Back to Bataan Page #5

Synopsis: The US Army's defense of its Philippines colony and the allied Malay countries/colonies behind it counted on its island fortress of Corregidor on Luzon -and a few others- but loses it in the 6 May 1942 Japanese combined forces attack. Colonel Joseph Madden is among the escaping survivors who are ordered by general Douglas McArthur to organize a guerrilla. As he finds many native Filipinos inclined to resist the occupier's vision of returning to the South Asian fold under a paternalistic empire which doesn't hesitate to 'spank the unruly', but is mainly civilian, unprepared, inept in military matters, Madden appeals to the legendary anti-US freedom fighter Andres Bonifácio's homonymous grandson Captain Andrés Bonifácio, who is luckily rescued from a POW dead march, to inspire the resistance -once his own fighting spirit is rekindled- with him in a still very unsure war, retaliated by bloody, ten to one repression. When the Japanese realize the people side against them, they stage fake i
Genre: Drama, War
Director(s): Edward Dmytryk
Production: Turner Home Entertainment
 
IMDB:
6.7
APPROVED
Year:
1945
95 min
179 Views


Didn't you think I'd like to know

the woman I love was not a traitor?

- I was under orders.

- Orders?

Yes, orders that might affect

every American and Filipino on the island.

Don't talk to me about the Filipinos.

Mention freedom around them

and they don't stop to think.

They walk empty-handed

into blazing machine-gun fire.

But you and I should know better.

We should stop to think

if we've got a million-to-one chance.

But no. You and Dolici

have gone out of your heads.

Okay, we're crazy.

We and 17 million Filipinos.

- What'd you come back here for?

- Because I'm crazy, too.

I wanna keep on fighting Japs,

even though I know it's completely mad.

Don't get me wrong.

No one's gonna use my name...

to encourage people to kill themselves

faster than the Japs are doing it.

I'll stick around and fight,

only until Dolici decides to joins me.

After that, we're getting out of here

as fast as we can.

All right, if that's the way

you feel about it.

We'll do the best we can without you.

But just between us lunatics,

I think we'll win.

But what is being done?

Your Excellency,

we cannot find the enemy.

We send 100 men out,

and they see nothing.

We send 10 men,

and they don't come back.

We have set up severe reprisals,

Your Excellency.

Reprisals.

Your Excellency, you must let me resign.

A dead man cannot serve the Japanese,

no matter how hard he tried.

Look, they came into my bedroom

while I was asleep.

They painted this on my pillow.

Right next to my throat.

This is a sign of war.

This is my death warrant.

You're in no danger.

We'll provide sentries.

I'm the Chief of Police.

I had four sentries there all night.

- You're under our protection.

- Protection?

Did you protect the Mayor of Legaspi,

or the Commissioner of Malolos, or...

Six whole divisions at your disposal...

and you couldn't even protect our friends.

All you could think about was reprisals.

Send in Miss Dalgado.

You have my personal guarantee of safety.

You may go.

Yes, thank you, Your Excellency.

They might have just as easily

slit my throat.

Miss Dalgado, tell Col. Coroki...

why we have failed to win

the Filipino people over.

I was not aware that...

The guerrillas obviously have the complete

aid and sympathy of the people.

We are interested only in a frank answer.

There's no advantage

in cooperating with the Japanese.

A man obeys all the Japanese laws.

When he's taken at random and shot...

his next-door neighbor will think,

"It does a man no good to obey."

He might as well die fighting.

You're a conquered people.

What do you expect, independence?

That's not a bad idea, Coroki.

Miss Dalgado,

Tokyo has graciously consented...

to grant full independence

to its little nephews and nieces.

Now your people will see

the advantage of cooperating with us.

Why, we will be able to hold these islands

with only two divisions.

The granting of independence

must be an impressive occasion.

- You will help us, Miss Dalgado?

- It will be a great honor, Your Excellency.

Perhaps it would be a good idea

to hold the ceremonies at Balintawak.

