"The Story of GI Joe" is a biography – and almost feels like a documentary – of the famous US World War II correspondent Ernie Pyle (played by Burgess Meredith) as he covers the gritty exploits of Company C of the US 18th Infantry. The director, William Wellman, based the movie upon Pyle's Pulitzer Prize winning book. Pyle was a rare breed. He insisted on being on the front lines with our GIs so as to get the right account of what was really happening with the average Joe. His purpose was not to carry a weapon but to take notes and send true stories back home about young soldiers who expressed their fears and concerns, and who felt their way thorough their first combat. Pyle stuck with the soldiers through heavy rains, mud holes, flowing streams, and combat situations. Pyle's dispatches showed the home front parents what their boys were going through.
Initially the slow-paced film begins in North Africa (February 1943) and covers the American reverse at the hands of the Axis forces of Field Marshall Rommel at the Kasserine Pass. After that it moves quickly over the American victories in Africa and the conquest of Sicily. Then the rest of the movie's focus is the war in Italy (up to the capture of Rome), especially the battles of San Vittorio and Mt. Cassino (a sixth century abbey). As for the latter, the Germans did not use its strategic position until it was bombed. But the rubble made them a favorable defensive position. The US soldiers – mechanics, construction men, office workers, etc. before the war – are well led by the humane Lt. Walker (Robert Mitchum). Walker, outside of Pyle, gets the most attention. But Sgt. Warnicki (Freddie Steele), Pvt. Donaro (Wally Cassel), and Pvt. Murphy (John Reilly) also have sizable parts to play. When Warnicki enters a bombed out Catholic Church to pray, he leaves his helmet on. It's a good thing he did so. Donaro confronts a frightened Italian woman, but note her relief when he speaks Italian. Murphy's company gives him the use of a most unusual bridal suite after he marries his fiancée, a nurse. Supporting roles were also played by actual combat veterans of North Africa, Sicily, and Italy. Meredith comes across very well as the sincere and humble war correspondent.
The movie is convincing and natural: There are no heroics here, no John Wayne valor, no patriotic slogans. General Eisenhower called this the greatest war movie that he had ever seen. Ironically, the real Ernie Pyle never saw this movie. It premiered in 1945, after the fall of Germany (European Theater of Operations, ETO) but with the Pacific Theater of Operations (PTO) still in progress. Pyle had already left Europe for the western Pacific, and was killed during the last battle of the war (Okinawa) in April 1945.
Initially the slow-paced film begins in North Africa (February 1943) and covers the American reverse at the hands of the Axis forces of Field Marshall Rommel at the Kasserine Pass. After that it moves quickly over the American victories in Africa and the conquest of Sicily. Then the rest of the movie's focus is the war in Italy (up to the capture of Rome), especially the battles of San Vittorio and Mt. Cassino (a sixth century abbey). As for the latter, the Germans did not use its strategic position until it was bombed. But the rubble made them a favorable defensive position. The US soldiers – mechanics, construction men, office workers, etc. before the war – are well led by the humane Lt. Walker (Robert Mitchum). Walker, outside of Pyle, gets the most attention. But Sgt. Warnicki (Freddie Steele), Pvt. Donaro (Wally Cassel), and Pvt. Murphy (John Reilly) also have sizable parts to play. When Warnicki enters a bombed out Catholic Church to pray, he leaves his helmet on. It's a good thing he did so. Donaro confronts a frightened Italian woman, but note her relief when he speaks Italian. Murphy's company gives him the use of a most unusual bridal suite after he marries his fiancée, a nurse. Supporting roles were also played by actual combat veterans of North Africa, Sicily, and Italy. Meredith comes across very well as the sincere and humble war correspondent.
The movie is convincing and natural: There are no heroics here, no John Wayne valor, no patriotic slogans. General Eisenhower called this the greatest war movie that he had ever seen. Ironically, the real Ernie Pyle never saw this movie. It premiered in 1945, after the fall of Germany (European Theater of Operations, ETO) but with the Pacific Theater of Operations (PTO) still in progress. Pyle had already left Europe for the western Pacific, and was killed during the last battle of the war (Okinawa) in April 1945.