MacArthur (1977)

Director:

Joseph Sargent

Writers:

Hal Barwood (written by) &
Matthew Robbins (written by)

Release Date:

July 1977 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | History | War

Tagline:

Daring, Defiant, Brilliant, Stubborn, Gallant, Glory-Hungry, Cold, Compassionate, Idolized, Despised, War-Lover, War-Hater, Supreme Commander, Supreme Egotist, Husband, Father. MacArthur.

Plot:

The story of General of the Army Douglas MacArthur, Supreme Allied Commander during World War II and United Nations Commander for the Korean War...

Plot Keywords:

Douglas Macarthur | Imperial Japan | One Word Title | Army General | Admiral

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe.

Cast

Gregory Peck	...	Gen. Douglas MacArthur
Ivan Bonar	...	Lt. Gen. Richard K. Sutherland
Ward Costello	...	Gen. George C. Marshall
Nicolas Coster	...	Colonel Sidney Huff - MacArthur's aide
Marj Dusay	...	Mrs. Jean MacArthur
Ed Flanders	...	President Harry S. Truman
Art Fleming	...	The Secretary
Russell Johnson	...	Adm. Ernest J. King (as Russell D. Johnson)
Sandy Kenyon	...	Maj. Gen. / Lt. Gen. Jonathan M. Wainwright
Robert Mandan	...	Rep. Martin
Allan Miller	...	Col. Legrande A. Diller (MacArthur's aide)
Dan O'Herlihy	...	President Franklin D. Roosevelt
Dick O'Neill	...	Col. Courtney Whitney (Intelligence Officer)
Addison Powell	...	Fleet Adm. Chester W. Nimitz
Tom Rosqui	...	Gen. Sampson
G.D. Spradlin	...	Maj. Gen. Robert L. Eichelberger
Kenneth Tobey	...	Adm. William 'Bull' Halsey
Garry Walberg	...	Lt. Gen. Walton H. Walker
Lane Allan	...	Maj. Gen. William F. Marquat (MacArthur's staff)
Barry Coe	...	TV reporter
Everett Cooper	...	Lt. Gen. William Krueger (6th Army commander)
Charles Cyphers	...	Brig. Gen. Forest Harding (32nd Div. Commander)
Manuel DePina	...	Prettyman (as Manuel De Pina)
Jesse Dizon	...	Pedro Castro (Filipino soldier)
Warde Donovan	...	Lt. Gen. Lemuel C. Shepherd Jr., USMC
Jerry Holland	...	Aide
Philip Kenneally	...	RAdm. James Doyle
John McKee	...	Adm. William D. Leahy
Walter O. Miles	...	Gen. George C. Kenney (5th Air Force Commander)
Gerald Peters	...	Gen. Sir Thomas A. Blamey (Commander, Allied Land Forces Southwest Pacific Area) (as Gerald S. Peters)
Eugene Peterson	...	Gen. Collins
Beulah Quo	...	Ah Cheu
Alex Rodine	...	Lt. Gen. Kuzma Nikolaevich Derevyanko
Yuki Shimoda	...	Prime Minister Shidehara
Fred Stuthman	...	Gen. Omar N. Bradley
Harvey Vernon	...	RAdm. Forrest P. Sherman
William Wellman Jr.	...	Lt. John Duncan Bulkeley (Commander - Motor Torpedo Squadron 3)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Robert V. Barron	...	POW (uncredited)
Klair Bybee	...	Burial detail soldier (uncredited)
John Fujioka	...	Emperor Hirohito (uncredited)
Branscombe Richmond	...	Korean soldier (uncredited)
Shane Sinutko	...	Douglas (uncredited)
Ramon Sison	...	Lieutenant Colonel (Hospital Commander, Corregidor) (uncredited)
John Stuart West	...	Lieutenant Aames (uncredited)

Directed by
Joseph Sargent

Writing credits
Hal Barwood		(written by) &
Matthew Robbins		(written by)

Produced by
Frank McCarthy	....	producer
David Brown	....	executive producer (uncredited)
Richard D. Zanuck	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Jerry Goldsmith

Cinematography by
Mario Tosi		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
George Jay Nicholson

Production Design by
John J. Lloyd

Set Decoration by
Hal Gausman

Costume Design by
Larry Harmell		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Michael Corsentino	....	hair stylist
Frank McCoy	....	makeup artist
James Lee McCoy	....	makeup artist (as Jim McCoy)

Production Management
James Nicholson	....	unit production manager (as James R. Nicholson)
Ernest B. Wehmeyer	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Scott Maitland	....	first assistant director
Don Zepfel	....	second assistant director (as Donald E. Zepfel)
Charles Norton	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Charles Norton	....	second unit director (uncredited)
Candace Suerstedt	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Kurt V. Hulett	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Daniel Turk	....	carpenter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Robert L. Hoyt	....	sound
Don Sharpless	....	sound
James Troutman	....	sound effects editor (as Jim Troutman)
George E. Marshall Jr.	....	sound utility (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Dennis Glouner	....	matte photography
Bill Taylor	....	matte photography
Albert Whitlock	....	special visual effects
Syd Dutton	....	assistant matte artist (uncredited)
Henry Schoessler	....	matte crew (uncredited)

