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:

WWII | Italy | Anzio Nettuno Invasion | Armistice | WWII In Italy

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
Anabel Shaw	...	Helen
Mary Field	...	Mrs. Murphy
Julian Upton	...	Steiner
Gordon Gebert	...	Audie as a boy
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Walter Bedell Smith	...	Himself- in introduction (as General Walter Bedell Smith U S A {Ret.})
Jimmy Baird	...	Preston Murphy (older) (uncredited)
Nan Boardman	...	Maria's mother (uncredited)
Rand Brooks	...	Lt. Harris (uncredited)
John Bryant	...	Jim Houston (uncredited)
Alexander Campbell	...	Rector (uncredited)
Joey Costaretta	...	Vincenzo (uncredited)
Maria Costi	...	Julia (uncredited)
Ashley Cowan	...	Scottish soldier (uncredited)
Hugh E. Davis	...	British soldier (uncredited)
Gine De Bard	...	French girl (uncredited)
Bobby Diamond	...	Gene Murphy, age 10 (uncredited)
Bruce Frichtl	...	Richard Murphy, age 11 (uncredited)
Anthony Garcen	...	Lt. Burns (uncredited)
Patty Ann Gerrity	...	Beatrice Murphy, age 6 (uncredited)
Karen Green	...	Beatrice Murphy (older) (uncredited)
Harold 'Tommy' Hart	...	Sgt. Klasky (uncredited)
Dale Hartleben	...	Gene Murphy (older) (uncredited)
Edna Holland	...	Mrs. Edna Houston (uncredited)
Robert F. Hoy	...	Jennings (uncredited)
Vito Jacobellis	...	Urchin (uncredited)
Barbara James	...	Exotic singer / dancer Cleopatra (uncredited)
Gayle Kellogg	...	Air Force sergeant (uncredited)
Don Kennedy	...	Marine recruiting sergeant (uncredited)
Henry Kulky	...	Sgt. Stack (uncredited)
Andrea Lee	...	Nadine Murphy, age 8 (uncredited)
Rankin Mansfield	...	Dr. Snyder (uncredited)
William Marks	...	Bit part (uncredited)
John McIntire	...	Narrator (uncredited)
James McLaughlin	...	MP (uncredited)
Madge Meredith	...	Corinne (uncredited)
Mort Mills	...	Soldier in bunk (uncredited)
Terry Murphy	...	Preston Murphy, age 4 (uncredited)
John Pickard	...	MP (uncredited)
Tao Porchon	...	French girl (uncredited)
Howard Price	...	Truck driver (uncredited)
Didi Ramati	...	Carla (uncredited)
Otto Reichow	...	German soldier (uncredited)
Ralph Sanford	...	Chief Petty Officer (uncredited)
Gisele Verlaine	...	French girl (uncredited)
Joan Vie	...	Nadine Murphy (older) (uncredited)
Lee Warren	...	MP (uncredited)
Howard Wright	...	Mr. Ben Houston (uncredited)
Lloyd L. Wyatt	...	Pierce (tank commander) (uncredited)

Directed by
Jesse Hibbs

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Gil Doud		written by
Audie Murphy		autobiography "To Hell And Back"

Produced by
Aaron Rosenberg	....	producer

Original Music by
Irving Gertz		(uncredited)
William Lava		(uncredited)
Henry Mancini		(uncredited)
Lou Maury		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Maury Gertsman		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Edward Curtiss

Art Direction by
Robert Clatworthy
Alexander Golitzen

Set Decoration by
John P. Austin
Russell A. Gausman

Makeup Department
Joan St. Oegger	....	hair stylist
Bud Westmore	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Tom Shaw	....	assistant director

Sound Department
John A. Bolger Jr.	....	sound
Leslie I. Carey	....	sound

Visual Effects by
Monty Phillips	....	digital artist (digital restoration) (uncredited)
Jerry Pooler	....	digital restoration supervisor (uncredited)
Brad Reinke	....	digital restoration producer (restored version) (uncredited)

Stunts
Bob Herron	....	stunts (uncredited)
Robert F. Hoy	....	stunts (uncredited)

Editorial Department
William Fritzsche	....	color consultant: Technicolor

Music Department
Joseph Gershenson	....	music supervisor

Other crew
Leonard E. Murray	....	technical advisor (as Major Leonard J. Murray, Infantry, U.S.A.)
Colonel Michael Paulick	....	technical advisor (as Colonel Michael Paulick, Infantry, U.S.A.)

Production Companies

• Universal International Pictures (UI) (presents) (as Universal - International)

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1955) (USA) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures (1956) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Comet Video (????) (USA) (DVD)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (2001) (USA) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (????) (Canada) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Department of Defense, The  we gratefully acknowledge the cooperation of
• Department of the Army  we gratefully acknowledge the cooperation of (as The Department of the Army)
• Officers and Men of Fort Lewis, Washington, The  we gratefully acknowledge the cooperation of

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

beyond its time

Audie Murphy is one of the nation's most beloved souls, not only as an actor, but his exploits on the battlefront during WWII, becoming the most decorated soldier in history, and rising far in the military at the tender age of 19 made him an inspiration for us all. To Hell and Back is his story.

A true story based on Murphy's autobiography, THaB is beyond its time in that the visuals are absolutely stunning for a movie made in 1955. When watching it for the first time, I thought it was made in the late 1960's or early 1970's. Audie Murphy provides a realistic and moving performance as himself. The film is not only about Murphy's exploits in the war, but the people he met and became great friends with. It also shows the sorrow and tragedy of war very well, throwing in some romantic moments here and there, which is nice relief from all the action. What you'll realize about Murphy's performance is how real it is, because it's a rare moment in movies when someone plays themselves in an actual moment that changed their lives.

Go watch this great war movie. It's a classic that all war films should definitely take reference from. You'll have a good time with it, guaranteed.

8/10 --spy