To Hell and Back

Plot synopsis:
Young Audie Murphy (Gordon Gebert) grows up in a large, poor sharecropper family in Texas. His father deserts them around 1939–40, leaving his mother (Mary Field) barely able to feed her nine children. As the eldest son, Murphy works from an early age for his neighbor, Mr. Houston, a local farmer, to help support his siblings. Murphy and Mr. Houston are interrupted while working and listen to the radio announcement about the Attack on Pearl Harbor. When his mother dies in 1941 Audie becomes head of the family. His brothers and sisters are sent to an elder sister, Corrine. Murphy is then convinced by Mr. Houston to enlist in the military to support himself.
Murphy is rejected by the Marines, the Navy, and the Army paratroopers due to his small size and youthful appearance. Finally, the Army accepts him as an ordinary infantryman. After basic training and infantry training, Murphy is shipped to the 3rd Infantry Division in North Africa, as a replacement. Because of his youthful looks, he endures jokes about "infants" being sent into combat. His squad mates include: Johnson, a man who claims to be a womanizer; Brandon, a man who ran out on his wife and daughter; Kerrigan a man who jokes at unusual times; Kovak a Polish immigrant who wants to become an American citizen; Swope ( called "Chief" by his squad mates) a native American who smokes cigars a lot, and Valentino who has relatives in Naples.
After the 3rd Infantry Division lands in Sicily, Murphy and his men come under attack by a German machine gun position. Murphy and his men assault the position and kill the Germans. After fighting in Sicily, Murphy is then promoted to corporal. After Sicily, Murphy and his squad receive a new platoon leader, Lt. Manning. During a diversionary attack on German forces, Lt. Manning is wounded and Sgt. Klasky, his platoon sergeant, dies. This results in Murphy taking command of the platoon. After proving himself in leading his platoon while fighting in Italy, he is then promoted to sergeant. Murphy and his men are then sent to Naples on R&R.
Murphy and his men later take part in Operation Shingle. After landing on the beach, Murphy and his men fight around an abandoned farmhouse. This battle results in Lt. Manning, Kovak, and Johnson being killed. After the Allied breakout of Operation Shingle, Murphy eventually receives a battlefield commission in the rank of second lieutenant.
The action for which Murphy was awarded the Medal of Honor is depicted near the end of the film. In January 1945, near Holtzwihr, France, Murphy's company is forced to retreat in the face of a fierce German attack. However, Murphy remains behind, at the edge of a forest, to direct artillery fire on the advancing enemy infantry and armor. As the Germans close on his position, Murphy jumps onto an abandoned M4 Sherman tank (he actually performed this action atop an M10 tank destroyer) and uses its .50-caliber machine gun to hold the enemy at bay, even though the vehicle is on fire and may explode at any moment. Although wounded and dangerously exposed to enemy fire, Murphy single-handedly turns back the German attack, thereby saving his company. After a period of hospitalization, he is returned to duty. The film concludes with Murphy's Medal of Honor ceremony shortly after the war ends, as Murphy remembers Kovak, Johnson, and Brandon, who were killed in action.

Tags: autobiographical, historical

Review:
To have Audie Murphy himself have to remember and "relive" his war experiences, having been removed from them for only ten years, is unprecedented.The movie is the forerunner of such movies as We Were Soldiers Once...and Black Hawk Down.
He is perhaps the last real genuine American hero, as we slip into a vortex world of lawyers, statistics, and scams.1.) At the age of 12, he chose to be a man by taking over his absentee father's role in his family; he literally fed his dirt poor family by putting meat on the table with a keen eye and a broken down .22 rifle.
This is something half of the high schoolers of today can't do as they "rap" themselves in hedonistic pursuits of clothes, breeding without responsibility, drugs, cell phones, and a disregard for another person's respect and rights.2.) After multiple attempts to join our country's armed forces, he became the most highly decorated soldier in our nation's history, with countless feats of heroism (please see WWW.AUDIEMURPHY.COM.).3.) He achieved Hollywood star status with his tough yet tender persona.In a current world of 50 cents, we can look back to a time when a man was truly a man, and that man was the United States Medal of Honor Winner: AUDIE MURPHY..
