The Fighting 69th

The Fighting 69th
VHS cover
Directed by	William Keighley
Produced by	Louis F. Edelman Hal B. Wallis
Written by	Norman Reilly Raine Fred Niblo, Jr. Dean Riesner
Starring	James Cagney Pat O'Brien George Brent Dennis Morgan Alan Hale, Sr.
Music by	Adolph Deutsch
Cinematography	Tony Gaudio
Edited by	Owen Marks
Production company	Warner Bros.
Release dates	January 26, 1940 (US)
Running time	90 min.
Country	United States
Language	English

The Fighting 69th (1940) is an American war film starring James Cagney, Pat O'Brien, and George Brent. The plot is based upon the actual exploits of New York City's 69th Infantry Regiment during World War I. The regiment was first given that nickname by opposing General Robert E. Lee during the American Civil War.

Several real-life personages depicted in The Fighting 69th include Father Francis P. Duffy, the chaplain, future OSS leader "Wild Bill" Donovan, the battalion commander, Lt. Oliver Ames, a platoon commander, and then-Sgt. Joyce Kilmer, the poet (Jeffrey Lynn).

Most of The Fighting 69th was filmed at Warner Brothers' Calabasas Ranch location, which doubled as Camp Mills, the regiment's training base, various French villages, and numerous battlefields.^[1]

Plot

The plot centers on misfit Jerry Plunkett (James Cagney), who displays a mixture of bravado and cowardice. The chaplain, Father Francis P. Duffy (Pat O'Brien) attempts to reform Plunkett. Sgt. "Big Mike" Wynn (Alan Hale, Sr.) loses both his brothers in action due to Plunkett's blunders. Major Donovan ultimately orders Plunkett to be court-martialed. Plunkett is nonetheless returned to duty, as the battalion again goes into the line. Shamed and inspired by Donovan's forbearance, Plunkett redeems himself by fighting bravely. Finally he sacrifices his life to protect his comrades by covering a grenade with his body.

While Jerry Plunkett was a fictional character, Father Duffy, Major Donovan, Lt. Ames, and Sgt. Joyce Kilmer were all real members of the 69th. Many of the events depicted (training at Camp Mills, the Mud March, dugout collapse at Rouge Bouquet, crossing the Ourcq River, Victory Parade, etc.) actually happened.

Cast

James Cagney as Private Jerry Plunkett Pat O'Brien as Father Francis P. Duffy George Brent as Major "Wild Bill" Donovan Jeffrey Lynn as Sergeant Joyce Kilmer Alan Hale, Sr. as Sergeant "Big Mike" Wynn Frank McHugh as Terence "Crepe-Hanger" Burke Dennis Morgan as Lieutenant Oliver Ames Dick Foran as Lieutenant "Long John" Wynn William Lundigan as Private Timothy "Timmy" Wynn       Guinn Williams as Paddy Dolan Henry O'Neill as The Colonel John Litel as Captain Mangan

Sammy Cohen as Mike Murphy (Mischa Moskowitz) Harvey Stephens as Major Alex Anderson William Hopper as Private Turner Tom Dugan as Private McManus Frank Wilcox as Lieutenant John Norman George Reeves as Jack O'Keefe Frank Coghlan, Jr. as Jimmy Herbert Anderson as Casey Jack Boyle, Jr. as Chuck Richard Clayton as Tierney John Daheim as a soldier Eddie Dew as Regan

Production

John T. Prout, an Irish American, former Captain in the regiment and Irish Army general, was the movie's "technical advisor".^[2][3]

Priscilla Lane was initially cast as one of the soldiers' girls back home, but the part was cut prior to production. No female characters are seen in the film.

Young man viewing original movie poster at theatre, 1940

References

Notes

1. The Fighting 69th at TCM.com
2. IMDb "Full Credits"
3. Gevinson, Alan American Film Institute Catalog

External links

• The Fighting 69th at the American Film Institute Catalog
• The Fighting 69th at the Internet Movie Database
• The Fighting 69th at AllMovie
• The Fighting 69th at the TCM Movie Database
• Fighting 69th Historical Association