I’ve watched many a movie about moments in American history. Black Hawk Down. Pearl Harbor. Saving Private Ryan. Band of Brothers.
So tonight when I found myself channel surfing, I made the executive decision to watch The Great Raid, which was based on William Breuer’s book of the same name.
I was lucky enough to have met Mr. Breuer on several occasions when I was a news reporter in Cleveland, Tenn. Mr. Breuer has written over 30 books, focusing on World War II, the CIA, and the FBI, as well as the Korean War.
The Great Raid is about the raid at Cabanatuan where 500 American soilders were POWs during WWII. IMDb gives this description: “Taking place towards the end of WWII, 500 American Soldiers have been entrapped in a camp for 3 years. Beginning to give up hope they will ever be rescued, a group of Rangers goes on a dangerous mission to try and save them.”
Photo Source: www.IMDb.com
According to Wikipedia, “this movie tells the story of the January 1945 liberation of the Cabanatuan Prison Camp on the Philippine island of Luzon during World War II.”
Directed by John Dahl, this movie stars Benjamin Bratt as Lt. Col. Henry Mucci, Joseph Fiennes as Maj. Gibson, James Franco as Capt. Robert Prince, Connie Nielsen as Margaret Utinsky, Motoki Kobayashi as Major Nagai, and Cesar Montano as Capt. Juan Pajota. Other actors in this movie include Max Martini, Mark Consuelos, Sam Worthington, Marton Csokas, Logan Marshall-Green, and Robert Mammone.
According to Wikipedia, “the real-life efforts of Filipino guerrillas are also specifically highlighted, especially a stand at a bridge that delayed Japanese reinforcements. These units fought alongside Americans against Japanese occupiers during the war.”
“In 1944, American forces were closing in on the Japanese-occupied Philippines. TheJapanese held around 500 American prisoners who had survived the Bataan Death Marchin a notorious POW camp at Cabanatuan and subjected them to brutal treatment and summary execution. Many prisoners were also stricken with malaria.
“The film opens with the massacre of prisoners of war on Palawan by the Kempeitai, the Imperial Japanese military’s secret police (though factually, it was committed by the Japanese Fourteenth Area Army).
“Meanwhile at Lingayen Gulf, the 6th Ranger Battalion under Lt. Col Mucci is ordered by Lt. Gen. Walter Krueger to liberate all of the POWs at Cabanatuan prison camp before they are killed by the Japanese. The film chronicles the efforts of the Rangers, Alamo Scouts from the 6th Army and Filipino guerrillas as they undertake the Raid at Cabanatuan.
“Throughout the film, the viewpoint switches between the POWs at Cabanatuan, the Rangers, the Filipino resistance and the Japanese.
“In particular, the film covers the resistance work undertaken by nurse Margaret Utinsky, who smuggled medicine into the POW camps. The Kempeitai arrested her and sent her to Fort Santiago prison. She was eventually released, but spent six weeks recovering from gangrene as a result of injuries sustained from beatings.”
James Vesely of The Seattle Times wrote a moving editorial in 2009 on the late Robert Prince, which you can read here.
This film’s opening prologue states: “Inspired by true events.” This film’s closing epilogue states: “On January 30, 1945, after nearly three years in captivity, 511 POWs were rescued from the Cabanatuan Prison Camp. During the raid, two Army rangers were killed. The Filipino Guerillas suffered 21 casualties. One POW died after being liberated from the camp. Lt. Colonel Henry Mucci was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for valor. Captain Robert Prince was awarded the same honor. President Harry S. Truman awarded Margaret Utinsky the Medal of Freedom for outstanding heroism and fortitude. The raid on Cabanatuan remains the most successful rescue mission in U.S. military history.” (Source: IMDb)
Photo Source: www.qwipster.net
Lt. Colonel Mucci: Captain Prince, how did we do?
Captain Prince: Got ’em all sir.
Photo Source: www.tumblr.com
Captain Prince: Never in our history have such a large group of men endured so much and complained so little. Many couldn’t shake the fact that their country had abandoned them, left them to die in a foreign land. It was said to be of no significance to the war effort, but for me, it meant everything. It’s true, they had been left behind, but never forgotten.
The movie, which I watched on TV, had commercials, so it was longer than normal; however, the movie does clock in at 132 minutes. Nevertheless, this movie provided a good history lesson. Again, this movies is based on Mr. Breuer’s book, and additional material was taken from Ghost Soldiers by Hampton Sides.
Have you seen The Great Raid? What did you think about it? I would love to hear your thoughts!
Have a great day!