Immortal Sergeant (1943)

Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

Perfectly adorable

Let's be realistic.

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

This is the first American film about the North Africa campaign and the last film Henry Fonda made before reporting for the war. In fact he had tried to report earlier but studio head Zanuck had him deferred until this film was made."The Immortal Sergeant" tells the oft-told tale of a group of soldiers at risk trying to survive. The first version I can recall was "the Lost Patrol" a 1929 British silent film remade in 1934 by John Ford. Those films were based on the 1927 novel "Patrol" and the basic theme has been repeated since (e.g., 'The Thirteen", "Sahara", "Last of the Comanches", "Kokoda").This 1943 film is an American propaganda film using the British fighting in Africa for the setting. Though this is obviously a studio film, the camera work is pretty good and some of the action sequences look good.The cast is rich with 40s stars like Henry Fonda, Thomas Mitchell, Maureen O'Hara, and Reginald Gardiner. But they are merely going through the motions and there is nothing here you haven't seen before.My favorite WW 2 fighting films made between 1942 and 1944 include "Wake Island" (1942), "Bataan" (1943) which also had Mitchell, "The Fighting Sullivans" (1944), "Flying Tigers" (1942), "Guadalcanal Diary" (1943), "The North Star" (1943), "The Rats of Tobruk" (1944), and "Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo" (1944).There are a plethora of non-fighting WW 2 films that are worthy of mention – "Casablanca" (1942), "Lifeboat" (1944), "Hangmen Also Die" (1943), and "Five Graves to Cairo" (1943).

"Immortal Sergeant" was apparently not one of Henry Fonda's favorite film roles. I am not sure why "The Big Street" wasn't his least favorite (it was god-awful, believe me) but he disliked it. And, I might add, my wife wasn't super-fond a this film as we watched it. However, I really thought it was pretty good...though I do wonder if the main character played by Fonda might have been schizophrenic--that's because throughout the film he keeps hearing the voice of his sergeant--even though the guy is dead!The film is a WWII propaganda film. Because of this, it's main thrust is NOT realism but to bolster folks' support of the war effort. I cut the film a bit of slack, as it was 1943 and keeping up morale was a major concern. What I didn't like was the casting of Fonda, as he was supposed to be a Brit--and seemed about as British as John Wayne or Hattie McDaniel! In this sense, I could see why he didn't like playing this role--but the plot is pretty good and more than makes up for this.The sergeant in the title is played by Thomas Mitchell--and he's very good in this role. This guy is a career soldier and seems indestructible to his men--and he is adored by them. However, although he seems to have all the answers, his corporal (Fonda) seems quite different--unsure of himself and not at all the soldier Mitchell is. But, when the sergeant is killed and Fonda is left in charge of a small group of men in the North African desert, he's given a chance to show his mettle.In many ways, this film is a lot like the film "Sahara"--though "Sahara" is a much more enjoyable (and less realistic) film. Both are set in the same locale and are about a small group of soldiers overcoming greater numbers of enemy soldiers. But the casting and script just weren't quite as good here--though the film STILL is enjoyable and did what the studio wanted it to do. I also appreciate how the men in this film were NOT indestructible--many died even though you KNEW how it all had to end. Not brilliant but quite entertaining.

Henry Fonda looks just like he appeared in 1940's "The Grapes of Wrath."This is quite a good film detailing several soldiers caught in Africa during World War 11 and how they eventually overcome their perils.Thomas Mitchell, as the old-time sergeant is a standout here. There is able support by Allyn Joslyn, Reginald Gardiner and others.Maureen O'Hara is used mainly in flashbacks here as Fonda thinks back of his past while trying to lead his men to freedom.The ending seems rushed up as Fonda wakes up in the hospital and is told how they got out of their predicament.

SPOILER This movie is lauded for its realistic battle scenes of soldiers suffering during wartime. Henry Fonda is Colin Spence, a well meaning Canadian gent; Benedict(Reg Gardiner)a brash British bloke, his nemesis. They are schoolmate writers in love with the same beautiful woman, Valentine(Maureen O'Hara). They attended school together but while Benedict was privileged, Colin was humble. It has been the same in life, where Benedict has enjoyed fame and fortune and Colin has known only failure. After seeing a French acquaintance herded to prison camp during the nazi occupation, Colin decides to enlist. There he meets his Immortal Sergeant(Thomas Mitchell), a frankly admittedly self flawed man who runs his small quirky outfit with instinct and wit, leading them on long traverses through hot desert seeming with no end but resulting in nazi casualties and while he gets killed provides for his men and gives them hope to carry on. They discover a nazi outpost and raid it for some much needed supplies. They then surround the camp and do a good job of killing the men. Three of them survive, and two of them including Cpl Colin Spence are now declared heroes. While recovering in hospital, a journalist reporter comes to interview Col. Unbeknownst to both of them, it is Reg. Col had just got a telegram from Valentine, and he tells Bene to wire her his intent to marry her. Reg says no way, but Col now has backbone and says you better. Reg does it and Maureen is now here to wait for her Lieutenant a the station upon his return home. Another happy end!