Being family to the story's author, Ernie Pyle, I have been privy to lots of background on the movie itself. Ernie Pyle was and still is considered to be one of the greatest war correspondents ever, and NOT for writing about the campaigns or generals - but about the everyday life and drudgery of the grunts, sailors and airmen. A ship, plane, and numerous schools have been named after him, his works still studied by today's aspiring journalists, and Ernie's most famous article, "The Death of Capt Waskow", is even portrayed by Mitchum in this movie (http://www.journalism.indiana.edu/news/erniepyle/waskow.html)
When Hollywood wanted to capitalize on Ernie's fame and make a movie of his book "Here is Your War" and daily articles, he made a distinct point in ensuring the movie wasn't about him, but rather about what the GIs go through (he is sometimes even credited with coining the moniker "GI Joe" - but I can't verify this).
That is also why this is not your traditional shoot-em-up-blow-em-up action packed movie. As in real life (and having just retired from 21 yrs active duty myself I know personally), combat action is really 45 days of sheer maddening boredom interrupted by 45 seconds of sheer indiscriminate terror. And that is what this movie portrays for the first time - and the dirt - the boredom - the dark humor - and the tragic unpredictable randomness of combat death.
Ernie was involved in the making of the movie but never saw its completion before being killed by a sniper on Ie Shima in 1945 on 18 April (now celebrated as National Columnists Day even - http://www.columnists.com/pyle.html) and Meredith fairly closely portrays the diminutive stature of Ernie.
In fact, this movie is specifically credited from Hasbro's own web site with naming the most popular boy's action figure - GI Joe (http://www.hsbro.com/gijoe/rah/default.cfm?page=history). Hasbro finally also provided a limited special edition "Ernie Pyle GI Joe" - but it's best to buy the $28 corrected version from the Ernie Pyle Museum in Dana, IN, than the $50+ uncorrected versions on eBay.
Additionally, today's military even can thank Ernie for "hazardous duty" or "combat pay" with the "Ernie Pyle Bill" by Congress in 1945 to award such special pay. After seeing that the everyday grunt that was bearing the burden and horror of war and getting paid no different for risking their lives than the REMFs back at Washington for pushing paper - he took exception and wrote - and wrote - and wrote, which in turn was taken to heart by the American public and their elected representatives.
Lastly, when Ernie was killed on Ie Shima, the soldiers so respected him that while all the military KIAs were being buried in their ponchos or blankets by the hundreds a day, they took the time to make a coffin for this non-combatant civilian journalist - and buried along side the grunts he loved so well. I doubt any of today's journalists would ever rate that kind of respect.
No, not your modern action packed war movie - but neither is real war, and this movie tells it like it really is!
When Hollywood wanted to capitalize on Ernie's fame and make a movie of his book "Here is Your War" and daily articles, he made a distinct point in ensuring the movie wasn't about him, but rather about what the GIs go through (he is sometimes even credited with coining the moniker "GI Joe" - but I can't verify this).
That is also why this is not your traditional shoot-em-up-blow-em-up action packed movie. As in real life (and having just retired from 21 yrs active duty myself I know personally), combat action is really 45 days of sheer maddening boredom interrupted by 45 seconds of sheer indiscriminate terror. And that is what this movie portrays for the first time - and the dirt - the boredom - the dark humor - and the tragic unpredictable randomness of combat death.
Ernie was involved in the making of the movie but never saw its completion before being killed by a sniper on Ie Shima in 1945 on 18 April (now celebrated as National Columnists Day even - http://www.columnists.com/pyle.html) and Meredith fairly closely portrays the diminutive stature of Ernie.
In fact, this movie is specifically credited from Hasbro's own web site with naming the most popular boy's action figure - GI Joe (http://www.hsbro.com/gijoe/rah/default.cfm?page=history). Hasbro finally also provided a limited special edition "Ernie Pyle GI Joe" - but it's best to buy the $28 corrected version from the Ernie Pyle Museum in Dana, IN, than the $50+ uncorrected versions on eBay.
Additionally, today's military even can thank Ernie for "hazardous duty" or "combat pay" with the "Ernie Pyle Bill" by Congress in 1945 to award such special pay. After seeing that the everyday grunt that was bearing the burden and horror of war and getting paid no different for risking their lives than the REMFs back at Washington for pushing paper - he took exception and wrote - and wrote - and wrote, which in turn was taken to heart by the American public and their elected representatives.
Lastly, when Ernie was killed on Ie Shima, the soldiers so respected him that while all the military KIAs were being buried in their ponchos or blankets by the hundreds a day, they took the time to make a coffin for this non-combatant civilian journalist - and buried along side the grunts he loved so well. I doubt any of today's journalists would ever rate that kind of respect.
No, not your modern action packed war movie - but neither is real war, and this movie tells it like it really is!