Never So Few (1959)

Director:

John Sturges

Writers:

Tom T. Chamales (novel)
Millard Kaufman (writer)

Release Date:

7 December 1959 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | War

Tagline:

Kiss by kiss the time ran out and never so few were the moments left for love!

Plot:

Captain Tom Reynolds and his band of skilled O.S.S. operatives are in WWII Burma to train the Kachin natives in modern warfare...

Plot Keywords:

Jungle | WWII | Christmas Tree | Christmas | Based On Novel

Cast

Frank Sinatra	...	Capt. Tom Reynolds
Gina Lollobrigida	...	Carla Vesari
Peter Lawford	...	Capt. Grey Travis
Steve McQueen	...	William Louis 'Bill' Ringer
Richard Johnson	...	Capt. Danny De Mortimer
Paul Henreid	...	Nikko Regas
Brian Donlevy	...	Gen. Sloan
Dean Jones	...	Sgt. Jim Norby
Charles Bronson	...	Sgt. John Danforth
Philip Ahn	...	Nautaung
Robert Bray	...	Col. Fred Parkson
Kipp Hamilton	...	Margaret Fitch
John Hoyt	...	Col. Reed
Whit Bissell	...	Capt. Alofson - Psychiatrist
Richard Lupino	...	Mike Island

Also Known As:

Campaign Burma (USA) (alternative title)

Runtime:

125 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

UK:PG (re-rating) (1987) | West Germany:12 (f) | Australia:PG | USA:Approved (PCA #19299) | UK:A (original rating) | Finland:K-16 | Argentina:16

Filming Locations:

Burma

Company:

Canterbury Productions

Trivia:

Steve McQueen's role was originally going to be played by Sammy Davis Jr.. A feud had broken out between Davis and Frank Sinatra after Davis had claimed in a radio interview that he was a greater singer than Sinatra. Sinatra demanded he be dropped from the cast, and McQueen got the part.

Goofs:

At the beginning of this WWII film, supplies are parachuted to the troops. On several of the boxes, USAF was stenciled on the boxes. The United States Army Air Force was not officially listed as the USAF until 1947 and the stencil should have read USAAF which stands for United States Army Air Force.

Quotes:

Nautaung: America a very funny place, full of prayers and money.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Guns for Hire: The Making of 'The Magnificent Seven' (2000) (TV)

Not much of an ending, but plenty of ego

I just saw this movie for the first time via DVD as part of a Steve McQueen package. This was an early Steve flick and the Chairman of the Board ("COB") only substituted Steve for Sammy Davis Jr. at the last minute. I didn't care much for Frank's goatee or his hat. I didn't believe him and Gina for a minute. Now if Bogie had been able to make a cameo to say hello to Paul Henreid, that would have been something. Bottom line is Frank is miscast.

What I liked most was Charles Bronson (pre The Great Escape) with Steve in a pre Virgil Hilts role. George Takei(Star Trek) has a non credited role as does I believe Mako (The Sand Pebbles)