Stunts
Joe Canutt	....	stunt coordinator
Kim Kahana	....	stunts
Peter Horak	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Minor	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jimmy Nickerson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Branscombe Richmond	....	stunts (uncredited)
Walter Robles	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Dustin Blauvelt	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)
Tom Bookout	....	grip (uncredited)
Richard E. Brooks	....	camera operator: second unit (uncredited)
Joseph Cosko Jr.	....	second assistant camera (uncredited)
Joel King	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Randall Robinson	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)
Michael Simpson	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Music Department
Morrie McNaughton	....	music editor
Arthur Morton	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Dan Wallin	....	score mixer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Frank Khoury	....	driver

Other crew
D. Clayton James	....	chief technical advisor
Adam Parfrey	....	dialogue coach

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1977) (USA) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1979) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Universal Home Entertainment (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Corps of Cadets of The United States Military Academy, The  we gratefully acknowledge the assistance of
• Department of Defense, The  we gratefully acknowledge the assistance of (as The Department of Defense)
• Republic of Korea, The  we gratefully acknowledge the assistance of
• United States Army  we gratefully acknowledge the assistance of (as The United States Army)
• United States Marine Corps  we gratefully acknowledge the assistance of (as The United States Marine Corps)
• United States Navy, The  we gratefully acknowledge the assistance of (as The United States Navy)
• Universal Title  titles & optical effects

Also Known As:

MacArthur, the Rebel General (UK)

Runtime:

130 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

UK:PG | West Germany:16 | Australia:M (original rating) | Australia:PG (DVD rating) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:PG | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Alverno Villa, Sierra Madre, California, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

At the time of filming of the "Duty, Honor, Country" speech, Marj Dusay was only the third woman in history to occupy the West Point Cadet Mess "Poop Deck" while the Corps of Cadets was assembled. The first two were Queen Elizabeth II and the real Mrs. MacArthur.

Goofs:

When MacArthur has his car stop to let the Soviet military officer out, the rear projection footage behind suddenly stops moving, so that leaves on a bush which had been visibly blowing in the breeze abruptly freeze in place.

Quotes:

Gen. Douglas MacArthur: The days of the frontal attack are over. Only a mediocre commander would use it. Your good commanders do not turn in heavy losses.

Movie Connections:

Features Winchester '73 (1950)

Great, well done story of the controversial American General , superbly played by Gregory Peck.

No matter what you have to say about MacArthur, critical or otherwise, he shaped events in the Pacific theater of World War II to give him a part of history in the twentieth century. In this well done production with Gregory Peck in the leading role, he gives a candid performance of the flamboyant and publicity seeking authoritative General who turned earlier defeat into ultimate victory. His great speech on arrival from the Phillipines, by train at Spencer Street Station in Melbourne Australia in March 1942 incorporating those famous words - " I came through and I shall return" - was an inspiration to many Australians during their darkest hour. From the time of his arrival in our country he quickly abandoned the idea of defending any mainland invasion by the Japanese and decided on an offensive in New Guinea as a counter attack. Peck is perfect in the role of the self minded MacArthur doggedly pursuing the Japanese back to their homeland while arguing with his own superiors, including U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt over his earlier promise to liberate the Phillipines, which was planned to be bypassed. After the Japanese surrender, MacArthur becomes virtual ruler of Japan modifying old customs and instituting sweeping land reforms. His authority remained absolute until the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, when he clashed with new U.S. President Harry Truman over his successful campaign against the North Koreans and his intention to take on their Communist Chinese backers. Truman, wanting to avoid another world conflict, relieves MacArthur of his command and he is recalled home. Peck is magnificent with his captivating speech before a band of West Point recruits where he details his life and closes the movie with that famous caption " Old soldiers never die - they just fade away". This movie is a must for the younger generation of this world, to know that today's freedom was the result of the sacrifices made by their forbears. To add a final footnote my mother worked at Archerfield aerodrome in Brisbane in 1942 with her sister where they were employed as aircraft riveter's being responsible for the repair of the fuselage of damaged U.S. Aircraft used during the defense of our country during World War 2. She told me well before her death in March 2004 how she took her limited time off from work to travel to central Brisbane just to watch General MacArthur walk down Queen Street from his home base at Lennons Hotel to the AMP building in Edward Street where he had his headquarters. She said what a fine figure he cut, tall and handsome, and full of confidence in his goal of supreme victory. Her expectations in the faith of this great American General were ultimately justified. We are a free country today for the contribution of his great military expertise in the time of our greatest need.