While it's amazing that the baby faced Murphy still looks young enough in 1955 for the story to work 15 years after the fact, the truly amazing thing is that from most accounts, Murphy understates his own role in many of the events described in the movie.
I watched this movie because I was interested in seeing the story of Audie Murphy, the most decorated soldier in U.S. history.
The fact that this movie is based on Audie Murphy's autobiography, and that he stars as himself in the film, added to my interest.
In my opinion 'To Hell and Back' is one of the best war movie ever made, (right next to 'Saving Private Ryan') because it was about a true story of a kid from Texas with a run-a-way Father and a dead Mother, wanted to do something for the war effort but was turned down by every other service except the Army, and the Army had second thoughts.
What makes this movie very special is the fact that the most ever to date decorated US soldier (two dozen of the highest medals) and a Congressional Medal of Honor receiver, not only lived through the war, but in fact played himself !
I watched a run of this movie on the History Channel, it was a show called, is it 'History or Hollywood' where by at the end of the show 3 Historians discuss a movie for Historic correctness, every one said if anything this movie was under stated of what Audie Murphy truly did in Europe during WWII, one said it was down played because of Audie Murphy himself, because his Army recorded as witness by others has him doing lots more, but that was the personality of Audie Murphy, imagine watching a movie were the battle's and the deeds are true, they called out a seen where Audie's best friend gets shot, he really did go ballistic charging at the German machine gun nest that killed him, picks up a German Machine gun then proceeds to take out 2 or 3 more gun sites, by using the German gun it didn't give a warning to the Germans, he saved countless American lives coming up that mountain, a brilliant movie.
It was a good thing that he was an actor because John Wayne would have played his part if he hadn't been, which would have been a real shame because you would have lost the true meaning behind the story.
I'll take the battle hardened, frail looking, stuttering veteran over the tough talking, strapping, strutting Hollywood pretender any day.So when I watch the movie I think about the reality of Audie Murphy.
Audie Murphy, the greatest hero of World War II, was always a seriously underrated actor, and he had a great screen presence.
This movie was a chance to make film history by featuring Murphy in his own exciting story, something that's never been done before or since.
A more bitter and savage tone, tempered with American optimism, the kind of attitude that I understand Mr. Murphy actually had later in life, would have worked.Even though I was disappointed, I still recommend watching this film because of my admiration for Audie Murphy, and to observe a particular attitude about war that was common in 1950s America.
Of course Audie Murphy is perfectly cast and gives a performance far superior to any of his subsequent movie roles.
I think that it works because Murphy doesn't look like the typical movie hero.
The authentic WWII story of Audie Murphy , the most decorated soldier in U.S .
Based on the autobiography of Audie Murphy who stars as himself in the film from his up-bringing as the son of Texas sharecroppers , as his mother dies and he remains orphan and caring his kiddies brothers .
As Audie takes on hundreds of enemy soldiers with a machine gun mounted on a tank and he fought in seven major campaigns during World War II .
Acceptable picture based on actual events about about Audie Murphy who plays himself following his Army career in WWII .
He directed various Audie Murphy vehicles such as : this ¨To hell and Back¨ (1955) , ¨World in My Corner¨ (1956) , ¨Ride a Crooked Trail¨ (1958) and ¨Medal of Honor¨ .Based on facts , these are the following ones : The film describes especially the Italian campaign , when Eisenhower and the Allied command is convinced by Winston Chuchill and his General Brook to carry out the Italian invasion .
I've always Liked watching Audie Murphy's movies since I was a child.
World War II's equivalent from East Texas only waited ten years and had the singular honor of starring in the film of his own life.Good thing Audie Murphy became a Hollywood star because he got to both write his own story and have Universal Studios produce the film as to his specifications.
you get it in To Hell and Back with Audie Murphy playing the man his comrades called Little Texas.
Audie Murphy is one of the nation's most beloved souls, not only as an actor, but his exploits on the battlefront during WWII, becoming the most decorated soldier in history, and rising far in the military at the tender age of 19 made him an inspiration for us all.
To Hell and Back is his story.A true story based on Murphy's autobiography, THaB is beyond its time in that the visuals are absolutely stunning for a movie made in 1955.
What you'll realize about Murphy's performance is how real it is, because it's a rare moment in movies when someone plays themselves in an actual moment that changed their lives.Go watch this great war movie.
