The Thin Red Line
“It separates the coward from the brave The tough and the tender Sex and Love”
Set during the Allied invasion of the island of Guadalcanal in the Pacific theater during WWII, this film is based on the novel by James Jones. Keir Dullea is Private Doll, who dreads the invasion and steals a pistol to help him protect himself. Sergeant Welsh (Jack Warden), a caustic, battle-scarred veteran, hates Doll, whom he considers a coward. In battle, Doll kills a Japanese soldier and is filled with remorse, which further angers the sergeant. The next day, an emboldened Doll wipes out an entire enemy machine gun post and begins to feel as sadistic as Welsh. The two must work together to clear away some mines, but as they do, their platoon is surprised by a Japanese raid.
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Cast
12 people
Keir Dullea
Pvt. Doll
Known for
2001: A Space Odyssey
Black Christmas
Jack Warden
First Sgt. Welsh
Known for
12 Angry Men
All the President's Men
James Philbrook
Col. Tall
Known for
I Want to Live!
Bob Kanter
Fife
Also in
The War Lover
Winter A-Go-Go
Ray Daley
Capt. Stone
Also in
The Five Pennies
Merlyn Yordan
Judy
Also in
The Divorce
Winged Devils
Kieron Moore
Lt. Band
Known for
Arabesque
Darby O'Gill and the Little People
Jim Gillen
Capt. Gaff
Known for
Crack in the World
Steve Rowland
Mazzi
Known for
Battle of the Bulge
Stephen Young
Stack
Known for
Patton
Soylent Green
Mark Johnson
Medic
Also in
Public Eye
Jason Fithian
Pvt. Smalls
Also in
Dead of Night
Andrew Marton Director · Bernard Gordon Screenplay James Jones Author
United States release May 2, 1964 · Produced in United States · Languages English, German, Japanese
Production
Allied Artists
Production
United States
Produced in
Languages
Original language
English
Spoken on screen
English · German · Japanese
Release dates
United States · May 2, 1964
Theatrical
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Some details come from TheTVDB.