They Were Expendable
A Tribute to Those Who Did So Much... With So Little!
1945 | 135m | English
Popularity: 2 (history)
| Director: | John Ford |
|---|---|
| Writer: | William L. White, Frank Wead |
| Staring: |
| After a demonstration of new PT boats, navy brass are still unconvinced of their viability in combat, leaving Lt. "Rusty" Ryan frustrated. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, however, Ryan and his buddy Lt. Brickley are told they can finally take their squadron into battle. The PT boats quickly prove their worth, successfully shooting down Japanese planes, relaying messages between islands, and picking off a multitude of enemy ships. | |
| Release Date: | Dec 07, 1945 |
|---|---|
| Director: | John Ford |
| Writer: | William L. White, Frank Wead |
| Genres: | Drama, War |
| Keywords | based on novel or book, world war ii, pearl harbor, navy, philippines, pacific war, pacific theater, 1940s |
| Production Companies | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
| Box Office |
Revenue: $0
Budget: $0 |
| Updates |
Updated: Feb 01, 2025 Entered: Apr 13, 2024 |
![They Were Expendable (1945) Original Trailer [HD]](/extra_thumbs/zWNbkJichvI.jpg)
| Name | Character |
|---|---|
| Robert Montgomery | Lt. John Brickley |
| John Wayne | Lt. (J.G.) 'Rusty' Ryan |
| Donna Reed | Lt. Sandy Davyss |
| Jack Holt | General Martin |
| Ward Bond | "Boats" Mulcahey, Chief Boatswain's Mate |
| Marshall Thompson | Ens. 'Snake' Gardner |
| Paul Langton | Ens. 'Andy' Andrews |
| Leon Ames | Major James Morton |
| Arthur Walsh | Seaman Jones |
| Donald Curtis | Lt. (J.G.) 'Shorty' Long |
| Cameron Mitchell | Ens. George Cross |
| Louis Jean Heydt | 'Ohio' |
| Jeff York | Ens. Tony Aiken |
| Murray Alper | 'Slug' Mahan T.M. 1c |
| Harry Tenbrook | 'Squarehead' Larsen SC 2c |
| Jack Pennick | 'Doc' |
| Alex Havier | 'Benny' Lecoco ST 3c |
| Charles Trowbridge | Admiral Blackwell |
| Robert Barrat | The General |
| Bruce Kellogg | Elder Tompkins M.M. 2c |
| Tim Murdock | Ens. Brant |
| Russell Simpson | 'Dad' Knowland |
| Vernon Steele | Army Doctor |
| Robert Emmett O'Connor | Silver Dollar Bartender (uncredited) |
| Philip Ahn | Army Orderly (uncredited) |
| Steve Barclay | Naval Officer (uncredited) |
| Betty Blythe | Officer's Wife (uncredited) |
| Danny Borzage | Boat Crew Member (uncredited) |
| Al Bridge | Lieutenant Colonel (uncredited) |
| George Bruggeman | Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited) |
| James Carlisle | Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited) |
| Jack Carrington | Officer at Airport (uncredited) |
| Bruce Carruthers | Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited) |
| Tony Carson | Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited) |
| Jack Cheatham | Commander (uncredited) |
| Fred Coby | Officer at Airport (uncredited) |
| Roger Cole | Officer at Airport (uncredited) |
| Jane Crowley | Officer's Wife (uncredited) |
| Henry H. Daniels Jr. | Sailor (uncredited) |
| William B. Davidson | Hotel Manager (uncredited) |
| Marjorie Davies | Nurse (uncredited) |
| Larry Dods | Boat Crew Member (uncredited) |
| William 'Red' Donahue | Officer at Airport (uncredited) |
| Blake Edwards | Boat Crewman (uncredited) |
| Frank Eldredge | Officer at Airport (uncredited) |
| John Epper | Officer at Airport (uncredited) |
| Jim Farley | (uncredited) |
| Charles Ferguson | Officer at Airport (uncredited) |
| Lee Tung Foo | Asian Bartender (uncredited) |
| Art Foster | Boat Crew Member (uncredited) |
| Almeda Fowler | Officer's Wife (uncredited) |
| Mary Jane French | Lost Nurse (uncredited) |
| Jon Gilbreath | 'Snuffy' Submarine Commander (uncredited) |
| James Gonzalez | Sailor (uncredited) |
| Duke Green | PT-41 Boat Starboard Torpedoman (uncredited) |
| Sherry Hall | Marine Major (uncredited) |
| Stuart Hall | Bar Patron (uncredited) |
| Robert Homans | Bartender at Manila Hotel (uncredited) |
| Michael Kirby | Boat Crewman (uncredited) |
| Michael Kostrick | Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited) |
| Paul Kruger | Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited) |
| Stubby Kruger | Boat Crewman (uncredited) |
| Jack Lee | Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited) |
| Jack Lorenz | Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited) |
| Leota Lorraine | Officer's Wife (uncredited) |
| Jack Luden | Naval Air Captain (uncredited) |
| James Magill | Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited) |
| George Magrill | Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited) |
| Eve March | Nurse (uncredited) |
| Maurice Marks | Soldier (uncredited) |
| Kermit Maynard | Airport Officer (uncredited) |
| Merrill McCormick | Wounded Officer at Airport (uncredited) |
| Frank McGrath | 'Slim' - Bearded CPO (uncredited) |
| Leonard Mellin | Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited) |
