They Were Expendable
“A Tribute to Those Who Did So Much... With So Little!”
After a demonstration of new PT boats, Navy brass are still unconvinced of their viability in combat, leaving Lt. "Rusty" Ryan frustrated. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, however, Ryan and his buddy Lt. Brickley are told they can finally take their squadron into battle. The PT boats quickly prove their worth, successfully shooting down Japanese planes, relaying messages between islands, and picking off a multitude of enemy ships.
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Cast
110 people
Robert Montgomery
Lt. John Brickley
Known for
Mr. & Mrs. Smith
Here Comes Mr. Jordan
John Wayne
Lt. (J.G.) 'Rusty' Ryan
Known for
The Searchers
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
Donna Reed
Lt. Sandy Davyss
Known for
It's a Wonderful Life
From Here to Eternity
Jack Holt
General Martin
Known for
Cat People
San Francisco
Ward Bond
"Boats" Mulcahey, Chief Boatswain's Mate
Known for
It's a Wonderful Life
The Searchers
Marshall Thompson
Ens. 'Snake' Gardner
Known for
It! The Terror from Beyond Space
Fiend Without a Face
Paul Langton
Ens. 'Andy' Andrews
Known for
The Incredible Shrinking Man
It! The Terror from Beyond Space
Leon Ames
Major James Morton
Known for
Mister Ed
Meet Me in St. Louis
Arthur Walsh
Seaman Jones
Known for
Mystic Pizza
Donald Curtis
Lt. (J.G.) 'Shorty' Long
Known for
Earth vs. the Flying Saucers
Spellbound
Cameron Mitchell
Ens. George Cross
Known for
Blood and Black Lace
The Toolbox Murders
Louis Jean Heydt
'Ohio'
Known for
The Big Sleep
The Great McGinty
John Ford Director · Frank Wead Screenplay Christina Stead Screenplay
Worldwide gross $3.2M · United States release December 20, 1945 · Produced in United States
Box office
Worldwide gross
$3,250,000
Production
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Production · Studio
United States
Produced in
Languages
Original language
English
Spoken on screen
English
Release dates
United Kingdom · December 7, 1945
Theatrical · London
United States · December 20, 1945
Theatrical · New York
United States
December 19, 1945 · Premiere · Washington, D.C.
December 31, 1945 · Theatrical
Austria
July 1, 1956 · Theatrical
Brazil
January 1, 1946 · Theatrical
France
April 20, 1949 · Theatrical
Germany
May 22, 1956 · Theatrical
April 22, 1976 · TV
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