Hell To Eternity (1960)

53% of users liked it
(81 ratings)

This standard wartime drama is divided into three chronological segments and is based on the experiences of the real Guy Gabaldon (played as an adult by Jeffrey Hunter, and as a boy by Richard Eyer). In the first segment, Guy is a homeless waif without many prospects when he is adopted by a… More This standard wartime drama is divided into three chronological segments and is based on the experiences of the real Guy Gabaldon (played as an adult by Jeffrey Hunter, and as a boy by Richard Eyer). In the first segment, Guy is a homeless waif without many prospects when he is adopted by a Japanese-American family. He grows up just in time to be drafted into battle in World War II -- the bombing of Pearl Harbor has a particularly devastating effect on his family and their friends. After a wild last fling with two buddies (David Janssen and Vic Damone) and some women, Guy heads off to war where he distinguishes himself because of his fluency in Japanese. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 2 hr. 12 min.
Directed By: Phil Karlson
Written By: Ted Sherdeman, Walter Robert Schmidt
Genres: Drama, Action & Adventure, Classics

In Theaters: Aug 1, 1960 Wide
On DVD: Jun 5, 2007

Critic Reviews

Michael E. Grost, Classic Film and Television
Powerful anti-war drama, with a unique point of view on Japanese-American relations.

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Randy T

One of the first films to address the injustice of the WWII internment camps for Japanese Americans. Poorly named <i>Hell To Eternity</i> is a Hollywoodized version of the true story of Guy Gabaldon, a Hispanic boy who was adopted and raised by a Japanese family during… More
One of the first films to address the injustice of the WWII internment camps for Japanese Americans. Poorly named <i>Hell To Eternity</i> is a Hollywoodized version of the true story of Guy Gabaldon, a Hispanic boy who was adopted and raised by a Japanese family during the Great Depression. Gabaldon served as an interpreter in the U.S. Marine Corps, ultimately saving many American lives. This film struggles to find it's identity. It seems as though it can't decide whether it wants to be a socio-political drama or an action-packed war picture. The two concepts never effectively merge. They just seem stacked, one on top of the other. The result is a film that sometimes flows, sometimes flounders.