October 20 - Back To Bataan

Today’s motion picture is a war movie with a scene that happens on October 20. Watch and enjoy this film tonight.

BACK TO BATAAN        

In March, 1942 during the Battle of on Bataan Col. Joseph Madden has to try and get one of his Filipino officers, Capt. Andres Bonifacio  back to combat readiness as he became depressed after learning his girlfriend Dalisay Delgado, is collaborating with the Japanese invaders by making radio propaganda broadcasts. After Madden is picked to go behind enemy lines to organize a guerrilla group he learns that Delgado is using her broadcasts to pass along valuable military information to the Allies, but Madden is ordered not to reveal this fact to anyone, including Bonifacio. Madden’s men recruit a group of schoolchildren, rescue Bonifacio from the Bataan death march and begin a campaign of sabotage against the Japanese. The Japanese stage an “independence” ceremony for the Philippines. Madden’s men attack it and Delgado during her radio broadcast of the event reveals her true loyalties by urging a revolt against the Japanese. One of the students, who had been captured, dies rather than betray the guerrillas. Madden is recalled to the USA, but returns and meets with Bonifacio, now leader of the guerrillas to discuss an important mission. On October 20, 1944 [date @1:21:17; 1:23:23 to 1:33:05] the American army land on the island of Leyte. The guerrillas are to hold a village to stop Japanese reinforcements from reaching the landing zone. After fierce fighting in which they are almost wiped out, troops from the landing arrive and turn back the Japanese attack. 

A World at Arms: A Global History of World War II by Gerhard L. Weinberg (Cambridge University Press, New York, 1994) at page 851 and the film at 1:21:17 give the date of the invasion

Producer - Robert Fellows

Director - Edward Dmytryk

Screenwiters - Ben Barzman and Richard H. Landau

Runtime – 1 hour 35 minutes

Released – June 25, 1945

Starring –

John Wayne as Col. Joseph Madden

Anthony Quinn as Capt. Andrés Bonifácio

Beulah Bondi as Bertha Barnes

Fely Franquelli as Dalisay Delgado

Richard Loo as Maj. Hasko

Philip Ahn as Col. Coroki

Alex Havier as Sgt. Bernessa

'Ducky' Louie as Maximo Cuenca

Lawrence Tierney as Lt. Cmdr. Waite

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015