To the Shores of Tripoli
(1942)
82 or 86-87 mins | Drama | 10 April 1942
Director:
H. Bruce HumberstoneWriter:
Lamar TrottiProducer:
Darryl F. ZanuckCinematographers:
Harry Jackson, William Skall, Edward CronjagerEditor:
Allen McNeilProduction Designers:
Richard Day, George DudleyProduction Company:
Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corp.
The working titles of this film were The Shores of Tripoli and Tripoli . After the opening credits, narrator Lowell Thomas announces that the picture was photographed on location at the Marine Base in San Diego, CA, and that it is dedicated to Marines "everywhere, past and present" and especially to those who fought on Wake Island. According to studio publicity, "The Marine's Hymn" and "Semper fidelis" were performed for the film by the San Diego Marine Band.
A 22 Jul 1941 HR news item noted that the studio was negotiating with George Raft for the picture's "top male role," while in Sep 1941, HR announced that Pat O'Brien would be in the cast. Although studio publicity and HR news items include Marissa Flores, Barry Norton and O. Z. Whitehead in the cast, their appearance in the completed film has not been confirmed. The picture marked the screen debut of actor Henry Morgan, also known as Henry "Harry" Morgan and later known as Harry Morgan. Morgan is best known for his portrayal of "Col. Potter" in the long-running television series M*A*S*H .
Dec 1941 HR news items reported that after the attack on Pearl Harbor, second unit director James Havens and his crew became trapped in Honolulu, HI, where they had gone to photograph background footage for this film. For several days, the studio did not know if the men were safe, but on 12 Dec 1941, HR announced that none of the crew had been injured. Several days later, HR noted that two thousand feet of film ...
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The working titles of this film were The Shores of Tripoli and Tripoli . After the opening credits, narrator Lowell Thomas announces that the picture was photographed on location at the Marine Base in San Diego, CA, and that it is dedicated to Marines "everywhere, past and present" and especially to those who fought on Wake Island. According to studio publicity, "The Marine's Hymn" and "Semper fidelis" were performed for the film by the San Diego Marine Band.
A 22 Jul 1941 HR news item noted that the studio was negotiating with George Raft for the picture's "top male role," while in Sep 1941, HR announced that Pat O'Brien would be in the cast. Although studio publicity and HR news items include Marissa Flores, Barry Norton and O. Z. Whitehead in the cast, their appearance in the completed film has not been confirmed. The picture marked the screen debut of actor Henry Morgan, also known as Henry "Harry" Morgan and later known as Harry Morgan. Morgan is best known for his portrayal of "Col. Potter" in the long-running television series M*A*S*H .
Dec 1941 HR news items reported that after the attack on Pearl Harbor, second unit director James Havens and his crew became trapped in Honolulu, HI, where they had gone to photograph background footage for this film. For several days, the studio did not know if the men were safe, but on 12 Dec 1941, HR announced that none of the crew had been injured. Several days later, HR noted that two thousand feet of film shot by Havens' crew had been seized by the Navy, but on 21 Jan 1942, a HR news item declared that the film had been reviewed by Navy officials and returned to the studio. Edward Cronjager and William V. Skall received Academy Award nominations for Cinematography (Color) for their work on To the Shores of Tripoli .
According to a 1 Apr 1942 HR news item, the studio intended to make a Technicolor recruiting short for the Marine Corps with unused footage from To the Shores of Tripoli . The short was to be narrated by Tyrone Power and written by Lamar Trotti. Apr and Jun 1942 HR news items noted that the film was helping to increase the number of new recruits entering the Marines. A 24 Aug 1942 HR news item stated that writer Jack Andrews and producer Milton Sperling were working on a story entitled "Battle Stations," which was to tell the story of the Marine Corps between the two World Wars and be a "follow-up" to To the Shores of Tripoli . That film was not produced, however.
