In 1942, in the Bataan peninsula of the Philippines, a ragtag American unit commanded by Sergeant Bill Dane attempts to blow-up a bridge in order to slow the Japanese advance.
Japan has just invaded the Phillipines and the US Army attempts a desperate defence. Thirteen men are chosen to blow up a bridge on the Bataan peninsula and keep the Japanese from rebuilding it.—<[email protected]>
In the Philippines shortly after the Japanese invasion during WWII, the US Army Cavalry in the Bataan Peninsula under the command of Captain Henry Lassiter has assembled a volunteer group of thirteen from all factions of the American and Philippines military, with some of those volunteering solely due to the circumstance of not being able to serve within their own unit. The volunteer unit is to destroy a bridge over a ravine - a key transportation route for the Japanese - then defend the route as the Japanese try to rebuild the bridge. Beyond Lieutenant Steve Bentley of the Air Corps whose plane has gone down the region, the plane which is currently hidden in the underbrush of the jungle as he tries to repair it, the senior personnel among the volunteers is infantryman, Sergeant Bill Dane. The volunteers know the dangers of the mission, the likelihood of making it out alive after all is said and done slim due to probably being outnumbered by the Japanese forces in the region. Beyond the largely sit and wait nature of the mission as both side take camouflaged positions deep in the jungle not willing to show themselves unless and until absolutely necessary, the Allied group of thirteen as their own issues in being a disparate group, some who have issue with Dane, especially Corporal Barney Todd, the two men who largely do not speak about the "elephant" in their probable history.—Huggo
The film opens with long lines of tired and grim soldiers and civilians moving through a congested town away from the advancing Japanese (who are not shown but the hopelessness of the situation hangs heavy). Sergeant Bill Dane (Robert Taylor) of the 31st Infantry and his companion Corporal Jake Feingold (Thomas Mitchell) are seen manning a defensive position. They casually discuss the possibility that they will be ordered to retreat again back toward the presumed safety of Bataan.
Their commander orders them to report to a Captain Lassister for a special assignment. The town then suffers a violent Japanese air attack with civilians and soldiers caught in the open and killed. Dane and Feingold reach Lassiter. A pretty American nurse boards the last ambulance out while casting a long, soulful look back at Lassier (Lee Bowman). Lassiter puts Dane in charge of a group of 13 men, all of whom had been separated from their commands, with orders to hold a a strategic bridge after the last refugees cross. Lassiter makes it clear they are to demolish the bridge, stop the "Japs", and hold until MacArthur can consolidate in Bataan. They are given such equipment and supplies as is available and left alone.
After the army and some civilians cross the bridge, Dane, Feingold, and a group of eleven hastily assembled soldiers from different units is assigned to blow it up and delay Japanese rebuilding efforts as long as possible. In addition to Sgt. Dane, Cpl. Feingold and Captain Lassier, the rear guard is a mixed lot, making up of:
Corporal Barney Todd (Lloyd Nolan), who claims to be a signalman;
Private Felix Ramirez (Desi Arnaz), a Mexican American California National Guardsman;
Private Wesley Epps (Kenneth Lee Spencer), a black demolitions expert;
Private Matthew Hardy (Phillip Terry), a conscientious objector in the Medical Corps;
Private Francis X. Matowski (Barry Nelson), an engineer;
Private "Yankee" Salazar (Alex Havier), a Philippine Scout;
Private Sam Molloy (Tom Dugan), a cook;
Seaman Leonard Purckett (Robert Walker), a naive young navy musician;
Army Air Corps Lt. Steve Bentley (George Marshall), a pilot;
Corporal Juan Katigbak (Roque Espiritu), Bentley's Philippine mechanic.
The group sets up camp and firing positions on a cliff overlooking the bridge, blow the bridge, and settle down to wait for the Japanese. Following is several minutes of exposition which set the tone for the rest of the film. Quinine, food and ammo are in short supply. Dane establishes his credibility and toughness as Sgt. of the group. Bentley reveals that he is an Army AF pilot repairing his damaged plane, Todd is soon revealed to be a prickly bully who clashes with everyone. Dane suspects Todd is using an alias and may be the man who seven years earlier murdered a young private in a barracks card fight and ruined Dane's army officer career in the process. Todd is evasive and Dane elects not to push the issue.
The Japanese move up and work at night on the bridge. The Americans talk, eat, sit by their weapons, and wait. The calm is interrupted when an unseen sniper catches Capt Lassiter in the open and shoots him dead with a bullet through his head. Purckett wants to play taps at the burial but Dane angrily orders him not to - explaining that the Japs know taps and will start counting the dead. At the burial it is sadly revealed that Lassiter had recently married the nurse seen on the ambulance.
That night, Ramirez finds a battery powered radio and tunes in the Tommy Dorsey band live from Hollywood. The aching contrast between these familiar sounds of home and their own isolation and mortal peril is not lost on the men or the viewer. Dane orders Matowski to climb a tree and report on enemy movement. He carelessly shows himself, is shot by a sniper, and falls with a blood curdling scream to his death.
The next day Dane and Todd go out alone, hurl grenades at the bridge, and blow it up one more time. Dane notes that Todd throws left handed like the murderer of seven years ago but again doesn't push the issue. Alone with Feingold afterwards, Dane begins to question whether he and the men will break from the strain and run, but the brave Feingold calmly assures him they will do their duty to the end.
In succession, more men die as the Japanese pressure increases. Their Phillipino guide tries to break through the Japanese lines and get to Bataan for help, is captured, tortured and strung up for the Americans to see. Ramirez dies of malaria, Malloy is killed in a strafing air attack.
Bentley repairs his plane and attempts to fly out under cover of night. They succeed, but Katigbak is killed (with a samurai sword one night) and Bentley is mortally wounded when he tries to lift off in his airplane. He asks Dane to load two boxes of dynamite on the plane. Dane refuses until Bentley pulls rank and orders him to do it. In a last dying act, Bentley flies into the bridge and demolishes it in a tremendous explosion.
The remaining soldiers repel a massive frontal assault, inflicting grievous losses on the attacking Japanese troops, ultimately fighting hand-to-hand with bayonets fixed on their M1903 Springfield rifles. Epps and Feingold are killed. Only Dane, Todd and a wounded Purckett are left.
Purckett is shot by an another unseen Japanese sniper, and Todd stabbed in the back by a Japanese soldier who had only feigned being dead. Before he dies, Todd admits to Dane that he is Burns.
Now alone, Dane stoically digs his own marked grave beside those of his fallen comrades and waits in it. The Japanese troops crawl close to his position before opening fire and charging at Dane. Dane fires back, yelling, "We're still here.....we'll always be here, why don't you come and get us!" When his Tommy gun runs out of ammunition, he continues firing with the heavy machine gun as the Japanese close in on him.... the machine gun points to the audience as the final credits roll (rather then showing his death at the hands of the Japanese).
The end story board states that the sacrifice of the defenders of Bataan helped slow the Japanese down, making possible America's later victories in the Pacific War.