This was a 50s war movie and Hollywood didn't really capture realism even with Audie in the lead role.Knowing it is a true account of Murphy's unbelievable heroics, the director wandered through the film with with a typical script of the time that didn't give Mr Murphy the proper credit he so rightly deserved.
A story of one soldier's journey through various theaters of World War 2, To Hell and Back is unique due to its lead actor portraying himself.
Real life veteran Audie Murphy took many steps to ensure this film captured the essence of what regular soldiers went through, and it shows.
Audie Murphy was, at the time of this film, the most decorated soldier this country has ever produced.
It's certainly a good film, but the producers did not want to show the real hell of war, making Murphy's job less than it probably was..
I think one of the other reasons it's so good is because it's basically non stop real life action there's no time to get bored with it like you do with some action films and it's all quality mad even for it's age no cheap photography and video tricks.
So while all the movie star types are getting what passes here for "bright" dialogue, Murphy is mostly keeping his mouth shut and unassumingly saving the day.And that's the way it really was.Audie's sweet Napoletana, Maria, is played by Susan Kohner.
"To Hell and Back" is a good war movie, but it would have been better if Audie Murphy narrated the movie instead.
In real life, the men Murphy served with gave him a hard time because he looked like a kid.
This movie plays more as a tool of propaganda for the US military, than presenting a good story with good acting and memorable characters.Instead we just sit back and are just watching things happen like a 3 minute news reel.
But his presence and dialogue in the movie died (not cause he was killed) shortly leaving me more frustrated.The thing is there probably is a real story here but the translation just doesn't work in this film.Rating 3 out of 10..
If you can accept a 30 year-old Audie Murphy playing himself at 18 in this 1955, WW2, Bio-film, then I'm sure you won't be at all disappointed by To Hell & Back.As far as war pictures go, To Hell & Back's story is a fairly interesting one.
This film's a pretty accurate tale covering Murphy's 3-year military career where, through the merits of bravery, he eventually became one of the most highly decorated American soldiers to ever serve in the 2nd World War.In 1945 Murphy was ceremoniously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.To Hell & Back is basically a wartime "buddy" picture of loyalty and heroism.
It proudly boasts of the glory of American patriotism (right to its very core).*Notes of interest about Audie Murphy* - (1) Following his service in the war, Murphy successfully pursued an acting career which lasted for 20 years (from 1948-1969).
Inspired by a true story, this film gives viewers a cinematic snapshot of WWII hero Audie Murphy, from his days as a poor Texas farm boy to his combat in Sicily and Italy.
For viewers who know about Audie Murphy's life, the film lacks suspense.
But half a century later, "To Hell And Back" tells us more about movie making in the 1950s than it does about the brave, gallant, and very human Audie Murphy..
A largely ordinary film about an extraordinary man, To Hell And Back was made a decade after combat soldier Murphy left the service, a natural enough choice of subject matter.
Based upon Murphy's book of reminiscences of the same name, the film was viewed as a useful tonic for recruitment after the Korean War by the Army and they co-operated enthusiastically with the studio's production.After a briefly covering the actor's childhood, the rest of the movie focuses on Murphy's striking military career.
An unassuming if determined character, 'Murphy' is somewhat ill at ease with women (a trait, incidentally, not reflecting real life), one reason why perhaps the 'Italian interlude' of To Hell And Back, when the soldiers are on leave, is the least convincing of the narrative.
The man of whom the 3rd Infantry Commander in World War II called "the greatest combat soldier I have ever known" and another Major-General dubbed "beyond a doubt the finest soldier I have ever seen." There's interesting power occasionally in the film too, exactly because the actor's mild, everyman quality disavows those extreme qualities laying hidden below the baby-faced surface, even while the star's real life history affirms them.
Ending as it does with Murphy's war drawing to a close and a parade, understandably the film offers no portrait of the star's later years, decades when he faced stress-related nightmares, health issues, an amount of painkiller dependency and other personal issues.
Interestingly at one point the star did consider a sequel to the film, tentatively entitled 'The Way Back', even going so far as reportedly writing a script in 1956, but this idea fell by the wayside.Murphy, who never considered himself more than a competent actor, wears the mantle of great courage very lightly in his film, just as he did in real life (attempting to give his medals away to relatives for instance).
