Darby's Rangers (1958)

Director:

William A. Wellman

Writers:

Guy Trosper (written by)
James J. Altieri (book)

Release Date:

8 April 1958 (Japan)

Genre:

Action | War | Drama

Tagline:

Nothing Like It Since "Battle Cry"!

Plot Keywords:

Germany | Nazi | WWII | Fog | North Africa

Cast

James Garner	...	Maj. / Col. William Orlando Darby
Etchika Choureau	...	Angelina De Lotta / Dittmann
Jack Warden	...	MSgt. Saul Rosen / Narrator
Edd Byrnes	...	Lt. Arnold Dittman (as Edward Byrnes)
Venetia Stevenson	...	Peggy McTavish
Torin Thatcher	...	Sgt. McTavish
Peter Brown	...	Pvt. / Cpl. Rollo Burns
Joan Elan	...	Wendy Hollister, Bishop's girl in London
Corey Allen	...	Pvt. Pittsburgh Tony Sutherland
Stuart Whitman	...	Sgt. / SSgt. / Sfc. Hank Bishop
Murray Hamilton	...	Pvt. / Sgt. Sims Delancey
William Wellman Jr.	...	Pvt. Eli Clatworthy (as Bill Wellman Jr.)
Andrea King	...	Mrs. Sheilah Andrews
Adam Williams	...	Cpl. Heavy Hall
Frieda Inescort	...	Lady Hollister
Reginald Owen	...	Sir Arthur Hollister
Philip Tonge	...	Prof. John Andrews, Home Guard
Edward Ashley	...	Lt. Dave Manson, British Training Officer
Raymond Bailey	...	Brig. Gen. W.A. Wise
Willis Bouchey	...	Brig. Gen. Truscott
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Holly Bane	...	Sergeant (uncredited)
Marian Collier	...	English Girl (uncredited)
Edward Colmans	...	Italian Doctor (uncredited)
James De Closs	...	Squad Member (uncredited)
Francis De Sales	...	Captain (uncredited)
Reggie Dvorak	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Sean Garrison	...	Young Soldier (uncredited)
Michael Gibson	...	Cockney (uncredited)
Frank Gifford	...	Squad Member (uncredited)
Thomas Browne Henry	...	Major, Sutherland's CO (uncredited)
William Hudson	...	Operator (uncredited)
Miguel Ángel Landa	...	Priest (uncredited)
Johnny Marlin	...	Italian Machine Gunner (uncredited)
Jerry May	...	Medic (uncredited)
John McKee	...	Squad Member (uncredited)
Tom McKee	...	Col. Slim Rathburn (uncredited)
Michael Pierce	...	Squad Member (uncredited)
Hilda Plowright	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Julie Reding	...	Sexy Girl (uncredited)
Isabella Rye	...	Tall English Girl (uncredited)
Joel Smith	...	Corporal (uncredited)
Allegra Varron	...	Sexy Girl (uncredited)
Tom Watson	...	Squad Member (uncredited)

Directed by
William A. Wellman

Writing credits
Guy Trosper		(written by)
James J. Altieri		(book) (as Major James Altieri)

Produced by
Martin Rackin	....	producer

Original Music by
Max Steiner

Cinematography by
William H. Clothier		(director of photography) (as William Clothier)

Film Editing by
Owen Marks

Art Direction by
William L. Campbell		(as William Campbell)

Set Decoration by
William L. Kuehl

Costume Design by
Marjorie Best

Makeup Department
Gordon Bau	....	makeup supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
George Vieira	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Robert B. Lee	....	sound

Stunts
Dick Crockett	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Herron	....	stunts (uncredited)

Music Department
Murray Cutter	....	orchestrator

Other crew
2nd Lt. Lee Mize	....	project training instructor (as 2nd Lt. Lee Mize Ranger Department, U S A Infantry School)
Roy A. Murray Jr.	....	technical adviser (as Colonel Roy A. Murray, U S A Commander 4th Ranger Battalion)
Richard Sandlin	....	project training instructor (as SFC Richard Sandlin Ranger Department, U S A Infantry School)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Pictures (presents) (as A Warner Bros.- First National Picture)

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1958) (USA) (theatrical)
• CBS Television (1973) (USA) (TV) (network premiere)
• Warner Bros. (1958) (West Germany) (theatrical)

Other Companies

• Department of Defense, The  with grateful appreciation for the cooperation of (as the Department of Defense)
• Department of the Army  with grateful appreciation for the co-operation of (as the Department of the Army)
• Rangers  we dedicate this picture to, whose rugged hard-hitting methods of training inspired techniques now employed by all fighting units of the United States Army (as the Rangers)

Also Known As:

The Young Invaders (UK)
William A.Wellman's Darby's Rangers (USA) (complete title)

Runtime:

121 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

West Germany:18 | USA:Approved (certificate #18594) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Leading man James Garner was originally only supposed to have a supporting role here with Charlton Heston being top-billed. When Heston quit, Garner stepped into his shoes

Sprawling war movie

Darby's Rangers -or The Young Invaders ,to give it the title under which it was shown in Great Britain - is a lengthy world war two movie about the formation of the US Rangers ,its initial training at the hands of the British in Scotland and its success in battle both in Africa and Europe .It also devotes some considerable time to the private lives of the troops especially there involvement with women On neither level is it particularly engrossing with the battle scenes clearly being staged on a studio set which renders them somewhat artificial looking and unconvincing while the platoon members are just not interesting enough to make me care greatly what happens to them The acting is routine Garner is under used and such young performers as Peter Brown and Ed Byrne lack the experience and charisma to hold the screen

Good to see the British accorded some respect in a US war movie but otherwise this is routine fare indeed