They Were Expendable

A somber, quietly heroic wartime portrait that lingers on loss, duty and dwindling hope more than on battle spectacle.

Directed by

John Ford

Genres

Drama, War, Action

Starring

Robert Montgomery, John Wayne, Donna Reed

Tagline

A Tribute to Those Who Did So Much... With So Little!

Overview

After a demonstration of new PT boats, Navy brass are still unconvinced of their viability in combat, leaving Lt. "Rusty" Ryan frustrated. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, however, Ryan and his buddy Lt. Brickley are told they can finally take their squadron into battle. The PT boats quickly prove their worth, successfully shooting down Japanese planes, relaying messages between islands, and picking off a multitude of enemy ships.

How it feels

Melancholic, earnest, tense and dark. Measured and needs your attention.

About

War, survival, loyalty, friendship

Content

Mild violence. No gore, sexual content or swearing.

Note

Written by AI, so it can be wrong. Full breakdown

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Watch the trailer on YouTube (opens in a new tab)