The film does chronicle some of the exploits of Audie Murphy, who having grown up dirt poor in Texas, went on to become the most highly decorated soldier of WWII.
So, if the story of Audie was true, it was not a typical story of an American soldier in the last war.
I truly enjoyed watching Audie Murphy as himself in this movie..
Because this movie was based upon the life and times of Audie Murphy during his times of service in World war II.
There is not much of a plot to the film, because it shows the real hero Audie Murphy in combat.
Director Jesse Hibbs makes the cold mud and rain of the Italian campaign believably real, especially a series of scenes revolving around a farmhouse and a burning tank...One might assume that Murphy's indomitable courage would be described as Rambolike heroics, but in comparing the film with the official combat reports, it is clear that Murphy became an astounding soldier by skill, training, intelligence, and luck...
He was an equal opportunity soldier, doing everything the front line combatant is required to do in order to take and hold ground through Sicily, Italy, France, and into Germany...All of the events recounted in the film take place before Murphy was 19 years old...
"To Hell And Back" is based on the autobiography of Audie Murphy, the most decorated American soldier of the second world war, with Murphy playing himself.
Along the way, Murphy rises through the ranks from private to lieutenant and is leading B Company before his military career is cut short by a piece of shrapnel just a few months before VE-Day. A number of episodes also touch on his background, such as when discovers that one of his squadmates abandoned his wife and child, much like Murphy's dad, and when he meets an Italian family where the father similarly disappeared.It's a spectacular story (I should note I read the book before seeing the movie), and the film's main failing is that it really doesn't do the story justice.
Of course this movie "sanitizes" WWII, look at the year it was made, the Hollywood censors would NEVER have allowed a "Saving Private Ryan" film to be released.
I was moved by this autobiography based film about the most decorated soldier of WWII, Audie Murphy.
One of the few bio-pics in which the subject is actually played by himself To Hell And Back is a passable war film in which it is no exaggeration when it claims to be based on real events.
TO HELL AND BACK is a WW2 movie of the 1950s with a unique hook: it tells the true story of the army career of western actor Audie Murphy, with Murphy playing himself, no less.
Because our idea of a hero is someone who looks like Rambo, Murphy would never have been cast in this part had the movie been fictional.
Even knowing that the movie was based on a true story, the audience might still have been incredulous had a little man with a baby face other than Murphy played the part.
But by having Murphy play the part himself, we are forced to accept the fact that the kind of actor who plays the hero in a typical movie and the kind of man who is a real hero can be two very different things.
Murphy as the most decorated American soldier of World War II makes for a good--but not great--traditional military movie where everybody obeys orders and few complain about serving in the infantry.
Everybody in the outfit sets out to protect little Audie, but by the time that it is over, he has risen to the rank of lieutenant and he is the one watching out for them.What sets this combat film apart, aside from its infantry perspective, is the appearance of two genuine Sherman tanks--which while they may not be the same models that plowed through the fields of France--are a rarity in World War II movies, especially during the 1950s.
Whenever you hear the name of Audie Murphy, it's generally in connection with his being the most decorated soldier of World War II.
Audie Murphy's story would be a good one to see made today with a talented script writer and a more professional approach to film making.
They are given real meaning so we get a small understanding of the loss that Murphy felt and the reason he performed such daring acts of bravery: they were trying to kill his friends.The film never reaches the level of greatness, but it does its job of telling the story of Audie Murphy, without pomp or flash, much like the real man.
In this story about the most decorated hero of WWII, Audie Murphy plays himself as only he can.
The stark realism of war, the familial struggles among the soldiers themselves, as well as the story of the man Murphy himself were all portrayed well in this superior biopic..
Probably unique amongst the plethora of World War 2 films in that not only is it a true story but actually acted out by the man who was there.
One story I've heard is that General Eisenhower liked the film but disapproved of the choice of leading man saying he was too small for the role, unaware that actually Murphy was playing himself although that may be a myth..
The most decorated soldier in WW2 Audie Murphy portrays himself in this battle Saga of the Third Infantry Division.
The fact that it is starring the very person who really lived this war time experience, this film is a special gem.