WarDrama

Sands of Iwo Jima

- A great human story... makes a mighty motion picture!

Haunted by personal demons, Marine Sgt. John Stryker is hated and feared by his men, who see him as a cold-hearted sadist. But when their boots hit the beaches, they begin to understand the reason for Stryker's rigid form of discipline.

Release Date : 1950-01-01

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Republic Pictures

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Sgt. John M. Stryker

Original Name : John Wayne

Gender : Male

Character Name : PFC Peter T. 'Pete' Conway

Original Name : John Agar

Gender : Male

Character Name : Allison Bromley

Original Name : Adele Mara

Gender : Female

Character Name : PFC Al J. Thomas

Original Name : Forrest Tucker

Gender : Male

Character Name : PFC Benny A. Regazzi

Original Name : Wally Cassell

Gender : Male

Character Name : PFC Charlie Bass

Original Name : James Brown

Gender : Male

Character Name : PFC Dan 'Handsome' Shipley

Original Name : Richard Webb

Gender : Male

Character Name : Cpl. Robert C. Dunne / Narrator

Original Name : Arthur Franz

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mary

Original Name : Julie Bishop

Gender : Female

Character Name : PFC 'Farmer' Soames

Original Name : James Holden

Gender : Male

Character Name : PFC George Hellenpolis

Original Name : Peter Coe

Gender : Male

Character Name : PFC Frank Flynn

Original Name : Richard Jaeckel

Gender : Male

Character Name : PFC Eddie Flynn

Original Name : William Murphy

Gender : Male

Character Name : PFC Hart S. Harris

Original Name : George Tyne

Gender : Male

Character Name : Pvt. J.E. 'Ski' Choynski

Original Name : Hal Baylor

Gender : Male

Character Name : Capt. Joyce

Original Name : John McGuire

Gender : Male

Character Name : Pvt. Mike McHugh

Original Name : Martin Milner

Gender : Male

Character Name : Pvt. Sid Stein

Original Name : Leonard Gumley

Gender : Male

Character Name : Pvt. L.D. Fowler Jr.

Original Name : William Self

Gender : Male

Character Name : Colonel D.M. Shoup

Original Name : David M. Shoup

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lt. Col. H.P. Crowe

Original Name : H.P. Crowe

Gender : Male

Character Name : Captain Harold G. Schrier

Original Name : Harold G. Schrier

Gender : Male

Character Name : PFC Rene A. Gagnon

Original Name : Rene A. Gagnon

Gender : Male

Character Name : PFC Ira H. Hayes

Original Name : Ira H. Hayes

Gender : Male

Character Name : PM3C John H. Bradley

Original Name : John H. Bradley

Gender : Male

Character Name : Marine (uncredited)

Original Name : Conrad Binyon

Gender : Male

Character Name : Wounded Marine (uncredited)

Original Name : David Clarke

Gender : Male

Character Name : Marine (uncredited)

Original Name : Fred A. Datig

Gender : Male

Character Name : Marine (uncredited)

Original Name : Bruce Edwards

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tall Girl (uncredited)

Original Name : Dorothy Ford

Gender : Female

Character Name : USO Woman (uncredited)

Original Name : Carole Gallagher

Gender : Female

Character Name : Officer (uncredited)

Original Name : Fred Graham

Gender : Male

Character Name : Colonel in Staff Car (uncredited)

Original Name : Don Haggerty

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lt. Baker (uncredited)

Original Name : Gil Herman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Marine (uncredited)

Original Name : William Hudson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Forrestal (uncredited)

Original Name : I. Stanford Jolley

Gender : Male

Character Name : Scared Marine (uncredited)

Original Name : Dickie Jones

Gender : Male

Character Name : Marine (uncredited)

Original Name : Billy Lechner

Gender : Male

Character Name : Marine (uncredited)

Original Name : Mickey McCardle

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sailor (uncredited)

Original Name : Roger McGee

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bartender (uncredited)

Original Name : Al Murphy

Gender : Male

Character Name : Waiter in Bar (uncredited)

Original Name : Frank O'Connor

Gender : Male

Character Name : USO Woman (uncredited)

Original Name : Judy Sochor

Gender : Female

Character Name : Marine (uncredited)

Original Name : Glen Vernon

Gender : Male

Character Name : Marine (uncredited)

Original Name : Steve Wayne

Gender : Male

Character Name : Grenade Instructor (uncredited)

Original Name : Dick Wessel

Gender : Male

Character Name : Marine (uncredited)

Original Name : Ted White

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lt. Thompson (uncredited)

Original Name : John Whitney

Gender : Male

Character Name : USO Woman (uncredited)

Original Name : Joy Windsor

Gender : Male

Reviews

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

Life is tough, but it's tougher if you're stupid. Sgt John M. Stryker is a battle hardened Marine who's job it is to prepare his new charges for the realities of war. With no care for making friends, Stryker does what ever it takes to make these men tough and ready for the Pacific conflicts to come. Sands Of Iwo Jima is unashamedly proud in its jingoistic fervour, and rightly so. Iwo Jima, and the now immortal portrait of weary American soldiers hoisting the flag atop Mt. Suribachi, has become a bastion of bravery, a beacon of triumph if you will. So it's no surprise to find Allan Dwan's film has no intention if deviating from boasting its colours, and hooray to that. Here as Stryker we find John Wayne giving a bit more to his character portrayal than merely some beefcake winning the war. Wayne puts depth and sincerity into Stryker, an air of believability shines through as he shows vulnerability, we believe he can win this war with his men, but we also see tenderness and it lifts Sands higher than your average war picture. Wise old director Dwan (432 directing credits to his name), weaves the picture together with admirable restraint. Fusing actual newsreel footage with his own tightly handled action sequences, Sands plays out as the tribute and rally call that it has every right to be, even finding place in the film for three of the soldiers who hoisted that now famous flag. Ira Hayes, Rene Gagnon and John Bradley are the three gentlemen to look out for. The rest of the cast don't really have to do much outside of respond to Wayne's two fold performance, but keep an eye out for a fresh faced Richard Jaeckel as Pfc. Frank Flynn, while I personally enjoyed the brief, but important contribution from Julie Bishop as Mary. Wayne received a nomination for Best Actor at the Academy Awards (too bad for him that 49 contained brilliant shows from the winner Broderick Crawford & a bluderbus turn from Gregory Peck), with other nominations going to the Best Story, Editing and Sound categories. Ironically it was a role Wayne didn't fancy doing, but some encouragements from war veterans humbled him into starring. Lock and load and saddle up for a top entry in the WWII pantheon. 8/10