Merrills Marauders (Warner Bros.) (1962)

‘Marauders: Drama Stars Hardin Ty Hardin as a young lieutenant leading the scouting platoon fords a steaming Burma swamp accompanied by Peter Brown, Will Hutchins and Claude Akins in this scene from the Warner Bros. production “Merrill’s Marauders,” opening ...... at the~ 220-7... Theatre. Jeff Chandler stars as Brig. Gen. Frank D. Merrill in the gripping story of the famed battalion that waged guerrilla warfare behind enemy lines during World War II. The Technicolor drama was filmed in the Philippines by Producer Milton Sperling and Director Samuel Fuller. Mat No. 2-C Still No. 457/29 ‘Nothing Like A Dame’ Insists Peter Brown After 8 Weeks In Jungle For ‘Marauders’ The first thing Peter Brown did when he returned to Hollywood after eight weeks of location filming “Merrill’s Marauders” in the Philippine jungles was to go to famous Schwab’s Drugstore on Sunset Strip and “just stand there and smell.” “This may sound funny,” Brown adds, “but after you’ve lived in the swamps and the odor of many men in mud-caked clothes, you want to smell something fresh and sweet.” Chandler Stars Brown stars with Jeff Chandler, Ty Hardin, Will Hutchins and Andrew Duggan in the Milton Sperling production in Technicolor for Warner Bros. The suspenseful account of Merrill’s legendary World War II Marauders’ Proves War Is Still Hell —The Billing— Warner Bros. 25 % E ven if 0 Re-cr eate Pictures Presents 5% If war is hell then guerrilla war“MERRILL’S MARAUDERS” 100% fare is hell boiling over, contend the Starrin principals in Warner Bros.’ “Merrill’s JEFF CHANDLER 75% Marauders,” opening .......... at TY HARDIN 50% the $i oe Theatre. PETER BROWN 50% PS linia Ps WILL HUTCHINS 04 bittersweet taste of combat life as ANDREW DUGGAN ato lived by some of the most rugged CLAUDE AKINS . 25% American infantrymen, enduring with backbreaking experiences similar to LUZ VALDEZ those which confronted General (Courtesy of L.V.N. Studio) Frank Merrill’s famous battalion. TECHNICOLOR® 15% Jeff Chandler stars as Merrill, leadA United States Productions Photoplay 25% er of a rugged battalion of men which Soreonnlay:b includes Ty Hardin, Peter Brown, . A ae aks : Wall Hacchins “And Andrew Diguan. Milton Sperling and Samuel Fuller 15% Scouting for location sites for the From the book by Charlton Ogburn, Jr. 10% Milton Sperling production was a Produced by fullscale operation in itself accordMilton Sperling 15% ing to Director Samuel Fuller, an exDirected by infantryman. Samuel Fuller 15% “But the terrain we found is absolutely perfect. Photographically spectacular, it abounds in lush greenery, tropical rain forests, dazzling bouganvillea, high mountains and swift streams. It is actually a dream to behold but it could be a nightmare of danger.” Fuller, well-known for the raw Presented by Warner Bros. The Cast JEFF CHANDLER Brig. Gen. Merrill : ey le EE ey are ea oe oe ie ee Stock realism of his action films, demands physical siamin a courdee and talent PRITR GROWN .... 00-0 ce cs es Sooo Bullseye trem lis thew as well-ae his cast! ANDREW DUGGAN ......... Maj. (Doc) Nemeny Mato tare i We-aetidiy ta wend TGA PS US is ED ti, (a Chowhound a motion picture about fighting men CLAUDE AKINS % ale) euler (0 te) tere! (6 whs's ee whe Sgt. Kolowicz operating in the most terrible terrain Diipe Mener ee ce. eS oS eae Burmese Girl in the world. The only way to attain John NS ae Sie a ek, te, ta oh a Gen. Stilwell a semblance of truth was to duplicate ciaclesumres ©.) os cle UG Aare Muley the original situations and conditions Chuck Habersonssc éiccscaceseciew. a eens Officer as nearly as possible,” adds Fuller. Chuck Hovaatd’ 606000023. snake Oe. Officer “We were faced with a few probff Jack C. Williams ..............0.0e005, Medic lems that even the original Marauders (eet Corp. Desks did not have. We had to produce a movie which is not only an honest portrayal of men in battle but also Vaughan Wilson Pancho Magolona 2 6 #968 “6 eel Bt ee le eye fe fe 6) @) © 8) he ve Lt. Col. Bannister guerrilla force opens ........... at theese es Theatre. “At one point, most of us working in the film would have given anything to smell something like a nice, clean girl. You know what I mean, if you’ve ever been away from them a long time—the good, clean smell of lathermaking soap, freshly laundered clothing, the dry, sweet smell of cosmetics, and that sort of crinkly fragrance girls have in their hair.” Like many GIs who became obsessed overseas with something taken for granted on the home front, the cast of the action-packed war story filmed in the dense jungle of the Pampanga mountains came up with a wide variety of things each member did immediately on return to the U.S.A. Will Hutchins said that the thing he had missed most and for which he made an immediate beeline was a chili hot dog. Jeff Chandler stars as General Frank Merrill in ‘‘Merrill’s Marauders,”’ the Warner Bros. Technicolor war drama opening... .. atithe.. 