Defeating a common enemy
In this early WWII flick, Edmond O’Brien is very young. It is one of his early roles, and he is billed after Robert Preston, on loan out from Paramount. The leading female role is played by Nancy Kelly, who had just finished her contract at Fox and married O’Brien as production was starting on this picture.
On screen O’Brien is cast as an educated and privileged enlistee. He clashes with Preston, who is featured as an athletic and somewhat roguish character. Preston probably has the more interesting part. We also have Richard Cromwell in a supporting role, as a would-be parachutist who has serious mental health issues and cracks up. In case things get too melodramatic, Buddy Ebsen is featured as another enlistee, providing comic relief as a hillbilly recruit.
Overseeing everything is Harry Carey as Kelly’s father, who just so happens to be the sergeant in charge of training these men. He seems to have his work cut out with them, especially Preston who enjoys challenging military authority.
Each member of the cast is given some unique things to do that demonstrate their various talents. However, Kelly’s role is the most underwritten, since after all this is a male action picture. Oh, there’s another Kelly– Paul Kelly– on hand as an assistant trainer, and I thought he did very well, exhibiting a lot of camaraderie with the boys, particularly with Preston whom he seems to admire as a fellow actor.
The leads appear to do a lot of their own on-the-ground and in-the-water stunt work, though I am sure the aerial scenes were done by professional skydivers. What makes the film so engaging and daresay fun is how educational it is, causing us to learn about the way parachutists are trained.
The film was put into production by RKO in early 1941, a good nine or ten months before the attack on Pearl Harbor. The story depicted on screen seems to anticipate the need to prepare for war, alongside other military films from the same period like Paramount’s I WANTED WINGS (1941).
There is a fair amount of light-heartedness in scenes, but there is plenty of nail-biting drama too. The part where Cromwell’s character pulls a gun on the other men inside the plane, refusing to take a dive due to his own fears, is powerful stuff. There is also the requisite romance drama with Preston and O’Brien vying for the leading lady’s hand in marriage.
Perhaps the best bit, aside from the incredible aerial shots and impressive stunt work, is a nice little musical interlude about two-thirds of the way into the picture where Ebsen gets to do some hoofing. He is allowed to show off his fancy footwork when a country tune is played and he gets the rest of the men to join in and dance with him. A marvelous scene.
The main message of PARACHUTE BATTALION is that we can all bond and work together to overcome our fears. In doing so we will be able to defeat a common enemy.
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