Title: Gung Ho! Year: 1943 Director: Ray Enright Producer: Walter Wanger Production Company: Walter Wanger Productions / Universal Pictures Runtime: 88 minutes Country: United States Language: English Format: Black and White, Mono Sound Genres: War, Action, Drama --- Synopsis: Gung Ho! (full title: Gung Ho!: The Story of Carlson's Makin Island Raiders) dramatizes the real-life 1942 Makin Island raid by the U.S. Marine Corps' 2nd Raider Battalion during World War II. Led by Lt. Col. Thorwald (a fictionalized version of Lt. Col. Evans Carlson), portrayed by Randolph Scott, the film follows a diverse group of Marines who undergo rigorous training to execute a daring amphibious assault on a Japanese-held island. The narrative emphasizes unity, discipline, and the "Gung Ho" spirit—meaning "work together"—as the soldiers confront both internal challenges and external enemies. --- Cast: Randolph Scott as Lt. Col. Thorwald Alan Curtis as John Harbison Noah Beery Jr. as Cpl. Kurt Richter J. Carrol Naish as Lt. C.J. Cristoforos Sam Levene as Sgt. Leo 'Transport' Andreof David Bruce as Larry O'Ryan Richard Lane as Capt. Dunphy Walter Sande as McBride Louis Jean Heydt as Lt. Roland Browning Robert Mitchum as 'Pig-Iron' Matthews Rod Cameron as Rube Tedrow Grace McDonald as Kathleen Corrigan Milburn Stone as Cmdr. Blake Peter Coe as Kozzarowski Harold Landon as Frankie Montana --- Production Notes: Filmed between August and October 1943, Gung Ho! was produced during World War II as a morale booster and propaganda piece. The screenplay was inspired by Lt. W. S. LeFrançois's Saturday Evening Post story "We Mopped Up Makin Island. " To maintain military confidentiality, character names were fictionalized, though the film closely mirrors the actual events of the Makin Island raid. Technical advisors included Lt. Col. Evans Carlson and Gunnery Sgt. Victor Maghakian, both of whom participated in the real raid. --- Legacy: Gung Ho! was well-received upon release, earning over $2 million at the box office—a significant sum for the era. The film played a role in popularizing the term "gung ho " in American vernacular, symbolizing enthusiastic teamwork. It has since become a staple in the war film genre and is often shown to Marine recruits as part of their training. --- Trivia: Robert Mitchum, who played 'Pig-Iron' Matthews, was uncredited in this early role before rising to stardom. The film's portrayal of the Japanese was typical of wartime propaganda, reflecting the sentiments of the period. The term "gung ho " was adopted from Chinese, meaning "work together, " and was embraced by Lt. Col. Carlson to promote unity among his troops. --- Curated Hashtags: #GungHo1943 #WorldWarII #MarineRaiders #RandolphScott #ClassicWarFilm #BlackAndWhiteCinema #RobertMitchum #WartimePropaganda