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The Shores of Tripoli
New York opening: week of 25 March 1942
Arrogant Chris Winters is ordered by his father, Capt. Christopher Winters, to join the Marines after he is expelled from Culver Military Academy for misbehavior. Disregarding his father's plans for his future, Chris intends to take a cushy desk job provided by the influential father of his girl friend, Helene Hunt, after he finishes basic training. Capt. Winters has written to his old friend, Sgt. Dixie Smith, asking him to toughen up Chris, and Dixie, who will be Chris's drill sergeant, takes an immediate dislike to the sarcastic recruit. The night Chris arrives at the Marine Base in San Diego, he meets Mary Carter. Chris, unaware that Mary is a Navy nurse, is impressed by her beauty and spirit and tries, half-successfully, to romance her. Mary is frightened by her attraction to Chris, however, and cuts short their evening. The next day, Chris begins training, along with fellow recruits Johnny Dent, Okay Jones, Mouthy and Butch. Chris easily masters the tasks assigned by Dixie, then helps the earnest but clumsy Johnny. Chris attempts to pursue a relationship with Mary, but she reveals that, as a nurse, she holds rank equivalent to a lieutenant and cannot fraternize with enlisted men. Mary is troubled by Chris's lack of devotion to the military, but is still jealous when Helene appears on the base one day and gets Chris to take her out. Later that evening, when Chris returns, he assures Mary that he cares only for her, and that if he takes the office job in Washington, they can conduct their romance openly. Mary turns Chris down, and soon after, Chris has more problems when ... + −
Arrogant Chris Winters is ordered by his father, Capt. Christopher Winters, to join the Marines after he is expelled from Culver Military Academy for misbehavior. Disregarding his father's plans for his future, Chris intends to take a cushy desk job provided by the influential father of his girl friend, Helene Hunt, after he finishes basic training. Capt. Winters has written to his old friend, Sgt. Dixie Smith, asking him to toughen up Chris, and Dixie, who will be Chris's drill sergeant, takes an immediate dislike to the sarcastic recruit. The night Chris arrives at the Marine Base in San Diego, he meets Mary Carter. Chris, unaware that Mary is a Navy nurse, is impressed by her beauty and spirit and tries, half-successfully, to romance her. Mary is frightened by her attraction to Chris, however, and cuts short their evening. The next day, Chris begins training, along with fellow recruits Johnny Dent, Okay Jones, Mouthy and Butch. Chris easily masters the tasks assigned by Dixie, then helps the earnest but clumsy Johnny. Chris attempts to pursue a relationship with Mary, but she reveals that, as a nurse, she holds rank equivalent to a lieutenant and cannot fraternize with enlisted men. Mary is troubled by Chris's lack of devotion to the military, but is still jealous when Helene appears on the base one day and gets Chris to take her out. Later that evening, when Chris returns, he assures Mary that he cares only for her, and that if he takes the office job in Washington, they can conduct their romance openly. Mary turns Chris down, and soon after, Chris has more problems when he starts a fight with Dixie, whom he accuses of bullying Johnny. Chris and Dixie are arrested for the fistfight, and despite the damage it causes his career, Dixie states that he started the fight so that Chris will not get into trouble. Chris's barracks mates, angry that he caused Dixie's demotion, snub him, and Chris decides to leave with Helene. Before they can leave the camp, however, emergency maneuvers are called and Chris goes with the others to practice night maritime shelling. As Dixie leads the men in cleaning up the floating targets, he is knocked unconscious, and no one notices his disappearance until they return to the main ship. Despite the shelling, Chris finds Dixie and rescues him just before the target he is on is destroyed. Once Dixie recovers, Chris reveals that he risked his life only to erase the debt he owed Dixie for lying about the fight, and that he still intends to leave. Chris then asks Mary to accompany him, but she again replies that she belongs in the service. Chris departs with Helene, but while in the taxi, they hear a radio report about Pearl Harbor. Helene declares that the report is a fabrication concocted by Orson Welles, but when Chris sees Dixie leading his regiment through the crowd, he realizes that he truly is a Marine and must join the fight. Chris dons his uniform as he marches with the men, who are glad to see his change of heart. As they board the ship bound for overseas duty, Chris notices that Mary is already aboard, then waves goodbye to his father. + −
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