank Wilcox	...	Lieutenant John Norman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Herbert Anderson	...	Private Casey (uncredited)
John Arledge	...	Second Alabama man (uncredited)
Trevor Bardette	...	First Alabama man (uncredited)
Jack Boyle Jr.	...	Chuck (uncredited)
Richard Clayton	...	Tierney (uncredited)
Frank Coghlan Jr.	...	Jimmy (uncredited)
Joseph Crehan	...	Doctor giving inoculations (uncredited)
John Daheim	...	Soldier (uncredited)
Eddie Dew	...	Regan (uncredited)
Ralph Dunn	...	Medical captain (uncredited)
Edgar Edwards	...	Engineer officer (uncredited)
Frank Faylen	...	Engineer sergeant at cave-in (uncredited)
James Flavin	...	Supply sergeant (uncredited)
Jerry Fletcher	...	Telephonist (uncredited)
Arno Frey	...	German officer (uncredited)
Edmund Glover	...	Fourth Alabama man (uncredited)
John Harron	...	Carrol (uncredited)
J. Anthony Hughes	...	Healey (uncredited)
Layne Ireland	...	Hefferman (uncredited)
Donald Kerr	...	New recruit (uncredited)
George Kilgen	...	Ryan (uncredited)
Jacques Lory	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Wilfred Lucas	...	Doctor checking eyes (uncredited)
Frank Mayo	...	Captain Bootz (uncredited)
Frank Melton	...	Third Alabama man (uncredited)
Elmo Murray	...	O'Brien (uncredited)
Byron Nelson	...	Soldier (uncredited)
George O'Hanlon	...	Eddie Kearney (uncredited)
Jack Perrin	...	Major (uncredited)
George Reeves	...	Jack O'Keefe (uncredited)
John Ridgely	...	Moran (uncredited)
Frank Sully	...	Sergeant (uncredited)
Roland Varno	...	German officer (uncredited)
Emmett Vogan	...	Doctor giving physicals (uncredited)

Directed by
William Keighley

Writing credits
Norman Reilly Raine		(original screenplay) &
Fred Niblo Jr.		(original screenplay) and
Dean Riesner		(original screenplay) (as Dean Franklin)

Produced by
Louis F. Edelman	....	associate producer
Hal B. Wallis	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Adolph Deutsch		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Tony Gaudio		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Owen Marks

Art Direction by
Ted Smith

Makeup Department
Perc Westmore	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Frank Heath	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Charles Lang	....	sound

Special Effects by
Byron Haskin	....	special effects
Rex Wimpy	....	special effects

Stunts
Harvey Parry	....	stunts (uncredited)
Buster Wiles	....	stunts (uncredited)

Music Department
Leo F. Forbstein	....	musical director
Hugo Friedhofer	....	orchestrator

Other crew
Captain John T. Prout	....	technical advisor (as Capt. John T. Prout)
Mark White	....	technical advisor
George Boothby	....	technical advisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Pictures (as Warner Bros.-First National Pictures Inc.)

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1940) (USA) (theatrical) (as Warner Bros. Pictures Inc.)
• Warner Bros. Pictures (1948) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1993) (USA) (VHS)
• Turner Entertainment (1993) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Bros. Television (2004) (USA) (TV)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Bros. Finland (1950) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1949) (France) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. Entertainment Finland Oy (200?) (Finland) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (Japan) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Vidéo (2001) (France) (VHS)
• Warner Home Vidéo (2007) (France) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Father Duffy of the Fighting 69th (USA) (working title)
The Old 69th (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

90 min | Finland:84 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Hebrew | Latin | Yiddish

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:PG | Finland:K-15 (new rating: 2001) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #5756)

Filming Locations:

Providencia Ranch, Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Finnish censorship certificate # 31757 delivered on 27-4-1950.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: After the skirmish in the woods, an "unconscious" German prisoner obligingly stands on his feet prior to being carried back to the American lines.

Quotes:

Terence 'Crepe-Hanger' Burke: Believe me, in the next war there's gonna be three guys missing - me and the two guys that's chasin' me.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Projectionist (1971)

Soundtrack:

Old Folks at Home (Swanee River)

Great war movie and superb cast

This World War 1 movie was based on fact which means some of it was Hollywoodized. Done in the old fashioned Hollywwod style with some corny dialogue but overall it packs a great punch due largely in part to one of Jimmy Cagneys greatest roles. He gets you to hate him and love him at the same time. Pat Obrien is perfect as the priest and although a little syrupy and sappy the duo manages to bring a tear to the eye.There are some other great roles including Alan Hale senior. You may remember his son as the skipper on Gilligans Island. There is also a true reference to the famous poet Joyce Kilmer who died in World war 1.You'll like this movie even if you don't like war movies and you'll love it if you do! Get the popcorn and sit back and enjoy!!!!!!!!