It seems like most of the reviews on this site are glowing, with 8-10 stars awarded. Yet the average score for this film is 7.4. Obviously the reviews are not representative of the general consensus.
"Pride of the Marines" does a good job, in the beginning, of providing stark contrast between life at "home" and the hell that was war for those on the front lines during WWII.
After Al (John Garfield) is injured and shipped back to the states, the film takes a turn for the worse. It was released in 1945, so we have to give it some slack, but it is just so heavy-handed that it is cringe-worthy. No one would talk the way Garfield does; and he talks nonstop. The biggest problem with the film is that the writer(s) have Garfield voice every thought that goes through his head. The script would have been more effective if it were more subtle. I suppose I should provide an example. In "Stalag 17", for example, the protagonist (played by William Holden) is a man who is hated by his fellow prisoners of war, but he doesn't voice (much) his feelings of disappointment, hate and revenge. His mannerisms and his face convey these feelings as clearly as if we had read his diary.
From the beginning of the film, Al is not a very sympathetic character. He is one of those guys who is too proud to express his feelings, like it might make him a sissy. After his injury, his pride gets in the way of his recovery and his relationships. This is a common theme that has been done better in other films. Ironically, the film's title refers to pride, but pride is Al's biggest problem.
Part of what makes the film heavy-handed, besides the overbearing dialogue, is the music. And the way it marries patriotism with religious piety. But Hollywood was good at laying it on thick for the home audiences, using its influence to manipulate the masses. The talk about America being a chosen land is standard wartime content. You can bet that German and Japanese scriptwriters were putting out the same sentiments.
Garfield does a good job with the script he is given. Eleanor Parker, as his girlfriend, is a fitting representation of the sweet, wholesome woman who remains loyal to her man.
"Pride of the Marines" does a good job, in the beginning, of providing stark contrast between life at "home" and the hell that was war for those on the front lines during WWII.
After Al (John Garfield) is injured and shipped back to the states, the film takes a turn for the worse. It was released in 1945, so we have to give it some slack, but it is just so heavy-handed that it is cringe-worthy. No one would talk the way Garfield does; and he talks nonstop. The biggest problem with the film is that the writer(s) have Garfield voice every thought that goes through his head. The script would have been more effective if it were more subtle. I suppose I should provide an example. In "Stalag 17", for example, the protagonist (played by William Holden) is a man who is hated by his fellow prisoners of war, but he doesn't voice (much) his feelings of disappointment, hate and revenge. His mannerisms and his face convey these feelings as clearly as if we had read his diary.
From the beginning of the film, Al is not a very sympathetic character. He is one of those guys who is too proud to express his feelings, like it might make him a sissy. After his injury, his pride gets in the way of his recovery and his relationships. This is a common theme that has been done better in other films. Ironically, the film's title refers to pride, but pride is Al's biggest problem.
Part of what makes the film heavy-handed, besides the overbearing dialogue, is the music. And the way it marries patriotism with religious piety. But Hollywood was good at laying it on thick for the home audiences, using its influence to manipulate the masses. The talk about America being a chosen land is standard wartime content. You can bet that German and Japanese scriptwriters were putting out the same sentiments.
Garfield does a good job with the script he is given. Eleanor Parker, as his girlfriend, is a fitting representation of the sweet, wholesome woman who remains loyal to her man.