Immortal Sergeant

Infobox Film
name = Immortal Sergeant


image_size =
caption =
director = John M. Stahl
producer = Lamar Trotti
writer = John Brophy (novel)
Lamar Trotti
starring = Henry Fonda
Maureen O'Hara
Thomas Mitchell
music =
cinematography =
editing =
distributor =
released = January 11 1943
runtime = 91 minutes
country = USA
language = English
budget =
gross =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
website =
amg_id =
imdb_id = 0036037

"Immortal Sergeant" is a 1943 war film set in the North African desert during World War II. It stars Henry Fonda as a corporal lacking in confidence in both love and war, Maureen O'Hara as his girlfriend, and Thomas Mitchell as the title character. The film was based on the novel of the same name by John Brophy.

Plot

In North Africa, experienced Sergeant Kelly (Thomas Mitchell) leads out a British patrol, accompanied by Corporal Colin Spence (Henry Fonda), an unassertive Canadian. When they are attacked by Italian airplanes, they manage to shoot one down, but it crashes on one of their vehicles, killing eight men. Later, Kelly leads the six survivors on an attack of an Italian armored car, but is seriously wounded. He orders Spence to leave him behind; when Spence refuses to obey, he shoots himself.

Spence leads the remaining three men towards an oasis. Before they can reach it though, a transport plane lands and disgorges German soldiers who set up a base. After sneaking in to steal badly-needed food and water, Spence has to assert his leadership when one of his men advocates surrendering. Instead, Spence leads them in a surprise attack under the cover of a sandstorm. The British emerge victorious, though one man is killed and Spence is wounded.

The corporal comes to in a Cairo hospital and finds he is to be given a medal and promoted to lieutenant. His newfound assertiveness extends to his personal life. He proposes to his girlfriend Valentine (Maureen O'Hara), whom he had thought of (in flashbacks) throughout his ordeal.

Cast

*Henry Fonda as Corporal Colin Spence
*Thomas Mitchell as Sergeant Kelly
*Maureen O'Hara as Valentine
*Allyn Joslyn as Cassity
*Reginald Gardiner as Benedict
*Melville Cooper as Pilcher
*Bramwell Fletcher as Symes
*Morton Lowry as Cottrell

External links

*tcmdb title|id=79038
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036037/ Immortal Sergeantat the IMDb]