Probably the best movie that Audie Murphy ever made - certainly the most famous, even though it wasn't a box office hit, but it led to the famous showdown between Louis B Mayer and Dore Schary/Nick Schenck at MGM which resulted in Mayer leaving the studio he had helped turn into a giant. Watching this years down the track it's hard not to be impressed by it's quality - the beautiful images of battle and soldiers in camp, the intelligence and sensitivity of its adaptation, the sheer novelty of watching a story that deals with cowardice in war time, the realistic touches (e.g. a general telling the same joke to different groups of troops), quality of the character actors, the photography.
But it's a bit of a mess. I know it was cut down by the studio (the addition of the narration from James Whitmore doesn't help), but you do have to be sympathetic to them - there's no female role, little warmth, it does feel art house-y. We never really get into the Kid's head - I really liked Audie Murphy's performance, he felt authentic with his bravado and nervousness (though with this accent you would expect to find him fighting for the South). A very good picture but commercially you and see Mayer's point. Still, I'm glad it exists and wish that it could be restored somehow.
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