THE REAL GLORY
US, 96 minutes, Black and white.
Gary Cooper, David Niven, Broderick Crawford, Andrea Leeds, Reginald Owen, Kay Johnson, Russell Hicks, Vladimir Sokolof.
Directed by Henry Hathaway.
The Real Glory is an action adventure film, typical of the adventure so popular in the '30s. Gary Cooper, the hero of this film, had appeared in several of these like The Lives of a Bengal Lancer. It was a period also of adaptations of Kipling like Gunga Din and The Light That Failed.
Direction is by Henry Hathaway, a noted action director of the '30s, though a director who moved comfortably through a range of genres including westerns. Cooper had worked with him in The Lives of a Bengal Lancer, Now and Forever, Peter Ibbetson, Souls at Sea. Cooper is the commonsensed humanitarian hero. David Niven and Broderick Crawford are his Kipling-like associates. The action is set in the Philippines - and shows the Americans present and participating in a local uprising. The film is generally Boys' Own adventure and romance - with a humanitarian and thoughtful touch about issues such as war, local peoples and their independence.
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1. An entertaining action adventure? Boys' Own adventure style? A piece of Americana? The history of the Philippines?
2. Black and white photography, Philippine atmosphere, action sequences? Special effects for battles, the dynamiting of the dam etc? Rousing musical score?
3. The title and the focus on themes of honour and glory? Military? Discipline? Coming to the aid of oppressed peoples? Plar and its exploits? Human values - the real glory?
4. The situation in the Philippines: the presence of the army? The uprisings? The training of the Filipinos? The rebellious Moros? Battles? Occupation? Victory?
5. Dr. Canavan in this situation? The laconic Gary Cooper hero? Humanitarian? In a position to criticise the military? His place as a doctor? His professional behaviour? The wounding of Captain Hartley? .His recuperation but his growing blindness? Dr. Canavan and his stances? Decisions? His love for Linda? His relationship with Mc Cool and Larsen? Decisions? Action? Working with the Filipinos? Diversionary tactics? The final battles? The vindication of his stances?
6. Mc Cool and Larsen? Professional soldiers? Mc Cool's Irish background? His pride in being a soldier of fortune? His history and his family’s history? Genial? Larsen and his Swedish background? The big man not bright, his love for orchids? Their stances towards Captain Hartley? The decisions to be made? Their participation in the battles? The soldiers of fortune and their isolation? Way of life? Personal interactions? Interesting character studies of men in war?
7. Captain Hartley and his authority, the assassination attempt, his injuries, recuperation, his awareness of his blindness, his not telling anybody? His decision-making? Errors of judgment? The challenge by Canavan? The response of Mc Cool, Larsen and the other soldiers? His love fl or his daughter? Her being torn in the situation?
8. The presence of the American army? The revolt? The withdrawal of the troops? The officers training the natives? The attack of the Moros? The excursions and deaths? The stance of the priest - and his remaining? His final salute and its fatalism?
9. The presentation of the Filipinos, their fight for independence? The attack of the Moros - the Moro swordsmen, the natives in terror? The fanatical charge?
10. Military discipline, training, obedience to orders, military judgment? The tempering of drill and discipline with humanity?
11. Action sequences: the battles, ambush, the diversion of the river, the Moros attacking the garrison, the tree catapults with the soldiers and missiles?
12. The American presence in the Pacific? In the retrospect of later decades? The Americans working with the Filipinos for independence? A type of colonialism? The respect for Filipino traditions, religious customs - and the violation of these to threaten? The independence of the Philippines?
13. A piece of Americana? The blending of serious themes with popular action adventure?
