Guadalcanal Diary (1943, Preston Foster, Lloyd Nolan)

Published

5 years ago

November 16, 2018

Powerful and exciting World War Two propaganda action drama following US Marines as they make beach-heads into the Solomon Islands and drive back the Japanese. Starring Lloyd Nolan, William Bendix, Richard Conte and Anthony Quinn as the band of men with a heroic chaplain, Father Donnelly (Preston Foster) at their head, whose personal reactions to the fierce fighting are documented as well as the carefully mapped strategic campaign.

Twentieth Century Fox lost no time in bringing the marines’ successful campaign (the first important victory of the Pacific War) to the big screen, resulting in an impressive staging of the battle. A staging perhaps made even more impressive considering that it wasn’t filmed on location in the Pacific but in California.

production details
USA | 93 minutes | 1943

Director: Lewis Seiler
Writers: Lamar Trotti, Jerry Cady, from the book by Richard Tregaskis

cast
Preston Foster as Father Donnelly
Lloyd Nolan as Sgt. Hook Malone
William Bendix as Corp. Taxi Potts
Richard Conte as Capt. Davis
Anthony Quinn as Jesus (‘Soose’) Alverez
Richard Jaeckel as Pvt. Johnny (‘Chicken’) Anderson
Roy Roberts as Capt. Jame Cross
Minor Watson as Col Wallace E. Grayson
Ralph Byrd as Ned Rowman
Lionel Stander as Sgt. Butch
Reed Hadley as War Correspondent/ Narrator
John Archer as Lt. Thurmond