My '03 picture of the day...

**Rick the Librarian** · 05-02-2009 09:18 AM

A still photograph I won on eBay from the movie "Bataan", made in 1943 with all all-star cast. It quite regularly shows up on the top ten list of best World War II movies. A partial remake of the 1930s movie "The Lost Patrol", it takes place in the Philippines an is about a doomed patrol preventing the Japanese icon

from re-constructing a blown bridge. Cast members included Robert Taylor, Lloyd Nolan, George Murphy, Thomas Mitchell, Desi Arnez (some 10 years before his "Ricky Ricardo" role in I Love Lucy) and Barry Nelson, among others.

One thing interesting to me (keeping in mind this was mid-WWII) was that the characters came from actual units which fought on Bataan. Pretty rare for that period. Technically, some of the characters should have been carrying M1s but I imagine they were being used for other purposes in 1943!!

Pictured is (from left to right) Nolan, Mitchell and Taylor. Note that Nolan and Mitchell are carrying M1903s. The M1903 that Nolan is hefting appears to not be the usual Bannerman/Sedgely type with mixed parts but a outwardly appearing correct LN M1903.

My all-time favorite WWII movie!

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**Highly Recommended** · 05-02-2009 09:18 AM

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**Jim Tarleton** · 05-02-2009 09:41 AM

Neat picture and a good movie.

Thanks.

Jim

**Chuckindenver** · 05-02-2009 10:44 AM

also notice the sling on the center 03, is for a BAR, and not hooked up right, ill bet that rifle was a bear to carry on the shoulder.
awesome pic..

**rice 123** · 05-02-2009 11:14 AM

what is that hanging off Taylor it does not look like a bayonet handle

**Rick the Librarian** · 05-02-2009 11:18 AM

All the characters carried machetes - not a bad idea for the Philippine jungle!

**Clyde from Carolina** · 05-08-2009 05:00 PM

I DVR'd this movie the other day on Turner classic movies and have been watching it a few minutes at a time, savoring the experience. Great, classic film.

**Iceman66** · 05-08-2009 05:35 PM

When Robert Taylor's 50 round Thompson magazine runs out of ammo he is gonna have one helluva time loading those .30-06 rounds from his cartridge belt into that .45 sub-machinegun!

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