Breakthrough ** (1950, David Brian, John Agar, Frank Lovejoy, William Campbell) – Classic Movie Review 13,807

Warner Bros’ 1950 American war film Breakthrough stars David Brian, John Agar, Frank Lovejoy, and William Campbell. About a third of the film is actual World War Two footage.

Director Lewis Seiler’s 1950 American war film Breakthrough stars David Brian, John Agar, Frank Lovejoy, and William Campbell.

Breakthrough is a slack-paced, meandering Warner Bros World War Two wartime actioner, with a second-team cast mixed up in American army training then in battle in Normandy.

David Brian stars as Captain Tom Hale, who leads a company of infantrymen from the US 1st Infantry Division from the D-Day landings through the Normandy campaign, but the men resent the new lieutenant Joe Mallory (John Agar).

Captain Hale (David Brian), Lieutenant Mallory (John Agar) and Sergeant Bell (Frank Lovejoy) lead the troops in action, with the help of stock war newsreels, fascinating authentic documentary footage, the most notable aspect of the film, ensuring plenty of actual realism. About a third of the film is edited from pre-existing footage, including official American and British military films as well as captured German footage. As for the new scenes, some were filmed on location at Fort Ord near Monterey, California. It is only 91 minutes long, so the new footage is just an hour.

A bit of patriotism, a bit of romance, and a bit of action, but Breakthrough is not really very much of anything. It is all well meaning and there are some moments of considerable power, but the story by Joseph I Breen Jr is over-familiar, and the real-life based experiences lack focus as a coherent on-screen narrative.

Cast: David Brian as Captain Tom Hale, John Agar as Lieutenant Joe Mallory, Frank Lovejoy as Sergeant Bell, William Campbell as Cpl. Danny Dominick, Paul Picerni as Pvt. Edward P. Rojeck, Greg McClure as Pvt. Frank Finley, William Self as Pvt. George Glasheen, Richard Monahan as Pvt. ‘Four-Eff’ Nelson, Eddie Norris as Sgt. Roy Henderson, Matt Willis as Pvt. Jumbo Hollis, Dick Wesson as Pvt. Sammy Hansen, Suzanne Dalbert as Collette, Danny Arnold as Pvt. Rothman, Danni Sue Nolan as Lt. Janis King, Howard Negley as Lt. Col. John Lewis, and Drue Mallory as Betsy.

Warner Bros made a nice profit, earning $2,095,000 in the US and $920,000 overseas, against a $784,000 budget. This success might have been at least partly to do with this. The world premiere was held at the Warner Hollywood Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard on 8 November 1950. Warners somehow persuaded Los Angeles County to proclaim it Breakthrough Day. The screening was preceded by a military parade down Hollywood Boulevard with infantry units, Sherman tanks, a colour guard, searchlight batteries, a military police detachment and a band from Marine Corps Air Station El Toro. Many of the 75 film stars attending arrived in military jeeps. Representatives of 44 foreign nations, prominent war correspondents, government officials and civic leaders also attended. The MCs were Gordon MacRae and Frank Lovejoy. Wow! If only the film were as exciting as the showmanship!

© Derek Winnert 2025 – Classic Movie Review 13,807

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com