Back to Bataan (1945)

61% of users liked it
(4,065 ratings)

Edward Dmytryk's Back to Bataan stars John Wayne as Colonel Joe Madden. After General MacArthur decides to follow his order and leave the Philippines, Madden agrees to stay behind and organize an underground resistance movement. Anthony Quinn plays Andres Bonifacio, a captain who falls in love with… More Edward Dmytryk's Back to Bataan stars John Wayne as Colonel Joe Madden. After General MacArthur decides to follow his order and leave the Philippines, Madden agrees to stay behind and organize an underground resistance movement. Anthony Quinn plays Andres Bonifacio, a captain who falls in love with a local woman (Fely Franquelli) who helps the army keep their rag-tag forces as organized as possible. Bonifacio must also deal with the pressure of being the grandson of a beloved Filipino leader. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 34 min.
Directed By: Edward Dmytryk
Genres: Drama, Action & Adventure, Classics

In Theaters: May 31, 1945 Wide
On DVD: May 4, 2004
Studio: Turner Home Entertainment

Critic Reviews

Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Wayne's paternal attitude (a father is reflected in his relationship with a boy from the Philippines, which some critics see as a testament to the American imperialistic and patronizing approach to weaker nations.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Weary wartime propaganda film with too much flag-waving.
Steve Crum, Kansas City Kansan
Action packed, jingoistic Wayne at war vehicle.

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Featured Audience Ratings

cody f

WWII film about the Filipino resistance against the Japanese. Not a bad film with some good action, but has a little too much flag waving. I like the idea of the story, but it has too many dramatic moments that come off as a little hokey. Wayne and Quinn are good together, but… More
WWII film about the Filipino resistance against the Japanese. Not a bad film with some good action, but has a little too much flag waving. I like the idea of the story, but it has too many dramatic moments that come off as a little hokey. Wayne and Quinn are good together, but overall just a run of a mill film for them so they are wasted.