The Story of G.I. Joe

Infobox_Film
name = The Story of G.I. Joe


caption = Theatrical release poster
imdb_id = 0038120
producer = Lester Cowan
David Hall
director = William Wellman
writer = Leopold Atlas
Guy Endore
Philip Stevenson
starring = Burgess Meredith
Robert Mitchum
music = Louis Applebaum
Ann Ronell
cinematography = Russell Metty
editing = Albrecht Joseph
distributor = United Artists
released = July 13, 1945
runtime = 108 min.
country = USA
language = English

"The Story of G.I. Joe" (1945) is a war film directed by William Wellman and starring Burgess Meredith and Robert Mitchum. The film was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Mitchum's only nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

Plot

The movie retells famed war correspondent Ernie Pyle's (played by Meredith) experiences as he follows Company C of the 18th Infantry Regiment as they fight up through North Africa and up the length of Italy during World War II, especially when they are bogged down at the Battle of Monte Cassino.

Cast

*Burgess Meredith "as" Ernie Pyle/Narrator
*Robert Mitchum "as" Lt./Capt. Bill Walker
*Freddie Steele "as" Sgt. Steve Warnicki
*Wally Cassell "as" Pvt. Dondaro
*Jimmy Lloyd "as" Pvt. Spencer
*John R. Reilly "as" Pvt. Robert 'Wingless' Murphy
*William Murphy "as" Pv. Mew

The movie studio wanted to place a leading-man type for the main role, but Wellman wanted a physically smaller man to better portray middle-aged Pyle. As a compromise, Mitchum was chosen to play Lieutenant (later Captain) Walker. The film was one of the first starring roles for Mitchum.

Awards and nominations

Academy Awards

* Best Supporting Actor (nomination) - Robert Mitchum
* Best Original Song (nomination) - Ann Ronell for "Linda"
* Best Score (nomination) - Louis Applebaum and Ann Ronell
* Best Screenplay (nomination) - Leopold Atlas, Guy Endore, and Philip Stevenson

Inaccuracies

The 18th Infantry did not fight in the Italian campaign. After the Sicilian campaign, its parent unit, the 1st Infantry Division deployed to England to prepare for the Allied invasion of France. The events in Italy portrayed in the film are based on Pyle's experiences accompanying the 143rd Infantry Regiment, 36th Infantry Division. Mitchum's Capt. Walker character was based at least in part on Captain Henry T. Waskow, the commanding officer of Company B, 143rd Infantry, whose death on Monte Sammucro, Italy was the subject of Pyle's January 1944 story "The Death of Captain Waskow".

External links

*
* [http://www.journalism.indiana.edu/news/erniepyle/waskow.html "The Death of Captain Waskow" reprinted at the Indiana University School of Journalism]