The period between the declaration of war in Europe in September 1939 and Pearl Harbor in December 1941 saw a string of patriotic Hollywood films made to prepare the public for the strong possibility of the United States' involvement in the conflict. One of the earliest movies in that span rallying around the flag was January 1940 "The Fighting 69th." Even though the Warner Brothers movie was centered around World War One, there was no mistaking it was referring to the current situation Americans were facing while war was unfolding overseas.
Film critic Eric Nash noted, "It almost seemed that Hollywood knew that the United States was about to enter into another war and was preparing the country to accept it. 'The Fighting 69th' is about a soldier finding courage." That soldier, Jerry Plunkett (James Cagney), is a wise guy from New York City whose brave talk during training camp turns into cowardice once he arrives on the front lines. He eventually performs an act of redemption which makes up for all his false bravado. "It's a war film with attitude to match the britches of Cagney's Plunkett character," points out film reviewer Steve Pulaski, "and it's a role he embodies with his trademark attributes of being hard-edged and blunt." He's assisted spiritually by the battalion's chaplain, Father Francis Duffy (Pat O'Brien), whose statue today graces New York City's Times Square. Duffy Square in the city is also named after the chaplain.
The public lapped up "The Fighting 69th." The war movie was Cagney and O'Brien's eighth film together, following their wildly successful 1938 "Angels with Dirty Faces." The two life-long friends appeared in only one other picture after the '69th,' and that was 1981's "Ragtime," the final movie for each actor. Besides the real life Father Duffy, who was on the front lines during the war, a handful of other historic personalities were seen in "The Fighting 69th." Major "Wild Bill" Donovan (George Brent), later the first director for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), orders Plunkett to join a group whose mission is to capture German soldiers to gather intel. Sergeant Joyce Kilmer (Jeffrey Lynn) also has a role in the the WW1 movie; he was a famous poet killed in the Second Battle of the Marne.
The famed Fighting 69th regiment's name dates back to Civil War's 1862 Battle of Malvern Hill, which purportedly received its name from the opposing general, Robert E. Lee. The Union regiment fought in several Civil War battles, and was almost obliterated charging up Marye's Heights during the Battle of Fredericksburg. They remained a regiment in honor of the Irish Americans who made up the contingency, and exists today as a single light infantry battalion.
Film critic Eric Nash noted, "It almost seemed that Hollywood knew that the United States was about to enter into another war and was preparing the country to accept it. 'The Fighting 69th' is about a soldier finding courage." That soldier, Jerry Plunkett (James Cagney), is a wise guy from New York City whose brave talk during training camp turns into cowardice once he arrives on the front lines. He eventually performs an act of redemption which makes up for all his false bravado. "It's a war film with attitude to match the britches of Cagney's Plunkett character," points out film reviewer Steve Pulaski, "and it's a role he embodies with his trademark attributes of being hard-edged and blunt." He's assisted spiritually by the battalion's chaplain, Father Francis Duffy (Pat O'Brien), whose statue today graces New York City's Times Square. Duffy Square in the city is also named after the chaplain.
The public lapped up "The Fighting 69th." The war movie was Cagney and O'Brien's eighth film together, following their wildly successful 1938 "Angels with Dirty Faces." The two life-long friends appeared in only one other picture after the '69th,' and that was 1981's "Ragtime," the final movie for each actor. Besides the real life Father Duffy, who was on the front lines during the war, a handful of other historic personalities were seen in "The Fighting 69th." Major "Wild Bill" Donovan (George Brent), later the first director for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), orders Plunkett to join a group whose mission is to capture German soldiers to gather intel. Sergeant Joyce Kilmer (Jeffrey Lynn) also has a role in the the WW1 movie; he was a famous poet killed in the Second Battle of the Marne.
The famed Fighting 69th regiment's name dates back to Civil War's 1862 Battle of Malvern Hill, which purportedly received its name from the opposing general, Robert E. Lee. The Union regiment fought in several Civil War battles, and was almost obliterated charging up Marye's Heights during the Battle of Fredericksburg. They remained a regiment in honor of the Irish Americans who made up the contingency, and exists today as a single light infantry battalion.