Pride of the Marines (Warner Bros.) (1945)

S DOFM Fashioned from his extraordinary exploits on Guadal canal, Warners’ gripping saga of Sergeant Al Schmid, “Pride of the Marines,” makes a thrilling appear ance on the screen. Here is how the film was born. Their attention captured by the stirring newspaper accounts of his courage, Warner Bros. dispatches a representative to Al Schmid’s Philadelphia home to gather background material. His friends, Jim and Ella Merchant, are observed and written into the script. The film is cast with Eleanor Parker as Al’s girl, Ruth Hartley, and Dane Clark as Lee Diamond. John Garfield, who will portray Al Schmid, arrives at the North Philadelphia station for authentic scenes to be shot in the city. Movie star and Marine hero become warm friends. Al’s way of talking, his motions, his physical characteristics are studied by the actor to aid him in giving an accurate portrayal. Back on the lot, Director Delmer Daves and John Garfield await Jerry Wald, the film’s producer, prior to shooting the important Guadalcanal sequence. Getting extras to play Jap soldiers was a big problem. On a set that is an exact duplicate of GuadalThe film nears completion and as cameras canal’s muddy Tenaru River, Al’s heroic onegrind, Al Schmid is awarded the Navy Cross man stand against 200 Japs is enacted. Extras ... for his devotion over and above the line and principal players alike put in gruelling of duty. His courage and his ideals are now hours for the sake of realism. transformed to film for all America to see. ORDER: “Pride of the Marines” “Movie Is Born” at Feature No. 501-B, 75e. from Warner Bros. Campaign Plan Editor, 321 West 44th St., New York 18, N. Y. 13