AMERICAN GUERRILLA IN THE PHILIPPINES (1950)

In 1942, two American Navy men, Ensign Chuck Palmer (Tyrone Power) and sailor Jim Mitchell (Tom Ewell), are stranded on the island of Leyte in the Philippines after the fall of Bataan—when General MacArthur made the famous claim, "I shall return." The two attempt to get to the island of Mindanao to rejoin their troops but in the city of Tacloban, they find chaos as the Americans are preparing to surrender and the natives are desperate for help. The colonel there gives them some money so they can buy a boat and try to make it across the gulf, and Palmer uses his influence to help Jeanne, a French woman married to a Filipino, get medical assistance for a relative. She thanks him, but also warns him that the monsoons will make it difficult on the water, and suggests he stay on the island and become part of the resistance. They leave with a small crew, and their boat does indeed get destroyed. Stuck eight miles from shore, they are eventually rescued by a group of villagers who hide the men from the Japanese. Resistance fighter Miguel (Tommy Cook) joins the Americans and after a few months in hiding, they finally get assistance from businessman Juan Martinez, a supporter of the guerrillas and also the husband of Jeanne, for whom Palmer is carrying a bit of a torch. Palmer winds up on a spy mission to Mindanao, and then is sent back to Leyte in charge of radio communications, important in setting up MacArthur's return. As the months pass, Palmer becomes fully invested in the resistance. In the climax, a fierce Japanese attack is interrupted by American air forces—MacArthur has indeed returned.

A common complaint about this movie, based on the real-life experiences of Iliff David Richardson, is that it's not exciting, and I have to agree; until the ending, there are few battle scenes. But there is often well-built tension, and the characters are a bit more fleshed out than is the norm for a WWII movie. Power is very good in the lead, and Tommy Cook makes for a sympathetic sidekick. Tom Ewell is in what might normally be a comic relief part, but to his credit, he plays the comedy down in favor of characterization. Fritz Lang directed, and though there are few interesting stylistic flourishes, the film is well shot and the narrative remains clear throughout. The romantic angle, a slow-burning attraction between Palmer and Jeanne, feels forced, but it pays off nicely in a sweet Christmas Eve scene. Despite the word "guerrilla" in the title, the action here is more along the lines of spying and resisting than death and destruction. Recommended. Pictured are Power (wounded) and Cook. [Amazon streaming]