The Longest Hundred Miles (1967)

SERIOUSLY. This is what the crap Hollywood still puts out?

Fantastic!

Amazing worth wacthing. So good. Biased but well made with many good points.

Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

THE LONGEST HUNDRED MILES – 1967 The US has just surrendered in the Philippines and the remains of the Army are being herded along on the Bataan Death March. Soldier, Doug McClure manages to escape into the jungle. He steals a small boat and heads off. No idea where he is going, but he figures it must be better than a Japanese prison camp.He comes ashore the next day near an old mission church. In the church is a priest, Ricardo Montalban, as well as a collection of orphaned children. There is also an Army nurse, Katharine Ross. Ross is the sole survivor of a boat headed to a pick up spot down the coast. In 3 days a US aircraft is landing at a small grass airfield to pick up the nurses.Now a small Japanese patrol shows up. McClure kills the four men with a machine gun he had found in a bombed out shack. Ross wants McClure to help her reach the airfield. The only transport they have is an old beat up mess of a bus. The wreck runs on coconut oil. McClure is not all that happy with the idea. But he decides to give it a go. He piles the kids, the priest and nurse Ross on the bus and heads off.Their departure was just in the nick of time as another Japanese patrol has arrived by truck. They are looking for the first patrol. They find the bodies of said patrol and are soon in hot pursuit.There are several close calls with the pursuing Japanese, but the bus manages to get a fair lead on them. They are strafed by a Japanese fighter and one of the children is killed. Then the group run into another bunch of Japanese on road. It looks like the game is up, but, a band of Filipino guerrillas now shows and disposes of the Japanese.Then there is a mad rush to make it to the airfield in time. The US aircraft lands and the children and Nurse Ross are loaded on-board. Now who should appear, but another truckload of Japanese troops. McClure tells the pilot to take off while he drives the bus straight at the Japanese truck. Needless to say he leaps off just in time as the coconut fuelled truck takes out the Japanese. McClure and Montalban join up with the Filipino guerrillas.This filmed in the Philippines, low budget film, was released on television in the US. It did get a theatrical release in Europe during 1968 and 1969.Miss Ross would hit the big time later in 1967 with THE GRADUATE. She quickly followed that up with HELLFIGHTERS and BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID. Doug McClure became a television fixture with his long running role (247 episodes) on THE VIRGINIAN. Ross and McClure had worked together in the 1965 Jimmy Stewart western SHENANDOAH.I recall seeing this as a kid back in the late 60's. All in all, it is a decent time-waster.

Doug McClure, Katherine Ross, and Ricardo Montalban star with a host of adorable Filipino kids in a good chase movie, set in the Philippines immediately after the ball of Bataan. Many of us will appreciate seeing a sweet young Ms Ross at about the time of The Graduate. Others will enjoy Montalban as a sympathetic priest caring for orphans, insisting on moral behavior in wartime. Other highlights are the utterly unforgettable Song of the Filipino Children, and perhaps the best untranslated but perfectly communicated dialog between two Japanese officers when they realize they've been foxed. Fine acting throughout.This is one of the movies you see at random as a kid and it stays with you forever.Based on a board recommendation, I purchased a DVD copy for US$24 at www.rarevideo.ca and received it in good order, quickly, with no hassle. Bit grainy, probably a dub off TV but perfectly enjoyable.

I have always enjoyed watching the film "The Longest Hundred Miles" since I was a kid. I have recently seen the film and noted some veteran Filipino actors who played Japanese soldiers. At the end of the film the cast did not include them. I was quite disappointed since these were two highly respected actors. The first Japanese general who invaded the church was played by Vic Silayan. He has appeared in numerous films in the Philippines and in the U.S. including " No Man is an Island" and " Night of the Cobra Woman ". Silayan also co-wrote a book about Filipino cinema that reflected all his work.The second Japanese general who pursued the contraption bus in the film was played by Vic Diaz. Much like Vic Silayan he has appeared in a lot of Filipino and American movies like " Impasse " and " Daughters of Satan ". Diaz was known for his smooth talk and persuasiveness on screen.I feel these two actors have been overlooked during "The Longest Hundred Miles ". This is my salute to Vic Diaz and vic Silayan for their excellent work.

i was stationed at clark ab philippines in the air force at the time, they took 35 of us to use as extras in the film. it was a great experience getting to meet and work with the actors and also got to meet katherine ross during the three days we were there. we were portrayed as the prisoners of war in the first part of the movie. i have a copy of the movie on VHS, just recently made a copy for a doug mcclure fan in perth Australia..i was 20 years old at the time... great time a long time ago..this was filmed in south luzon out in the middle of nowhere, we slept on old army cots in a thatch hut. they had a party for us every nite we were there with the actors being our host. our trip from clark to the location and back was kinda hairy as we were on a phillipine air force c47 and landed on a grass strip in the middle of a palm forest..the take off (short strip) was interesting also barely missing the tops of the palm trees..lots of san miguel beer also..good times in our younger days.....kenny smith