ActionDramaWar

The Red Ball Express

- FROM BEACHHEAD TO BATTLEFRONT! THEY CARRY THE AMMO FOR PATTON'S TANKS!

August 1944: proceeding with the invasion of France, Patton's Third Army has advanced so far toward Paris that it cannot be supplied. To keep up the momentum, Allied HQ establishes an elite military truck route.

Release Date : 1952-05-29

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Universal International Pictures

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Lt. Campbell

Original Name : Jeff Chandler

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sgt. Kallek

Original Name : Alex Nicol

Gender : Male

Character Name : Partridge

Original Name : Charles Drake

Gender : Male

Character Name : Joyce

Original Name : Judith Braun

Gender : Female

Character Name : Robertson

Original Name : Sidney Poitier

Gender : Male

Character Name : Antoinette

Original Name : Jacqueline Duval

Gender : Male

Character Name : Taffy

Original Name : Bubber Johnson

Gender : Male

Character Name : McCord

Original Name : Davis Roberts

Gender : Male

Character Name : Wilson

Original Name : Hugh O'Brian

Gender : Male

Character Name : Higgins

Original Name : Frank Chase

Gender : Male

Character Name : Kitty

Original Name : Cindy Garner

Gender : Female

Character Name : Tank Lieutenant

Original Name : Gregg Palmer

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tank Sergeant

Original Name : John Hudson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Heyman

Original Name : Jack Kelly

Gender : Male

Character Name : General Gordon

Original Name : Howard Petrie

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mechanic (uncredited)

Original Name : Douglas Bank

Gender : Male

Character Name : Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

Original Name : George S. Patton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Soldier in Bistro (uncredited)

Original Name : George Barrows

Gender : Male

Character Name : French Peasant Mother (uncredited)

Original Name : Nan Boardman

Gender : Female

Character Name : Dubois -- Antoinette's Father (uncredited)

Original Name : Eugene Borden

Gender : Male

Character Name : Minor Role (uncredited)

Original Name : Forrest Burns

Gender : Male

Character Name : Military Police Captain (uncredited)

Original Name : Sidney Clute

Gender : Male

Character Name : Barmaid (uncredited)

Original Name : Yola d'Avril

Gender : Female

Character Name : Mechanic (uncredited)

Original Name : Michael Dale

Gender : Male

Character Name : Guard (uncredited)

Original Name : Robert Dane

Gender : Male

Character Name : French Waiter (uncredited)

Original Name : George Dee

Gender : Male

Character Name : German Sergeant (uncredited)

Original Name : Harold Dyrenforth

Gender : Male

Character Name : Brigadier General at Briefing (uncredited)

Original Name : Douglas Evans

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tanker (uncredited)

Original Name : Joe Freiden

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mechanic (uncredited)

Original Name : David Friedman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tank Corporal (uncredited)

Original Name : Richard F. Gaston

Gender : Male

Character Name : Col. Carter (uncredited)

Original Name : Thomas Browne Henry

Gender : Male

Character Name : Soldier in Bistro (uncredited)

Original Name : Bill Hickman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Soldier in Bistro (uncredited)

Original Name : Don Hicks

Gender : Male

Character Name : Military Police Captain (uncredited)

Original Name : Clark Howat

Gender : Male

Character Name : MP Lieutenant (uncredited)

Original Name : Jack Hyde

Gender : Male

Character Name : Engineer Captain (uncredited)

Original Name : Robert Karnes

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jones (uncredited)

Original Name : Syl Lamont

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lt. Michaelson -- Sentry (uncredited)

Original Name : Harry Lauter

Gender : Male

Character Name : Guard (uncredited)

Original Name : Tommy Long

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sergeant (uncredited)

Original Name : Roger McGee

Gender : Male

Character Name : First Sergeant (uncredited)

Original Name : James McLaughlin

Gender : Male

Character Name : German Corporal (uncredited)

Original Name : Peter Michael

Gender : Male

Character Name : Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

Original Name : Bernard L. Montgomery

Gender : Male

Character Name : Major General (uncredited)

Original Name : Howard Negley

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tank Private (uncredited)

Original Name : Murray Olshansky

Gender : Male

Character Name : Major (uncredited)

Original Name : John Pickard

Gender : Male

Character Name : Major (uncredited)

Original Name : Walter Reed

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sgt. Gorio (uncredited)

Original Name : Ted Ryan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Radio Operator (uncredited)

Original Name : Leonard Schneider

Gender : Male

Character Name : Military Police (uncredited)

Original Name : Emmett Smith

Gender : Male

Character Name : German Officer (uncredited)

Original Name : Richard Solito

Gender : Male

Character Name : Colonel at Briefing (uncredited)

Original Name : Arthur Space

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tanker (uncredited)

Original Name : Gordon Walsh

Gender : Male

Reviews

SiriusB

@SiriusB

2021-06-23

I first saw this movie over 40 years ago & found it enjoyable. Little did I realize that many years later, I myself would be a military truck driver, which thankfully was better organized than the situation shown in the film. Those men & women had it tough during those days & should be remembered.

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2022-09-03

I am afraid that I never was much of a fan of Jeff Chandler and sadly, here, he adds very little by way of star quality to this pretty routine wartime drama. He is "Campbell" who leads a squad of truck drivers who are given the onerous, and frankly under-appreciated, task of keeping General Patton's Third Army supplied with gasoline as they advance, at break-neck speed, through France. Setting aside the nature of their job, what ensues here has all been seen many times. The platoon must navigate their personal differences, racial prejudices, Nazi attacks, and even a minefield as the pressure on them from above to deliver the crucially needed fuel mounts - despite distinct lacks of central co-ordination from the US Army and of enthusiasm on the part of the enemy to play ball! The supporting cast is dominated by Sidney Poitier, but not in an especially potent fashion - he has a presence as an actor that draws the eye, but the dialogue and narrative of the rest of this rarely draws the ear. It's sometimes quite pithy, though, a dark soldier's humour that does raise a smile now and again but I'm afraid the contribution from Chandler sets the bar pretty low, and low it stays throughout.