OBJECTIVE, BURMA!, Errol Flynn's last WWII-themed film (he'd done six in four years, the last four in a row) was his best, by far, but timing, always a factor in his career, would again work against him. By the time of the film's release, the war was ending, and audiences were beginning to tire of combat-themed pictures (a similar fate faced two other superb war films of 1945, A WALK IN THE SUN, and THE STORY OF G.I. JOE). Also working against the film was Flynn's reputation for making cartoonish WWII action movies, something OBJECTIVE, BURMA! certainly was not. Directed by Raoul Walsh (who had also helmed the most far-fetched of Flynn's WWII adventures, DESPERATE JOURNEY), this was an exceptionally well-made drama, of 'average' soldiers on a routine mission that becomes a fight for survival, in the jungles of Burma.
Working outside the sound stage (it was almost entirely filmed on locations near Pasadena, California), the film has an almost 'documentary' feel, re-enforced by the presence of an 'Ernie Pyle'-like reporter (Henry Hull, who is excellent as 'Pop'), chronicling the people and events. On the eve of the invasion of Burma, Major Nelson (Flynn), and his paratroopers are assigned to blow up an enemy radar station, and after a dramatic 'jump' into the jungle (punctuated by Franz Waxman's powerful music), they complete the mission successfully. However, the attempt to land an aircraft to retrieve them fails; the soldiers then must march through 150 miles of dense jungle, the Japanese hot on their trail, to be rescued (a premise similar to the pre-Revolutionary War MGM epic, NORTHWEST PASSAGE, filmed six years earlier). As the band is whittled down by the Japanese, the march gains an air of urgency, with the courage and endurance of each survivor tested.
While the entire cast is exceptional (of note is George Tobias, possibly Hollywood's busiest character actor in the 40s, playing another of his many G.I. roles), the performance of Errol Flynn should be singled out. In his ten years as a star at the WB, he had frequently requested more challenging roles, to prove he could do more than simply swing a sword and ride a horse. On a few occasions, he would be given a script that provided him greater range, and he would prove to be a far better actor than the studio realized. OBJECTIVE, BURMA! was one of these occasions. He is superb as the battle-weary, yet dedicated commander, who must rally his men, even as their numbers are decimated, and the situation appears hopeless.
Unfortunately, the WB would again fail to capitalize on his acting ability, and his next film, SAN ANTONIO, would be another of his string of Westerns...
A final 'slap' at OBJECTIVE, BURMA! would occur after the film was released. British reviewers condemned the film, claiming it glorified America's role in the invasion of Burma, while ignoring the British, who carried the brunt of the operation. The film was hastily removed from UK screens, and a new prologue was tacked on, emphasizing the fact that the invasion was a joint venture of the British, American, and other allied forces. Even with the new prologue, some British critics weren't appeased, and the film would not be widely released in England until 1952.
If you want to see Errol Flynn in one of his most enduring roles, in one of the finest, grittiest war films produced during WWII, OBJECTIVE, BURMA! should not be missed!