| Robert Milasch | Minor Role (uncredited) |
| Henry Mirelez | Filipino Boy (uncredited) |
| Jack Mower | Officer (uncredited) |
| Charles Murray Jr. | Jeep Driver (uncredited) |
| Forbes Murray | Navy Captain (uncredited) |
| Bill Neff | Submarine Skipper / Boat Crew Member (uncredited) |
| Bill Nind | Officer at Airport (uncredited) |
| Wedgwood Nowell | Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited) |
| Franklin Parker | Naval Officer (uncredited) |
| Frank Pershing | Boat Crew Member (uncredited) |
| Nino Pipitone Jr. | Bartender's Child (uncredited) |
| Dan Quigg | Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited) |
| Joey Ray | Boat Crew Member (uncredited) |
| William McKeever Riley | Boat Crew Member (uncredited) |
| Jack Ross | Officer at Airport (uncredited) |
| John Roy | Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited) |
| Harold Schlickenmayer | Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited) |
| Phil Schumacher | Boat Crew Member (uncredited) |
| Jack Semple | Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited) |
| Sam Simone | Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited) |
| Reginald Simpson | Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited) |
| Leslie Sketchley | Marine Orderly (uncredited) |
| Ralph Soncuya | Filipino Orderly (uncredited) |
| Larry Steers | Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited) |
| Sammy Stein | Sammy - Boat Crewman (uncredited) |
| Jack Stoney | Boat Crew Member (uncredited) |
| Robert Strong | Officer at Airport (uncredited) |
| Bob Thom | Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited) |
| Richard Thorne | Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited) |
| Brad Towne | Man in Admiral's Office (uncredited) |
| Jack Trent | Officer at Airport (uncredited) |
| Tom Tyler | Captain at Airport (uncredited) |
| Emmett Vogan | Naval Doctor (uncredited) |
| Eleanore Vogel | Officer's Wife (uncredited) |
| Hansel Warner | Officer at Airport (uncredited) |
| Billy Wilkerson | Sgt. Smith (uncredited) |
| Roque Ybarra Jr. | Bartender's Child (uncredited) |
| Name | Job |
|---|---|
| John Ford | Director |
| Herbert Stothart | Original Music Composer |
| Cedric Gibbons | Art Direction |
| Edwin B. Willis | Set Decoration |
| Jack Dawn | Makeup & Hair |
| Douglass Biggs | Editor |
| William L. White | Book |
| Frank E. Hull | Editor |
| Malcolm Brown | Art Direction |
| Frank Wead | Screenplay |
| Edward O'Fearna | Assistant Director |
| Joseph H. August | Director of Photography |
| Yvonne Wood | Costume Design |
| A. Arnold Gillespie | Special Effects |
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| John Ford | Producer |
| Organization | Category | Person |
|---|
Popularity History
| Year | Month | Avg | Max | Min |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 4 | 13 | 20 | 8 |
| 2024 | 5 | 15 | 26 | 9 |
| 2024 | 6 | 12 | 21 | 7 |
| 2024 | 7 | 12 | 19 | 6 |
| 2024 | 8 | 13 | 31 | 7 |
| 2024 | 9 | 13 | 19 | 8 |
| 2024 | 10 | 17 | 41 | 7 |
| 2024 | 11 | 10 | 16 | 6 |
| 2024 | 12 | 11 | 21 | 7 |
| 2025 | 1 | 11 | 23 | 7 |
| 2025 | 2 | 8 | 14 | 3 |
| 2025 | 3 | 6 | 12 | 1 |
| 2025 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| 2025 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| 2025 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 2025 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 2025 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 2025 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| 2025 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
Trending Position
Geronimo1967
7.0
"Brick" (Robert Montgomery) is an US Navy lieutenant desperate to prove that his motorised torpedo boats can do more for the war effort than deliver the mail. Luckily, he's got "Rusty" (John Wayne) as his number two and plenty of opportunity to test their theories against the advancing Japanese as w ... ith things looking terrible for the Americans in Manila, they have their work cut out for them. Even though things are relentless and perilous, "Rusty" still finds time for a little romance with nurse "Sandy" (Donna Reed) and we've also got Ward Bond and a lively few scenes from "Dad" (Russell Simpson) to help keep the adventure focused. The film was co-written by "Spig" Wead - a man whom Wayne played in another John Ford feature "The Wings of Eagles" (1957) - so the narrative has a degree of authenticity as their forces are forced to retreat towards Australia. There are also some decent visual effects with plenty of action, (not so) near misses as Ford allows his three stars to tell this story in a far less jingoistic fashion than some of the more propagandist efforts made to bolster public support during WWII. Wayne turns on the charm here - with Reed and with the audience, and this works well.
Aug 17, 2024