If there is anything Hollywood executives know all too well, it is the benefit of catering to a patriotic crowd. While still utilized in some forms in the present, it was a nifty tool for studios in the so-called “Golden Age” of Hollywood as the conflict in World War II escalated quite steadily. Producer Jerry Wald supposedly had an idea to do a war film set in Burma near the end of 1943, and it was his hope that he would be able to get the picture out before this became a reality for the troops. Unfortunately for him the Allied forces made their way into Burma mere months later which put a damper on his plans to cash in on the parallels. Yet, even without the “ripped from the headlines” nature of the story, Objective Burma! was a smash hit when it was eventually released in 1945. The Raoul Walsh (High Sierra) film has many jingoistic elements that do not hold up from a modern point of view, but setting those aspects aside you can still appreciate the film for the fine piece of filmmaking it is.
This fictional tale concerns a group of United States Army paratroopers led by Captain Nelson (Errol Flynn, The Private Lives of Elizabeth & Essex) who are tasked with being air-dropped into the country to destroy a camouflaged Japanese Army radar station which can detect aircraft heading to China. With this key piece of equipment out of commission, the Allied forces should be able to easily make their way into the airspace and regain control of the critical piece of land from the Japanese. The film works with a large cast out of his diverse 36-man team which includes two South Asian guides, a Chinese Army Captain, and a war correspondent (John Alvin) who does not back away from the physical challenges of the mission in service of bringing the realism of war to Americans back home. The supporting cast do a nice job of bringing quick characterization to their roles as performers such as James Brown, William Prince (Spies Like Us), Henry Hull (Lifeboat), George Tobias (Sergeant York), and many more get you invested in the journey.
The interesting thing about their particular mission is the fact that accomplishing their key directive pretty much goes off without a hitch, but their exit from the country tends to be far more problematic. When their rendezvous point is overrun by Japanese forces, the men are forced to take a long trek through the country on foot that tests their mettle. Despite the patriotic messaging of the film, none of the men are shown to be outlandishly heroic in any of their actions. These are men pushed to their limits physically and psychologically in a way that makes sense for the story. It is brutal and realistic that makes the drama feel earned. The film does not try to manufacture any drama within the ranks or silly betrayals of which fictitious tales are so fond. To my memory, there are also no women in the movie inserted into the drama without any real purpose. I would rather not have any women in the film than a token woman (most likely a two-dimensional love interest) just because someone thought it would help the box office.
One of the aspects of the film that works the best is the relationship between director Raoul Walsh and his cinematographer James Wong Howe. There are many impressive shots that sell the illusion of a jungle excursion, but the most impressive and thrilling moment in the film is when the men are surrounded at night by Japanese forces with only one chance to use a flare to expose the danger around them. The expert use of shadow brings about a palpable dread that ranks among the most thrilling I have seen from any war film of this era. The only major flaw of the film is the fact that it is just shy of two-and-a-half hours long, and the story easily could have been told in 110 minutes or so. The pacing rarely feels too sluggish, but certain scenes can begin to feel repetitive for what it is trying to accomplish. Overall, this is a really sturdy, exciting film with a strong turn from Errol Flynn and the rest of the ensemble. If you can leave aside the queasy political messaging, you are left with a great film.
Video Quality
Warner Archive presents Objective Burma! for the first time on Blu-Ray with 1080p transfer sourced from what is almost assuredly a 4K scan of the original camera negative, but these details were not made available. Warner Archive nearly always delivers top-notch work, and the image is nothing short of stunning for a film that is over seventy-five years old. The presentation has a pleasing amount of depth to it including in the shadows where there is no evidence of any black crush. Print damage is virtually nonexistent to these eyes throughout the duration of the movie. This black and white feature has nice, natural film grain throughout that provides a great amount of detail to the image. It is always amazing to see how much Warner Archive can achieve with their miraculous presentations as I have yet to ever be truly disappointed by them.
Audio Quality
This Blu-Ray release comes with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that is as powerful as the source material will allow. All of the dialogue is delivered in a manner that always comes through crystal clear. As a matter of fact, none of the sound effects or the score from Franz Waxman ever overpowers the dialogue on this release. The more kinetic sequences including numerous firefights and grenade explosions are appropriately lively in the speakers. There does not appear to be any damage or age related wear to the track. There are optional English (SDH) subtitles available on the disc for those who need it. Overall, this is a top notch audio presentation that gives the material the life it deserves.
Special Features
- The Tanks Are Coming: A 20-minute 1941 Technicolor short from director B. Reeves Eason made in conjunction with the U.S. Army that offers a lighthearted look at training for the army with a healthy dose of pro-war propaganda.
- The Rear Gunner: A nearly 21-minute black-and-white short from director Ray Enright about a young rural armed forces trainee who finds himself aboard a bomber. As an interesting aside, in this short you will find a young Burgess Meredith and Ronald Reagan.
- Theatrical Trailer: A two-minute trailer is provided which does a fine job of showcasing the film.
Final Thoughts
Objective Burma! comes from a political ideology of “us versus them” that may make some viewers uncomfortable, but if you can contextualize this film with the time it was released you will be left with a pretty spectacular war picture. Errol Flynn delivers a fine performance likely aided by his reduction in consumption of alcohol on this particular project. The action in this film is thrilling from beginning to end, but even more importantly the character dynamics will keep you invested despite the film being overlong. Warner Archive has released a Blu-Ray featuring a stellar A/V presentation and a couple of interesting supplements. Fans of old-school war pictures should take note of this one. Recommended
Objective Burma! can be purchased directly through the Warner Archive Amazon Store or various other online retailers.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Warner Archive has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
