Up Front

1951, Movie, NR, 92 mins

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Ewell and Wayne star in this fairly amusing WW II comedy as Willie and Joe, GI characters created by cartoonist Bill Mauldin during the war. The film follows the pair of "dogfaces" while they battle their way through Italy. Stuck in a hopelessly undermanned infantry unit on the front, Ewell and Wayne bravely make the best of the situation until Wayne is wounded and sent to Naples to recuperate. Never missing a trick, Ewell manages to get a three-day pass and goes to the hospital to visit his buddy. His trip is hampered somewhat by noncombat MPs, who chase Ewell around Naples because he's out of uniform. Eventually, Ewell gets to the hospital to visit Wayne, and the pair soon return to the front. Before they have a chance to leave Naples, however, the soldiers become involved with a beautiful Italian girl, Berti, and her father, Minciotti, who is a black marketeer. Of course, the MPs are soon after them again, and in the climax Ewell and Wayne drive a truckload of black market goods to their buddies at the front, while a small army of MPs give chase. Silly stuff, but a lot of fun, with Ewell and Wayne turning in surprisingly good performances. A sequel, BACK AT THE FRONT, followed in 1952. leave a comment
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Up Front
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