Home Of The Brave was one of the first films to tackle racism in the USA and it was released at a time when the nation's consciousness was changing direction. The film first and foremost spoke to the black American veterans who after fighting to liberate the world from Fascist tyranny were not about to accept second class citizenry any longer.
But a lot of veterans were scarred by the war physically and mentally. One such was James Edwards who after a mission with a picked team to do reconnaissance on a Pacific island primed for invasion came back with hysterical paralysis. The story of what happened is told in flashback where army psychiatrist Jeff Corey pulls the truth from his mind.
The bulk of the film is spent on Edwards's memories of the mission. The team is led by Major Douglas Dick who has a lot of self doubts about himself. Rumors have it he's too young for the rank. Dick will prove them wrong. The others besides Edwards are Lloyd Bridges, Frank Lovejoy, and Steve Brodie. Bridges is one whom he had known before the war, both were in college and played basketball there.
Edwards is a surveyor/engineer and the essential man here. Remember the army was not integrated until after World War II so for a black man in this group it was unheard of. That should tell you how essential he was. Nevertheless the attitudes of those around him run the gamut of racial feelings in post World War II America.
There's action in this film, but it's a character study and was a play on Broadway that ran only 69 performances in 1945-46 Broadway. I will say the stage origin was for the most part masked over well.
Home Of The Brave came to the attention of those guardians of our patriotic virtue at the House Un-American Activities Committee. Writer Carl Foreman and Jeff Corey got themselves blacklisted. Corey's hopeful speech about better race relations in America coming must have gotten those old Southern rednecks' collars flaming.
After almost 70 years Home Of The Brave is still an outstanding film with a great ensemble cast and a powerful message.
But a lot of veterans were scarred by the war physically and mentally. One such was James Edwards who after a mission with a picked team to do reconnaissance on a Pacific island primed for invasion came back with hysterical paralysis. The story of what happened is told in flashback where army psychiatrist Jeff Corey pulls the truth from his mind.
The bulk of the film is spent on Edwards's memories of the mission. The team is led by Major Douglas Dick who has a lot of self doubts about himself. Rumors have it he's too young for the rank. Dick will prove them wrong. The others besides Edwards are Lloyd Bridges, Frank Lovejoy, and Steve Brodie. Bridges is one whom he had known before the war, both were in college and played basketball there.
Edwards is a surveyor/engineer and the essential man here. Remember the army was not integrated until after World War II so for a black man in this group it was unheard of. That should tell you how essential he was. Nevertheless the attitudes of those around him run the gamut of racial feelings in post World War II America.
There's action in this film, but it's a character study and was a play on Broadway that ran only 69 performances in 1945-46 Broadway. I will say the stage origin was for the most part masked over well.
Home Of The Brave came to the attention of those guardians of our patriotic virtue at the House Un-American Activities Committee. Writer Carl Foreman and Jeff Corey got themselves blacklisted. Corey's hopeful speech about better race relations in America coming must have gotten those old Southern rednecks' collars flaming.
After almost 70 years Home Of The Brave is still an outstanding film with a great ensemble cast and a powerful message.