“BATAAN”

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 117, 12 February 1944, Page 5

“BATAAN”

(Second week).—-The most impressive record of American heroism in those fearful days when the Japanese were sweeping inexorably across the Pacific is Whites "They Were Expendable.” a story of Bataan. M.G.M.’s “Bataan” (Majestic) is a trifle less impressive, but it is, nonetheless, a fine workmanlike story which pays welldeserved tribute to the men -of General Douglas MacArthur’s army who died to gain a precious 96 days. Robert Taylor is left to carry on the Bataan saga begun bv Captain Clark Gable, in .“Somewhere T’ll Find You.” but this time there are no lovely Lana Turners to minister to the wounded. “Bataan’’ never comes within camera range of a woman. It Is the story of 13 men who hold a gorge against the enemy, dying one by one. till the last man. Sergeant Robert Taylor, handling a machinegun, falls in the trench that becomes his grave. The theme is a simple one. the men look like real soldiers and the settings never pretend to be anything else but a hot. rocky gorge with the bullets rattling and echoing. “Bataan” Is as down-to-earth as spitting in the gutter—and Robert Taylor, the matinee idol of bygone years, is as tough and unprepossessing as his 12 grim comrades.