Customer Reviews

Ambush Bay

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I am driven in part to write a quick review based on the errors mentioned by the other review (Cressy, below).

First, the movie was good, but still Hollywood, when it comes to portraying actual combat.

Second, Hugh O'Brian's character may come across to a civilian like a "superhero" because he actually was a Marine! He knew the part he played from experience, not just as an actor.

Three, the previous reviewer knows nothing about the Marine Corps or its history. Baseball caps were common in the pacific, especially during the early years of the war and especially with air crews. The choice was that or a garrison cap (if you have to look that up, do so) or a helmet. It was not until later in the war that the soft cover came out, which, as I recall, was what Hugh O'Brian and Mickey Rooney and the other "Marines" wore.

Fourth, the "rubbery, funky camouflage uniforms" are not "rubbery" at all, but were real. I still have one.

Fifth, it goes to show that civilians should not be allowed to review military movies, for the obvious reasons.

Do not expect a masterpiece with Ambush Bay. Expect to have some fun and enjoy this "covert" action film. A team of Marine Raiders (Marines that were actually issued full camouflage uniforms in WW2) are sent to a Japanese held island to try and remote-detonate some mines that are blocking our ships at sea. The mission goes bad early on and the Marines start dying one by one. The shootouts are exciting and there is a fair amount of blood for a 60's film. To the reviewer who commented about the uniforms- by the early 40's, some Marines fighting in the Pacific were issued a reversible camouflage uniform that had light sandy camo on one side (for a beach invasion) and green jungle camo on the other (for jungle fighting). The guys in this film wear only the beach side for some reason. The hats are authentic for the 40's. Soft caps were common once troops were out of a combat zone. In fact even today, special forces covert units prefer "boonie" hats over helmets. This is a movie I would have LOVED as a kid. As an adult, I enjoy it and have watched it 3 times now.

Ambush Bay is a good World War II action drama about a Marine Corps reconnaissance team dispatched to the Japanese-occupied Island of Siargao in support of a pending U.S. amphibious invasion. Their mission is to link up with a Japanese-American woman and radio back information she has on a coastal bay to be used for the assault. The reconnaissance turns into a raid after they find an elaborate minefield in the bay that threatens disaster for the invasion force, and are unable to warn higher headquarters after their radio is destroyed in action. The plot is interesting and the movie has a good cast with Hugh O'Brian as First Sergeant Corey, Mickey Rooney as Gunnery Sergeant Wartell and James Mitchum as Private Grenier. Mitchum's character is an airman radio operator assigned to the Marine team, and he serves as the audience's observer and narrator for the story. While there are other Marines on the team, O'Brian's character takes the lead early after their commander is killed, and Rooney gives balance as a career soldier who doesn't take himself too seriously. While the movie has a good story, action-drama receives priority over tactical logic as the recon team stumbles into Japanese units, resulting in several firefights that whittle the team down to the main characters. The production features on-location filming in the Philippines, but the casting of Filipino actors as Japanese soldiers, and the use of a contemporary military base for the climatic sequence, waters down an authentic environment. Overall, it's a good "B" movie for action entertainment.

Hollywood simply did not make enough of these great color, letterbox format, Pacific Theater, WW II films! Director Ron Winston did a fine job with this one which is one of the best I've seen.

A young James Mitchum, (talented brother of Robert and John Mitchum), holds the starring role here over Hugh O'Brian and Mickey Rooney. Mitchum plays Private Grenier, a smart-aleck rookie U.S. Marine who has gotten himself shanghaied into a top secret special operation in the Phillipines during the Japanese occcupation. All the other marines, about a dozen of them, are highly-trained and experienced specialists in their respective fields. Mitchum, the radio guy, was grudgingly brought along as a last-minute replacement for the regular top communications specialist who came down with illness just prior to this imperative guerilla operation.

They are secreted to the island by float-plane at night. Soon after entering the jungle, the Captain of the operation is killed during a desperate scuffle with some Japanese soldiers at their campfire. Hugh O'Brian, playing the Lieutenant, takes over command and he doesn't much like Mitchum, viewing the Private as trivial and immature. Mitchum is eventually told the purpose of the operation: A Phillipine guide will take them across the jungle island to the Japanese base where their contact person, a covert Allied agent, will provide information that is critical to MacArthur's immanent Allied re-invasion of the Phillipines. Thus, it will eventually fall on Mitchum, the most important member of the team in terms of duty, to convey this critical intelligence by radio.

