thinker1691 This is one of those modest films about life in the Marine corps during War time. Directed by Ron Winston, it's depiction is that of a select group of specialized soldiers, sent on a top secret mission to destroy a specific target which threaten the U.S. Navy's amphibious assault. The movie stars tough guy Hugh O'Brian as 1st Sgt. Steve Corey. Mickey Rooney follows as Gunnery Sgt. Ernest Wartell, as an equally tough as nails non-com who is convincing as a career soldier. James Mitchum is interesting, though irritatingly naive as Pfc. James Grenier who joins the elite group at the last minute. Their mission is dangerous, indeed nearly impossible as they are required to land on a heavily guarded island held by the Japanese, traverse a dense jungle and to destroy their radar station controlling a hidden underwater mine field awaiting the unsuspecting Americans. Despite the minor flaws in the film, the acting is top notch and the drama is consistent with true war like Military action. The movie is easily recommended to war buffs and fans of the main stars. ****

zardoz-13 U.S. Army General Douglas MacArthur is about to return to the Philippines as he promised before the Japanese ran him off. In 1944, an amphibious Navy aircraft lands a Marine commando force near the island of Luzon, and they paddle ashore to obtain valuable information from a source deep within enemy territory. As First Sgt. Steve Corey, Hugh O'Brien of "The Brass Legend" is tough-as-nails, and Mickey Rooney is no slouch as career Gunnery Sgt. Ernest Wartell who totes around a .45 caliber Thompson submachine gun almost as big as he is. The youngest member of the unit is Private First Class James Grenier (Jim Mitchum of "Moonrunners") who has never seen combat. It doesn't take long for Sgt. Corey and Pfc. Grenier to get to dislike each other. Corey makes it clean in no uncertain terms that Grenier is supposed to cradle the radio set that is their life-line to Allied command. Indeed, Grenier is the member of the team is chosen at the last minute to fill in the regular guy. He provides the voice-over narration that introduces us to the commando team at the beginning of the film and concludes it at the end of the movie.Our grim-faced gyrene heroes in camouflage fatigues learn from their contact, Miyazaki (Tisa Chang of "Year of the Dragon") that the Japanese have prepared an unusual minefield for the U.S. Navy. These mines are radio controlled and are anchored to the bottom of the bay. They are released and rise to the surface to blow up whatever they come into contact with. Grenier loses his radio with which he was entrusted. They have no way of contacting the Admiral Halsey's task force and MacArthur plans to land in 48 hours! Consequently, "Ambush Bay" is a thriller with a deadline. Instead, Corey and Grenier have to slip into the Japanese base, shoot their way into the radio control room and detonate the mines. Naturally, tough guy Corey keeps the enemy at bay with a 50. caliber, tripod-mounted machine gun from the roof of the installation.Altogether, everybody dies except Grenier. Rooney has an amusing death scene. The Japanese find him sitting by a tree and threaten to kill him if he doesn't ante up information about himself and his cronies. He produces two hand grenades and invites them to dinner. He tells them that he will share his "potatoes" with them and they can have them with "the jackets on" and then hurls them at the Japanese as they beat a quick retreat. "Ambush Bay" is nothing special as far as behind-enemy-lines combat movies go. Essentially, this is a traditional war movie. The Americans are good guys, and the Japanese--who shoot women in cold blood--are the bad guys. Good performances, standard-issue heroics and lots of green scenery keep "Ambush Bay" from being too dreary. Incidentally, no sooner do our heroes immerse themselves in combat than their officer is attacked by a Japanese soldier and stabbed to death. This is a traditional World War II movie because the Americans aren't trying to kill their leaders like they did in "Tawara Beachhead" or "Attack." Composer Richard LaSalle's orchestral soundtrack sounds as if he listened to Malcolm Arnold's music "The Bridge on the River Kwai" because LaSalle incorporate a similar melody. No, I'm not talking about Colonel Bogey's march. Scenarists Marve Feinberg and Ib Melchior have penned a screenplay that amounts to an anthology of clichés. "Ambush Bay" represents Feinberg's only screenplay, while Melchior earned a reputation writing sci-fi films such as "Robin Crusoe on Mars," "Angry Red Planet," and "Journey to the Seventh Planet."

fernandovales1431 The criteria presented regarding this movie is correct, except for the comment on the US M4 Sherman. In all wars, including the Second World War, forces from all sides wind up capturing enemy equipment. M3A1 Stuart light tanks of US manufacture were caputred by the Japanese in the Philippines (in Bataan) during 1941 and subsequently pressed into their service. The tank depicted in the movie could have been captured during the Guadalcanal campaign as the island kept continuously changing hands, shipped to the Phillipines and assigned to serve whatever division occupied those islands. Simple as that. There are records that show a few Sherman tanks were INDEED captured during the entire Pacific War.

funkyfry ******SPOILERS*******Tightly produced, well-cast little war film, with sturdy O'Brian in thelead as a seasoned marine leading a small detatchment of crack troops into the Phillippeans in late 1943 on recon work. The only member of the troupe who isn't seasoned is the all-important radio operator (Mitchum) who's taken under the wing of the unit's "career marine" machine-gun specialist (yes, Rooney). Predictably, he manages to grate on everyone's nerves and be one of the mission's last survivors at the same time. Good writing manages to make the story's more contrived moments come off well, and carries the film with a realistic tone and feel. Another good production from Aubrey Schenck.