What Price Glory

There are a lot of sub plots here from a young Robert Wagner to a Young Harry Morgan as another Sgt to the rivalry between our two leads for the innkeeper?s daughter.

There isn't much war in this war picture but what there are hits you in the gut, the vets are hard fighters but don't love it and know the score.

Cagney says it best late in the movie "it was ok when you had a bunch of guys who know what they're doing but not when you've got a bunch of kids."

They know it stinks but they do their job.

Another winner from John Ford.


One of the worst!...   September 18, 2002
Kim Booth (Williamston, MI United States)
This movie was totally void of any believable plot. The characters were portrayed as childlike adults. The plot never really became believable. Everyone in the movie was portrayed as a bumbling idiot. A total waste of time to watch!


Typical John Ford Movie: Terrific!   June 24, 2001
D. Blackdeer (Kansas)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

1952 movie directed by John Ford starring James Cagney as Captain Flag, a 'tough-as-nails' Marine company commander in World War One. Just after returning from the front-line trenches to rest and refit his company, he receives a new top sergeant, Sergeant Quirt played by Dan Dailey, to get his new replacements ready for the next tour on the lines. Sergeant Quirt is probably the best in the Marines, but he's also a wild rival to Captain Flag and they soon show their stuff after Quirk's arrival with a quick fistfight in Flag's office.
The Marine company is full of old battle-hardened veterans portrayed in an entertaining manner by numerous actors including William Demarest [Uncle Charlie from "My Three Sons"] and Henry Morgan (Colonel Potter from "M.A.S.H."]. A youthful Robert Wagner stars as one of the many newly assigned 'boys,' falling in love with one of the village's girls during the company's training period.
John Ford did masterful job rolling in humor, drama and romance. The film is well balanced and portrays the Marines as hard-core soldiers who do more than their share for the war effort, possessing colorful personalities who play hard in their off time. There's good action when the company returns to lines, although sanitary by today's standards, and captures some element of the hardship in World War One's trench warfare. It's a romantic and entertaining feature that rivals Ford's other well-known feature "The Quiet Man."
The VHS edition is very good quality, full-frame format, and deserves a DVD edition.