In yet another early confrontation with a small platoon of Japanese infantry, who are also equipped with a very cool little army tank, more Marines are killed and this also sets the Japanese hot on their trail through the jungle. Just before their destination is reached the Marine's native guide, the only person who knew who the identity of the contact agent, is killed -- Hugh O'Brian is forced to sneak into the Japanese-infested village and ferret out the contact agent at great risk. I'll have to stop here to avoid a SPOILER!

One of the best features of this movie is the superb filmscore, composed and conducted by Richard LaSalle. It's one of those atmospheric sixty-ish scores reminiscent of those fine soundtracks previously conveyed by Hugo Friedhofer and Les Baxter. It really adds to the suspense and to the ambiance of this fine film.

The abundance of tropical flora, great locations and sets, the super cinematography, and, the great casting additionally support the superb quality of the movie. Compare this film to yet another of these singular film treasures:

Never So Few

It's all really just first-class. If you enjoy World War II films, especially those concerning the Pacific Theater, you'll love this terrific 1966 entry. My highest recommendation!

"Suddenly the screen steps on a minefield." That line was heard on the trailer to AMBUSH BAY, and I'm still not sure what it means. I can picture someone stepping on a single mine, even just about wrap my head around a screen stepping on a mine, but a whole minefield is beyond me. Whatever, it sounds impressive, in a confusing sort of way. The movie itself is a pleasant little invention about a small group of Marines infiltrating deep into a Japanese-held island on a mission vital to the success of Gen. Douglas MacArthur's impending invasion. The unit includes 1st Sgt. Hugh O'Brian, Gunnery Sgt. Mickey Rooney, green Pfc. James Mitchum, and a handful of bullet fodder bit players. Of course the island is crawling with the enemy, the men have to make a quick penetration deep into the country, and the only one who seems to know what the mission is Sgt. O'Brian. And he don't talk much, especially to the slow-to-be-accepted wiseacre Mitchum.

My expectations were really, really low for this one. A b-movie cast, probably low production values, a less-than-stunning premise. The movie doesn't look like it broke the bank on cast or special effects or a hot script, but it holds its own. O'Brian - who was a real life Marine drill sergeant - is appropriately flinty as the tough-as-nails Marine, Rooney acceptable as the courageous gunnery sargeant, and James Mitchum sure looks an awful lot like his old man Robert. The story is told through Mitchum's eyes and the movie takes a long time clueing him - and us - in on what the mission is. It's a coy ploy that's not really necessary, but I'll keep the secret. In one sense AMBUSH BAY is more realistic, or at least easier to accept, than many of today's WWII flicks. The soldiers aren't a mutually supportive band of brothers or averse to behaving less than heroically. My favorite line, growled by O'Brian to Mitchum, "Stay away from things that you've never done, like thinking," is clumsy and crude but something Generation Greatest wouldn't be caught dead saying in a modern movie. The movie was shot in the Philippines and, while that may have been a cost-savings move on the part of the producers, in looks pretty authentic.

Look, AMBUSH BAY was probably a first feature at a drive-in theater when it was released in 1966. If you don't like old war movies you won't like this movie - if you do, it offers a little more than you'd expect from a mid-`60s war flick whose second lead is Mickey Rooney.

I enjoyed this movie very much. True it's not a classic war film but it stands out among the run-of-the-mill TV type of fare. The ending was curiously muted but it made the film raise itself a few notches. The weaponry was accurate (although I doubt the silencers used on both pistol and carbine were WW2 issue) and the uniforms tally with the photographs I have seen of USMC reconnaisance units. Definitely Hugh O'Brian's best work.

This video is a disappointment. The editors at MGM Home Entertainment decided to delete some scenes from this film. Specifically, some scenes featuring the lovely Tisa Chang are not on this DVD. When watching a film for free on TV, you expect some scenes to go missing to make room for commercials. But when you actually pay for a film, you expect to get the whole thing. Unfortunately this is not the case with MGM products.

I remember watching this movie 30+ years ago and being enthralled by Ms Chang and her wonderfully-fitting slacks. I waited decades for this film to become available on video. What a disappointment to finally be able to get the video only to find that some of the most interesting scenes have been left out.

