THEY WERE EXPENDABLE

Book Description

Culver City: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 18-22 September 1944.. [4],155 leaves plus numerous lettered inserts and duplicate numbered leaves with variant text. Quarto. Mimeographed typescript, printed on rectos only. Bradbound in pale blue studio upper wrapper, with studio label and rubberstamps, and darker blue, probably later lower wrapper. Upper wrapper faintly sunned, with a couple of minor smudges, title neatly lettered on spine, internally about fine. A "Temporary Complete Composite Script," including revised and unrevised leaves dated over the five day span, a character list, and two variant forms of the film's Foreword/Dedication. The script was adapted by Wead from William L. White's book, and the film, starring Robert Montgomery, John Wayne, Donna Reed, Ward Bond, et al, was directed by John Ford. Regarded by many as one of Ford's chief triumphs, THEY WERE EXPENDABLE was released 20 December 1945, just a little over four months after V.J. Day. The narrative is based on the exploits of John D. Bulkeley, a motor torpedo boat squadron commander and Medal of Honor recipient, and Robert Kelly, a skipper, during the World War II Japanese invasion of the Philippines in 1941–1942, and the film is acknowledged as one of the most realistic among the many contributions by Hollywood to the war and immediate post- war effort. The admonition on the upper wrapper to "Save Film! Help Win the War!, " as well as the prefatory note about the economic rationale for the composite nature of the script, underscore the circumstances of war-time film production. Bogdanovich, JOHN FORD (Revised edition, 1978), pp. 82-4, 137.

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