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Back to Bataan

Play trailer Poster for Back to Bataan Released May 31, 1945 1h 37m War Play Trailer Watchlist
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86% Tomatometer 42 Reviews 62% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
This World War II film sees American army colonel Joseph Madden (John Wayne) stationed in the Philippines with much of his military support forced out of the region by Japanese troops. Despite the grim situation, the tenacious Madden attempts to rally Filipino guerrilla fighters to continue assaults on the Japanese. Among Madden's band of soldiers is Captain Andres Bonifacio (Anthony Quinn), who struggles with the burden of being the grandson of a war hero.
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Back to Bataan

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Critics Consensus

Well-intentioned, albeit occasionally clumsily so, Back to Bataan is a rousing war picture featuring an array of fine performances.

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Critics Reviews

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Mildred Martin Philadelphia Inquirer There are excellent and exciting battle sequences, as well as one throat-tightening, laudably un-Hollywoodized, glimpse of the infamous Death March. And there are also numerous good performances under the firm, capable direction of Edward Dmytryk. Feb 1, 2023 Full Review Ida Belle Hicks Fort Worth Star-Telegram/DFW.com The picture, which drew its vitality from the front pages of the newspapers, goes deeper than the headlines and delves into the human story behind the guns and bayonets. Feb 1, 2023 Full Review Jack Karr Toronto Star As films of this type go, the R.K.O. production ranks above average. Feb 1, 2023 Full Review Virginia Wilson Modern Screen Back To Bataan has more excitement per reel than anything you've come across in some time and explodes the theory that war pictures are necessarily dated. Feb 1, 2023 Full Review Ethel Hoffman Buffalo News The picture's strength is its fast action. Feb 1, 2023 Full Review Harold V. Cohen Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Back to Bataan is a bang-up show and a bitter . memory, its hair-raising thrills tempered by its aching terrors. Feb 1, 2023 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Trent K Great older movie if you love history. It has some fictional characters and elements but the truth is true. The Japanese were ruthless to the the Philippine people and worse to the American soldiers during the Batan death march. We must remember our history or we are doomed to repeat it. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/10/23 Full Review Trent M I love John Wayne and war movies, however the two often don't mix well and this is a particularly bad example. Boring and overwrought, it never gets off the ground. The Duke doesn't seem himself and the war sequences are underwhelming. Overly patriotic Filipino school children and cringe worthy special effects made it almost unwatchable for me. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 06/05/23 Full Review william d The combat scenes are pretty standard WWII action fare. What makes the movie interesting is that Wayne and the Americans are not front and center the whole picture. This is really told from the Filipino point of view, although not in a historically accurate sense (Anthony Quinn's character, the supposed grandson of Philippine national hero Andres Bonifacio, never existed; Bonifacio never fought the Americans as intimated in the movie, he died in 1897). Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review james g In 1945, I think John Wayne reached his peak as far acting and looks (always a nice, 2020 stubble in this movie, cool looking, right off a GQ cover). IMO, later Wayne seemed to turn into an over-the-top character of himself. This film is full of action, as expected. Perhaps just a tad xenophobic, but I'm not that familiar with WW2 action in the Phillipines. Still, watch it just for Wayne's performance. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Great movie. John Wayne is the man Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/15/20 Full Review Audience Member An overly tough, and surprisingly serious, (all be it a little too much so), addition to John Wayne's list of remarkable War classics. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/21/23 Full Review Read all reviews
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Movie Info

Synopsis This World War II film sees American army colonel Joseph Madden (John Wayne) stationed in the Philippines with much of his military support forced out of the region by Japanese troops. Despite the grim situation, the tenacious Madden attempts to rally Filipino guerrilla fighters to continue assaults on the Japanese. Among Madden's band of soldiers is Captain Andres Bonifacio (Anthony Quinn), who struggles with the burden of being the grandson of a war hero.
Director
Edward Dmytryk
Screenwriter
Ben Barzman, Richard H. Landau
Distributor
RKO Radio Pictures
Production Co
RKO Radio Pictures Inc.
Genre
War
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
May 31, 1945, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 11, 2008
Runtime
1h 37m
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