04. Theatre. Ty Hardin, Peter Brown, Will Hutchins, Andrew Duggan and Claude Akins are also starred Mat No. 1-A_ Still No. 457/24 Rugged Jungle Location Filming Discourages Even Ex-Soldiers In Merrill's Marauders’ Just as real war does, Milton Sperling’s production of “Merrill’s Marauders,” filmed on rugged jungle and mountain locations in the Philippines separated the men from the bovs. Jeff Chandler, Ty Hardin, Peter Brown, Will Hutchins and Andrew Duggan head the cast of the Warner Bros. Technicolor presentation openape Air Sb EDM On ier chars ens Theatre. However, hundreds of Filipinos were hired as extras for the film’s vast battle scenes. And the call for Produced by Directed by Screenplay by From the book by Director of Photography Film Editor Sound by Assistant Director The Credits eo Oe Re 0 a fo. ay abt! eae ee Onl e Shee, 6 AVES, «ec Neare, en ¢. ee Jalen, 1) emer, Me Milton Sperling and Samuel Fuller fey oat ek a ea SON i a eerie: ois “62s 6 a te {6 co let, a Gale wey esate) On On 5e' @ niW e! | 6+) .0) 68: Os a) ve ue. PS ae ict Me ee et ee at ee TT SY Sere, re) 0: le! Ae ee Ue, eke ee. 8 8 Fe help brought out hundreds of exsoldiers who were certain that crawling through the jungle, sliding down mountains and wading through swamps for the film company would be a snap. But when the call went out for the second day of shooting on the same sequences more than 30% of the exsoldiers failed to make muster. Playing at war for Warner Bros., they said, was rougher and tougher in some ways then the real thing. Milton Sperling Samuel Fuller Charlton Ogburn, Jr. William Clothier Folmar Blangsted Francis M. Stahl William Kissel 2nd Unit Director of Photography . Higino J. Fallorina Production Supervisor Music Special Effects .......... Technical Advisor Technical Facilities Makeup Supervisor Page Four One gen Ve repenie ie oe fe ed el te ye Mes ee eles ce: iegew ce SU eo “erie Je tepe, 6) \e of io 65 ee. Gene 8 el Clie ee) ec Ue 0:0) 62km dUe iis elgrer WS .0 A United States Productions Photoplay William Magginetti Howard Jackson 5 eae he Basta Ralph Ayres Lt. Col. Samuel Wilson Sampaguita Studios Gordon Bau, S.M.A. entertaining.” The Synopsi (Not For Publication ) BURMA, 1944: The 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional)—dubbed Merrill’s Marauders—is deep behind Japanese lines in the dense jungle. The unit has traveled more than one hundred miles toward its objective, a small but strategic village. The 3000 Marauders are gaunt-looking and suffering from mental and physical fatigue. They have gone undetected so far—but the jungle has taken its toll. Their leader is tall, rugged Brigadier General Frank Merrill (JEFF CHANDLER), a career infantrymen proud of his profession. Merrill also is the victim of fatigue but drives his Marauders on through the relentless jungle, despite warning from the unit doctor, Major George Nemeny (ANDREW DUGGAN). They haven’t been seen. Tension rises as the men continue their march. Doc realizes the importance of the mission but knows the men—including Merrill — can’t last much longer. Flanking the main column is Lieutenant Lee “Stock” Stockton (TY HARDIN), with Chowhound (WILL HUTCHINS), Bullseye (PETER BROWN) and Sergeant Kolowicz (CLAUDE AKINS). They are caught under heavy artillery fire. Stock and his platoon are ordered to knock out the big gun. The gun emplacement is knocked out... but the enemy now knows the Marauders are in the area. Merrill orders an immediate forced march to their objective. Stock’s platoon is sent around behind the village to create a diversion for the main assault. The platoon arrives at a waterfall above the village’s arsenal and attacks from the vantage point. The Japanese diverted temporarily, Merrill’s main force assaults the stronghold. The assault is a success and the village is taken. The Marauders, completely exhausted, expect a rest. But Merrill is ordered to take his men to help assault Mitchina, a full 500 miles away, to prevent Japanese and German armies from meeting in India. Merrill protests that malaria and fatigue have sapped his men, but he knows the job must be done. He tells his protesting Marauders only part of the over-all plan and they believe they only must take a nearby railroad. The men are jumpy and irrational from a lack of sleep and starvation, fatigue and merciless jungle. Merrill realizes he no longer has an effective fighting forcee—but refuses to quit. Doc is aware of the general’s weakened condition and accurately guesses that he has suffered a heart attack in the past. He predicts another seizure, but Merrill refuses to let up. After a brief encounter with a handful of Japanese soldiers, the Marauders find the railroad tracks. They want to wait for a promised food drop, but Merrill keeps them going. Chowhound hides as the column departs and later is killed by Japanese troops when he tries to retrieve a bundle of parachuted supplies. The Marauders ambush a village after heavy fighting. Although victorious in battle, the Marauders are walking dead men. The village is strewn with men too tired to eat. They are beaten, physically and mentally. Doc tells Merrill his unit “‘is finished from a medical viewpoint.” But the pressure is on again. A radio message advises Merrill that three Japanese divisions are invading India. “Imperative we take Mitchina. Can you do it?” The exhausted command pushes on and manages to beat back an attack in which Stock is wounded. Merrill collapses from a heart attack but with heroic effort drags himself from a stretcher and stumbles among his men, trying to lead them on to Mitchina. In silence they watch as he staggers and finally falls unconscious. Inspired beyond his wounds, Stock suddenly realizes the responsibility is on him now. He pulls himself to his feet and staggers among the Marauders, urging them on. Merrill awakens to the sound of planes and gunfire. The planes, carrying fresh troops and supplies, are landing on the Mitchina airfield, which has been liberated by the Marauders. They have done the impossible. Running Time: 98 Minutes