Ambush Bay is an entertaining WWII action movie that uses too many war movie cliches, but overall doesn't take away the enjoyment of an exciting movie. In October 1944, a specialist team of Marines lands in the Phillipines to complete a mission, meeting a source that has some key information, that could play a big part in the retaking of the islands. Among the nine-man team is a inexperienced radio man, Grenier, who was a last minute replacement and is not quite sure why he had to come along. While trekking through the jungle, Grenier must try and fit in without having the team turn on him. But as the team of Marines travels across the island, they find themselves battling the Japanese every step of the way, and their numbers begin to dwindle. The story isn't groundbreaking, and it doesn't need to be, the movie moves at a lightning quick pace and there is action around every corner. At times, the characters are nothing more than stereotypes, but you don't even notice, the action moves too quickly. Non-stop fun throughout with plenty of action and excitement.

With a script that focuses on three main characters, Hugh O'Brian plays the lead, Sgt. Steve Corey, a tough-as-nails veteran who finds himself in command after the mission leader is killed early on. O'Brian brings a hard-edged touch to the role as the no-nonsense leader. Mickey Rooney seems to be having a great time as Gunnery Sgt. Ernie Wartell, O'Brian right hand man who seems to be the only one trying to help Private Grenier, the inexperienced radioman. Grenier is played by James Mitchum, and though he might not have the acting chops his father Robert did, James is pretty good in the part. Grenier narrates the film so as a viewer I found myself feeling for him and this very dangerous, confusing situation he finds himself in. The rest of the nine-man team is given little to do in the way of lines, but they don't stick around long. Tisa Chang plays Miyazaki, the spy in the Phillipines who has some key information that could save the invasion by MacArthur that finds herself attractive to O'Brian's Sgt. Corey. The DVD has a nice-looking widescreen presentation, the movie was filmed on location in the Phillipines and really benefits from it, and a theatrical trailer. Overall, an exciting, action-packed WWII movie in the Pacific with good performances from its three main leads. Give Ambush Bay a try!

i remember watching this one as a kid and i liked it then,and i still like it!
marines go behind jap lines and try to take out a radio base. not great but it's goofy fun,give it a try!

A group of commandos are sent into enemy territory. The leader of the group (Hugh O'Brian), a rooky radio operator (James Mitchum) and a wise-cracking sergeant (Mickey Rooney) are the main characters. The mission quickly goes hay-wire as the commando's discover a Japanese plan to ambush MacArthur's invasion and the group fights for its survival.

Violent Content

Pushed out in the middle sixties, Ambush Bay is surprisingly violent for the time. There are many shootings throughout with heavy use of blood. However, the blood is thick and appears rather fake.
Possibly the films most graphic instance is when a man is impaled on a booby trap set up by island natives. He is pulled off it by his comrades and we see the bloody stakes afterwards.
There are a few knifings, handled in the typical pass the blade underneath the armpit fashion. A character is shot in the head and falls into a river bleeding profusely. Another character is shot repeatedly and still continues to fight. A woman is shot off-screen.
When a bridge is blown, dozens of Japanese soldiers are tossed into a river. A man is shot while eating and (disgusting, not violent) we see food spill out of his mouth in large quantities. A few men spew blood while they are dying. Several men are killed by explosions.

Language

The language used in Ambush Bay is fairly typical of a mid-sixties war movie. The profanities are no harsher than d--- or h--- and can be counted on both your hands.

Sexual Content

A woman offers herself to a soldier so that the commandos can get away. We see her go into a hut with the man and the door closes. Later, we see him rush out with his shirt off.
Due to the death of a native, Hugh O'Brian's character is forced to search a building that appears to be some kind of brothel. He finds his contact (a Japanese woman) and waits by the door while she changes behind a screen (we see her shoulders). Later, a soldier tries to push through the door to talk to her, but she tells him she is busy. She tells O'Brian that the soldier "desires me."
Several Japanese soldiers are viewed in loincloths that expose all of their legs and quite a bit of their rear-ends.
Hugh O'Brian tells their contact that he was making love when the war started.

Morales
Typical, "War is hell" attitude throughout. Characters come to love and respect one another and several characters sacrifice themselves for the group. O'Brian is a womanizer and a drinker. A Japanese woman is willing to sell her body for the cause. No clear religious beliefs are presented in this film.

Ambush Bay is a pretty standard war movie that probably will have some appeal to teens that are not allowed to watch Saving Private Ryan style war movies. However, the film is lack-lustre, even when compared to other war films of the day. Hugh O'Brian and James Mitchum are wooden and the only really good performance comes from the dinkiest marine ever, Mickey Rooney. Also, the film is far too slow for most people. Good for maybe one view, but not a classic by any means. The film doesn't push the content envelope too far. For fans of war movies running low on options. Everyone else will probably be better off watching The Guns of Navarone.