List Price: $14.98You Pay Only: $13.49 You Save: $1.49 (10%)Prices subject to change.
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Binding: DVD
Brand: TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HOME ENT
EAN: 0027616921659
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD-Video, Full Screen, Letterboxed, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
Label: MGM (Video & DVD)
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: MGM (Video & DVD)
Region Code: 1
Release Date: April 19, 2005
Running Time: 109 minutes
Sales Rank: 55361
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Theatrical Release Date: 1966
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Editorial Review:
Description:
General MacArthur doesn't know it, but he's headed for an ambush. Hugh O'Brian, Mickey Rooney and James Mitchum star in this 'well-made' (Los Angeles Times) World War II nail-biter that'll keep you on the edge of your seat with 'consistent excitement' (The Film Daily) right until the explosive ending. A marine patrol secretly lands on the Japanese-occupied island of Siarago. Their mission: to locate a Japanese-American girl with vital information concerning General MacArthur's pending Philippine invasion. What they uncover instead is a Japanese plot to detonate underwater mines as the US fleet enters the bay. Cut off from outside communication, these brave marines must find a way to prevent what could be the worst naval tragedy from ever happening.
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - One of the finest Pacific Theater WW II films!
Hollywood simply did not make enough of these great color, letterbox format, Pacific Theater, WW II films! Director Ron Winston did a fine job with this one which is one of the best I've seen.
A young James Mitchum, (talented brother of Robert and John Mitchum), holds the starring role here over Hugh O'Brian and Mickey Rooney. Mitchum plays Private Grenier, a smart-aleck rookie U.S. Marine who has gotten himself shanghaied into a top secret special operation in the Phillipines during the Japanese occcupation. All the other marines, about a dozen of them, are highly-trained and experienced specialists in their respective fields. Mitchum, the radio guy, was grudgingly brought along as a last-minute replacement for the regular top communications specialist who came down with illness just prior to this imperative guerilla operation.
They are secreted to the island by float-plane at night. Soon after entering the jungle, the Captain of the operation is killed during a desperate scuffle with some Japanese soldiers at their campfire. Hugh O'Brian, playing the Lieutenant, takes over command and he doesn't much like Mitchum, viewing the Private as trivial and immature. Mitchum is eventually told the purpose of the operation: A Phillipine guide will take them across the jungle island to the Japanese base where their contact person, a covert Allied agent, will provide information that is critical to MacArthur's immanent Allied re-invasion of the Phillipines. Thus, it will eventually ... Read More
Rating:  - Basically a good movie that portrays the wrong unit
A squad of Marines is inserted onto a Philippine island in 1944 by seaplane and rubber raft for a scouting mission prior to MacArthur's invasion. They link up with a Philippine Guerrilla to locate a Japanese American agent with vital information.
The movie has a good cast and lots of good action scenes, I just can't give it five stars due to one large technical inaccuracy; the Marine Corps did not operate in the Philippines in 1944, they were in the Central Pacific at the time. And they certainly didn't perform special reconnaissance for MacArthur.
The Sixth Army Special Reconnaissance Unit - also known as the Alamo Scouts - did perform many missions similar to the one portrayed in this movie, both on New Guinea and in the Philippines.
The Alamo Scouts worked in small teams, were often inserted by seaplane and rubber raft, wore the leopard pattern camouflage and soft caps worn by the Marines in this movie, and would sometimes liaison with Philippine Guerrillas.
Having the Marines on a scouting mission in the Philippines is sort of like having the Army invade Tarawa. Still, all in all, this is a fun movie to watch. Strictly speaking, it isn't factual, but it speaks to some of the facts. I could have given it five stars if the unit had been portrayed as Alamo Scouts.
People knowledgeable in WWII weapons will probably notice the scoped M1 sniper rifle carried by one of the Marines isn't a true M1C or M1D configuration as it should ... Read More
Rating: - Entertaining, if somewhat cliched, WWII adventure
Ambush Bay is an entertaining WWII action movie that uses too many war movie cliches, but overall doesn't take away the enjoyment of an exciting movie. In October 1944, a specialist team of Marines lands in the Phillipines to complete a mission, meeting a source that has some key information, that could play a big part in the retaking of the islands. Among the nine-man team is a inexperienced radio man, Grenier, who was a last minute replacement and is not quite sure why he had to come along. While trekking through the jungle, Grenier must try and fit in without having the team turn on him. But as the team of Marines travels across the island, they find themselves battling the Japanese every step of the way, and their numbers begin to dwindle. The story isn't groundbreaking, and it doesn't need to be, the movie moves at a lightning quick pace and there is action around every corner. At times, the characters are nothing more than stereotypes, but you don't even notice, the action moves too quickly. Non-stop fun throughout with plenty of action and excitement.
With a script that focuses on three main characters, Hugh O'Brian plays the lead, Sgt. Steve Corey, a tough-as-nails veteran who finds himself in command after the mission leader is killed early on. O'Brian brings a hard-edged touch to the role as the no-nonsense leader. Mickey Rooney seems to be having a great time as Gunnery Sgt. Ernie Wartell, O'Brian right hand man who seems to be the only one trying to help Private ... Read More
Rating:  - Ambush Bay -- not art
Ambush Bay is not art. It is not entertainment. It is not even interesting. Ambush Bay is without a doubt one of the worst WWII movies ever produced. The best part of this movie is Robert Mitchum's red cap, worn while he is in the Philippine jungle hiding from Japanese soldiers. Red cap.... Why not wear universal orange?
I've seen the movie twice. Once with the sound on. It was awful. I watched it again, with the sound off. It was better this second time. It had the feel, without sound, of an ok comedy. With the sound it was pathetic.
Don't both buying it. Spend your money on something more useful or entertaining.
Rating: - Understated
I enjoyed this movie very much. True it's not a classic war film but it stands out among the run-of-the-mill TV type of fare. The ending was curiously muted but it made the film raise itself a few notches. The weaponry was accurate (although I doubt the silencers used on both pistol and carbine were WW2 issue) and the uniforms tally with the photographs I have seen of USMC reconnaisance units. Definitely Hugh O'Brian's best work.
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