What Price Glory?

The movie focuses on a Marine rifle company resting and training behind the front in WW One France. Cagney and Daly turn in fine performances as the Company Commander and his 1st Sgt, respectively. They are both career Marines of long service and have developed a professional respect for each other rivaled only by their personal dislike. They both vie for the affections of the inkeeper's daughter with predictable results. The integration of fresh-faced replacements with the battleworn veteran Marines brings some lighthearted moments. The tone is more serious in the few short battle scenes and the ending where Quirt leaves Charmaine to rejoin the company moving out for the next push is one easily related by any Marine viewer. It is a remake of an earlier silent film and I regret I have been unable to obtain a copy of the original as I am sure it is excellent. However, I feel Mr. Maltin in his review above dismisses it without even viewing it. The review and synopsis don't even get the right war, referring to WW2, and seem to not realize they players are Marines. It may indeed not measure up to the silent original, but this is an entertaining movie in it's own right.