To Hell and Back (1955)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

Jesse Hibbs

Writers:

Gil Doud (written by)
Audie Murphy (autobiography "To Hell And Back")

Release Date:

18 October 1955 (Japan)

Genre:

Action | Biography | Drama | War

Tagline:

The Exciting True-Life Story Of America's Most Decorated Hero

Plot:

The true WWII story of Audie Murphy, the most decorated soldier in U.S. history. Based on the autobiography of Audie Murphy who stars as himself in the film.

Plot Keywords:

Italy | WWII | Autobiographical | Uniform | Heroic Military

Cast

Audie Murphy	...	Audie Murphy
Marshall Thompson	...	Johnson
Charles Drake	...	Brandon
Jack Kelly	...	Kerrigan
Gregg Palmer	...	Lt. Manning
Paul Picerni	...	Valentino
David Janssen	...	Lt. Lee
Richard Castle	...	Kovak
Bruce Cowling	...	Caplt. Marks
Paul Langton	...	Col. Howe
Art Aragon	...	Sanchez
Felix Noriego	...	Swope
Denver Pyle	...	Thompson
Brett Halsey	...	Saunders
Susan Kohner	...	Maria

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.55 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (35 mm optical prints) (Western Electric Recording) | 4-Track Stereo (35 mm magnetic prints)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #17377) | UK:PG | Iceland:12 | West Germany:18 (f) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Fort Lewis, Washington, USA

Company:

Universal International Pictures (UI)

Trivia:

Audie Murphy's war buddy Onclo Airheart was slated to play himself, but he declined due to the fact that the movie was to be shot during planting season.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): When the squad was on the tank talking with the tank commander, Kerrigan mentioned something to the effect of you guys got it made with a couple of hundred thousand dollars worth of armor around you. The tank commander said this tank only has 4" of armor on it. Actually the M-4 Sherman had only 2" of armor on the front and 1.5" of armor on the sides.

Quotes:

Lt. Manning: At 0500 we'll open up with small arms fire. The 7th will move across at the same time. I'm sure the Jerries will throw some entertainment our way.
Audie Murphy: I think you can count on it, Lieutenant.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Small Soldiers (1998)

Soundtrack:

Dogface Soldier

Liked it should know Audie's History first

I liked this movie not so much because it is a great movie ( it is an average war movie of this era) but because it made me reflect about reality versus perception and how you can be very wrong about something by taking it at face value. Let me explain. My perception, If I had to pick a platoon for battle I would never pick Audie Murphy. At 5'5", maybe 110 lbs, a high tinny voice, and hyper-kinetic motion, he seems more like someone that would get killed early and easily, or worse get you killed. The reality, he was the man you wanted in your platoon when the battle started. He was made of heroic stuff. He wasn't a tough talking braggart. He was just a soldier that would do anything to save his brothers and get home alive. He of course isn't the only example of this. He just got his own movie. It was a good thing that he was an actor because John Wayne would have played his part if he hadn't been, which would have been a real shame because you would have lost the true meaning behind the story. Hollywood prefers style over substance. It would have been a true

disservice to all of the short, underweight chirpy men in the world.

Think about Jimmy Stewart and John Wayne, who would you want in your platoon. John Wayne is your probable choice. Now compare Jimmy Stewart's military career with John Wayne's. John Wayne avoided WWII instead using it to advance his career when many of his contemporaries went to war. Jimmy Stewart on the other hand joined the Air Force 9 months before the attack on Pearl Harbor. He had to force the Air Force to let him in because he was under weight. He was a bomber pilot that flew 20 missions. "His wartime decorations included the Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster, four Air Medals, and the French Croix de Guerre with Palm." Now who do you want on your side. I'll take the battle hardened, frail looking, stuttering veteran over the tough talking, strapping, strutting Hollywood pretender any day.

So when I watch the movie I think about the reality of Audie Murphy. Which leaves me with the feeling that if you put your heart into it you can do anything. So when you watch the movie think about the reality. You have a 5'5" war hero that actually became a Hollywood action hero which is improbable in itself.