Otherwise, he is just onhand to provide the occasional snarky remark. Sinatra's role in the film is actually a supporting one, mostly consisting of one queasy, unbearably nerve-tingling sequence in which he is traded to the Japanese in order to perform surgery on one of their men. A lot of this could have been rectified in the staging of the battle sequences. There are also a ridiculous amount of scenes in which characters stay alive simply because either the enemy stops shooting (for no reason) or else misses by a mile. However, Sinatra, as a director, is in a bit over his head and the film is often static or choppy in it's narrative.

It was an early example of showing more than one perspective with regards to enemies of America and it demonstrates, at times rather well, the ultimate futility and wastefulness of war. Hostility between the enemies finally gives way to a sort of truce, or at least a cease-fire, until finally the men must live up to their country's expectations of eliminating each other. Much of the film is devoted to the Japanese point of view as they are led by Mihashi (and most of it is presented in their native tongue with subtitles.) The rest concerns Walker, who takes charge of the remaining men, Sinatra, a boozy medic, Sands, a hopelessly eager upstart and Dexter, a grizzled Sergeant. Directed by Sinatra (in his one and only try), the film demonstrates the parallels and differences between these small units of soldiers on opposing sides and with varying backgrounds. One (piloted by Walker) manages to crash land on a nearby uncharted island which happens to be inhabited by a small contingent of Japanese soldiers. In the midst of WWII, a pair of American transport planes (each full of Marines) is shot down.

Empire total war scotland the brave