Customer Reviews

The Story of Dr. Wassell / Movie [VHS]

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a long (2 hour, 17 minute) film that is leisurely paced as it depicts dedicated Wassell, American M.D. stationed in Java during WW II, who goes against direct orders to stay with and then evacuate wounded men under his care. Technicolor is beautiful and Cooper is perfectly cast as the humanitarian doctor. Too slow for some, but nevertheless absorbing and inspiring. Oscar Nom for Special Effects. Worth a watch.

Cecil B. De Mille was inspired to make this 1944 movie after hearing of the heroic efforts of Navy doctor Corydon M. Wassell in one of Franklin Roosevelt's fireside chats. When the Japanese were sweeping throughout the East Indies, Dr. Wassell (Gary Cooper) refuses to abandon wounded sailors from the cruiser Marblehead who were left behind in Java when the Americans evacuated. Against great odds, Wassell succeeds in getting all of the men to Australia alive. Certainly an inspiring story, but obviously in the hands of the wrong director as De Mille throws in melodramatic romance, dancing girls and pretty much every World War II cliche known. "The Story of Dr. Wassell" has an immense cast and a surprisingly slow pace which all serves to detract from Gary Cooper's grim resolve to lead the men to safety. Wassel's claim this film was "98 per cent documentary" is just not credible. I found myself thinking this film would have worked a lot better in black and white, which would have been more appropriate to the grim but fascinating story at the heart of the movie. Final note of interested: this film was released on D-Day.

THE STORY OF DR WASSEL WAS IN MY OPINION ON PAR WITH FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS, GARY COOPERS ACTING WAS AT HIS BEST I MAY BE. BIT BIAS AS I HAVE BEEN AN AVID FAN FOR THE LAST 60 YEARS WHAT I DONT UNDERSTANDIS WHY THIS FILM HAS ONLY ONCE BEEN ON BRITISH TELIVISIONIN THE LAST 14 YEARS I AM A GARY COOPER FANATIC ANY MORE OF YOU OUT THERE TOMMY THOMSON SCOTLAND

This movie I consider among my favorites. It is a true story of a doctor
who ended up on Java and saved many wounded men who were rejected entrance
into a ship leaving for safety because they could not get up and walk. It is
an amazing story and I am hoping someone will get it transfered to DVD before
it is beyond saving!
>>>>>Sincerely, Joan

This movie is one of the best WWII movies ever made. It's the true story of a dedicated doctor who saved the lives of wounded sailors during the worst time of WWII for the US and its allies. This is a true story with Gary Cooper at his best.

This is one movie you will always remember and a must for WWII buffs. Yes, its a long movie but well done and must be watched past the last credits.

This is one of Gary Cooper's finest movies--up there right along side "High Noon" and "Friendly Persuasion", yet it is one that few people today have ever heard of. It is a wonderful story, based on a real person and his real life, in which Gary Cooper plays Dr. Corydon Wassell, an Arkansas country doctor who goes to China to practice medicine and while there is caught up in WWII. He becomes a Naval Officer devoted to caring for the wounded and his heroism under fire eventually earns him the Navy Cross and a nationally broadcast commendation from President Roosevelt. This is a film the whole family can watch, enjoy and feel good about at the end.

In contrast to most American war stories this fellow is famous for saving lives , not taking them. The military credo for bed patients is they are as good as dead, so his patients were "written off" in the evacuation of Java.
Japanese prisoner of war camps were death sentences for many healthy people during that war. Dr. Wassell got the last ship out and the first one that he missed was sunk.
His charges nick-named him grandpa Fudd after the bugs bunny cartoon character, so you know he wasn't very much like the character Gary Cooper played in For Whom the Bell Tolls.
I like the movie and the character...