Anyone who's wondered about the places named in the lyrics of the Marine Corps hymn, would find part of the answer in this film. "Tripoli" of 1950 provides the answer to the last half of the opening line, "From the Halls of Montezuma, to the shores of Tripoli." This film tells the story of the first battle of the U. S. Marines, which took place in April 1805 in what is now Libya, North Africa. The U. S. refused to pay passage fees in the Mediterranean and its commercial ships were attacked by corsairs of various Ottoman city-states along the Barbary Coast. So, Pres. Thomas Jefferson authorized naval and military actions to break the pirating centers. Tripoli, in present-day Libya, had the biggest fleet of pirates. But before confronting it, a plan was carried out to stop neighboring port cities from coming to Tripoli's aid. Thus, the Battle of Derna in April 1805.
This battle was also the first military overseas land action by the fledgling U. S. nation that was formed less than 30 years before. The general story is here, but there is considerable background that those interested in history, especially, would enjoy reading about. The Encyclopedia Britannica has a couple of very good articles.
As for this film, it is a mixture of cast and characters both real and fictional. John Payne plays Marine Lt. Presley O'Bannon. In the movie he is in charge of the land force. In real life, he was second in command. The movie has a fictional Navy Lt. Pitt in second command. In real life it was former Army Lt. William Eaton, now American consul to the Barbary States, who commanded the land forces. In this movie, Eaten is a general, played by Herbert Heyes. His mission was to coordinate with commodore Barron for a two-pronged assault on Derna - from land and sea. He would lead the land party.
The Hollywood of Great Britain must have thought the film wouldn't go over as well without a female lead, and some light comedy. So, considerable fiction surrounds these with Maureen O'Hara as an Italian countess who is an intimate acquaintance and resident with the former pasha. And, Howard Da Silva plays a fictional Capt. Demetrios who bring his dozen and a half Greek fighters on board - for a price, of course.
Well, the film and the actual battle never got to within 500 miles of Tripoli. Eaton - Lt. O'Bannon in this film, led a small force overland more than 500 miles from Alexandria, Egypt, to attack Derna from the rear, while the Navy ships bombarded the city from the sea. The land force consisted of a squad of 10 Marines with O'Bannon, and the small force of former Tripoli Pasha, Hamet Karmanli. He had been deposed by his brother. The rest of the bulk of the land army were mercenaries hired by the Americans. But the operation was a success, and, the result also has some more interesting historical background. The land force took nearly two months to cross the Libyan desert from Alexandria, Egypt to their target.
It might seem a little odd to some that the Marine participation was just a handful of men. And, theirs was an overland cavalry march and assault; where the Marines traditionally and mostly have combat assaults from the sea. Well, the rest of the Marine Hymn is about the Halls of Montezuma, and that actually occurred later, in September of 1847 during the Mexican-American War. That was the Battle of Chapultepec, when a Marine force stormed the Castle and took it at a great cost of 90% casualties. The red stripe on the Marine Corps dress uniform is symbolic of that sacrifice. And, the reference to the Halls of Montezuma is poetic, because the castle was built by the Spanish more than two centuries after the defeat of the Aztec Montezuma.
When the lyrics for the Marine hymn developed, the order of the two battles was geographic in relation to distance from the U. S., rather than chronological. The musical score dates from 1867, but the lyrics, by an unknown author, were added later. The Marines' Hymn became the oldest official song in the U. S. Armed Forces in 1929.
This movie is enjoyable as a fictional portrayal of the first U. S. combat on foreign soil, and its place in the Marine Corps hymn. Here are some favorite lines from the film.
Capt. Demetrios, "At your service, general." Lt. O'Bannon, "Lieutenant." Demetrios, "I can't take orders from a lieutenant. I will call you colonel." O'Bannon, "Thanks for the promotion. This is Lt. Tripp. You can call him admiral."
Capt. Demetrios, "They tell me you need fighting men. Here we are." Lt. O'Bannon, "For a price, of course." Demetrios, "Naturally. Only women and boys fight for fun."
Lt. Tripp, "How many men do you have, captain?" Capt. Demetrios, "Sixteen." Tripp, "What nationality?" Demetrios, "Originally Greek. Since then, Egyptian, Phoenician, Arabian, Turkish, and now, American."
Sgt. Derek, buying stores for the long voyage, "Start with that Arab. I don't wanna have to buy the same herd more than twice."
Sgt. Derek, "Sir, his highness's compliments. He requests the pleasure of your company for chow." Lt. O'Bannon, "Kings have dinner, sergeant, not chow." Derek, "Yes, sir."
Lt. Tripp, "You're making a big mistake." Lt. O'Bannon, "That's the way to make 'em - BIG!"
Lt. Tripp, "You can't send her back there with those women. Whatever you think of her, she's a lady." Lt. O'Bannon, "I know, But they won't mind."
Lt. O'Bannon, "Tell Derek to double the guard." Lt. Tripp, "How do we do that - cut each man in half?" O'Bannon, "Why, Mr. Tripp, you made a joke. Happy to have you aboard, sir."
Lt. Tripp, "Maybe someday you'll tell me what's so funny about a war." Lt. O'Bannon, "Nothing! It's just the people in it."