It's the birthplace

of Philippine independence.

An intelligent suggestion.

The arrangements will be left

in Col. Coroki's hands.

To avoid any possible interference

with the ceremony...

I suggest you keep the place secret.

We wish to make that

a memorable occasion, Colonel.

It will be a most memorable occasion,

Your Excellency.

Yes. Make it memorable, Colonel.

Most memorable.

You can find room for this.

- Captain, everything's okay in Balintawak.

- What did you tell them?

- What you told me to say.

- Tell me exactly what you said.

I told them nobody was to do anything

that might tip the Japs off.

Everybody's supposed to do

their business, do what the Japs said...

and when the shooting started,

everybody should scram.

You told them the Japs

have promised us full independence?

- What did they say?

- Nothing.

Bernessa, get the drums going.

Get all the men together.

- Pvt. Cuenca?

- Yes, sir?

You accomplished your mission. I think

he deserves a red star, Miss Barnes.

Red star, indeed.

In his last composition, he spelled

"liberty" with a "U" instead of an "E."

Say, Colonel, it will only take one informer

to tip this whole deal off to the Japs.

That's right.

- What of it?

- Nothing. Just thinking out loud, I guess.

I don't know what I'm standing around for

with so much to be done.

Maximo, I've outlined

a course of study for the children.

You tell them they must

keep up on their studies now.

They must brush their teeth twice a day.

Tell them to eat lots of greens

if they can get them.

I'm leaving with Col. Madden.

- But I'm going along.

- That's out of the question.

Besides, you must take charge

of the children.

But he promised me.

He said I could be a scout.

Yes, I did, and I have been

meaning to speak...

You've done altogether too much

playing at war for your age. I think...

- I'm going to be a scout.

- Maximo, you mustn't...

If you don't mind, Colonel,

Maximo is still my pupil.

Now, you get that nonsense

out of your head.

- I'll get the outline.

- I'm not going back.

Maximo, if you insist

on this stubbornness...

I'm afraid I'm going to have to leave

without saying goodbye.

I'm going with you.

Maximo, come here.

Sit down.

Miss Barnes loves you very much.

I know. I'm sorry, but I want to go.

You can't. After tomorrow,

the Japs will be chasing us night and day.

We're going to have to move fast.

We'll be sleeping in swamps.

There'll be days without food.

Sounds okay to me.

But you're much too important

for us to risk.

You're the guy we're fighting this war for.

I'd rather be a Scout.

This thing isn't going to last forever.

And after it's over...

you're going to have to be the one

to build and plan.

You'll help make the Philippines

a great nation.

You did promise me.

You even called me "Pvt. Cuenca."

All right.

I'll tell you what I'll do.

I'll make you a full colonel.

The first thing an officer has to learn is

to take orders and obey them to the letter.

Remember what Miss Barnes said.

Take charge of those kids and make sure

they keep up on their studies.

Stay out of trouble. Got it?

- Yes, sir.

- Okay, Colonel.

- I'll be seeing you.

- Yes, sir.

In a few moments, we will be on the air.

In the meantime, here are the instructions

for those gathered in this park.

You are enjoined to obey strictly

the following regulations.

One:
Do not show any flag

but the Japanese flag.

Two:
At the appropriate times

you will shout "banzai"...

Ioudly, and with enthusiasm, three times.

Three:
Do not make

any suspicious movement.

We are about to broadcast.

There will be a complete silence

unless otherwise indicated.

People of the Philippines...

we are broadcasting from Balintawak,

the birthplace of Filipino freedom.

Seventeen million Filipinos are gathered

around their radios all over the islands...

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Ben Barzman

Ben Barzman (October 12, 1910 – December 15, 1989) was a Canadian journalist, screenwriter, and novelist, blacklisted during the McCarthy Era and best known for his screenplays for the films Back to Bataan (1945), El Cid (1961), and The Blue Max (1966). more…

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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