THE IMMORTAL SERGEANT Movie Review

1943 John M. Stahl

Before World War II was over, Hollywood would learn to make excellent propaganda. This early effort leaves much to be desired, both as entertainment and as motivation. It tells a slow, simple story that's redeemed in the second half with unrealistic but forceful desert combat scenes. Though the film's psychological premise is sound, its execution needs work.

The setting is the North African desert, where the British Eighth Army faces the Germans. Cpl. Colin Spence (Henry Fonda) is a Canadian volunteer. Though he's at best a mediocre, indecisive soldier, Sgt. Kelly (Thomas Mitchell) sees potential in the lad. A series of flashbacks to London reveals the reasons why Spence is such a weenie-wuss. He's always been something of a shy underachiever who is cowed by the presence of his colleague Benedict (Reginald Gardiner), a successful writer. When Benedict puts some heavy moves on Spence's sweetheart Valentine Lee (Maureen O'Hara), Spence does nothing. Finally, in desperation he decides to enlist to become more assertive.

That's how he finds himself on patrol in the middle of the trackless desert when his outfit comes under attack by German aircraft (created with uncredited special effects that are remarkably lively for the era). As the enemy engagement grows more serious and intense, so, irritatingly, do Spence's moony flashbacks. Maureen O'Hara may never have looked lovelier, but Spence and Benedict are such cartoonish caricatures that it's impossible to muster up much interest in their competition, or its predictable outcome.

Veteran character actor Mitchell fares much better with his pivotal role as the mentor who shows Spence how to transform himself. Unfortunately, those scenes are less fully developed because they're cut off when the scene shifts to an oasis. That's where the final confrontation takes place. Director John M. Stahl makes the action suspenseful enough, despite the limitations of a cliched, bare-bones soundstage. The loud pyrotechnic destruction of the set is still satisfying, though, as Spence and his outnumbered comrades sacrifice themselves to wipe out the Germans.

More troubling than the low-budget look of the production—common enough for adventure films of the day—is the star's uncomfortable performance in a poorly written role. As producer/screen-writer Lamarr Trotti creates him, Spence goes into the desert as Barney Fife and emerges as Rambo. Neither extreme is believable and it's unfair to fault Fonda. The truth is that he hated the film and didn't want to do it. According to his autobiography, Fonda, My Life (as told to Howard Teichmann. NAL. 1981), he had registered for the draft—despite an exemption—enlisted in the Navy, and gone to the induction center when Darryl F. Zanuck intervened. He used connections in Washington to get Fonda for this picture before he went into the service. As soon as Fonda was finished, he entered boot camp and then spent the war as an officer in Navy Air Combat Intelligence.

Cast: Henry Fonda (Cpl. Colin Spence), Thomas Mitchell (Sgt. Kelly), Maureen O'Hara (Valentine), Allyn Joslyn (Cassity), Reginald Gardiner (Benedict), Melville Cooper (Pilcher), Morton Lowry (Cottrell), Peter Lawford (Bit part), John Banner (German officer), Bud Geary (Driver), James Craven (Non-Commissioned man); Written by: Lamar Trotti; Cinematography by: Clyde De Vinna, Arthur C. Miller; Music by: David Buttolph. Producer: 20th Century-Fox, Lamar Trotti. Running Time: 91 minutes. Format: VHS, Beta, Closed Caption.