I dispatched a group of one hundred men, and they returned empty-handed. A smaller team of ten never made it back at all. Is it unreasonable to take issue with the obvious displays of patriotism in wartime films? Or to criticize the propagandistic writing style within them? *Back to Bataan* is certainly culpable on both counts, but the film's presentation of a war experience seldom shown onscreen makes those issues less significant. The story unfolds in 1942, following the Philippines’ defeat by Japan. U.S. Army Col. Joseph Madden, played by John Wayne, remains behind to organize and lead Filipino guerrilla fighters opposing the Japanese military. Given that basic plot outline, it's easy to anticipate the type of movie on offer, but dismissing it simply as a film about muscular heroes would be somewhat inaccurate. While the story begins and concludes with intense action sequences—featuring Duke Wayne (who delivers a surprisingly subdued performance) and Anthony Quinn moving through RKO studio sets—there are also many thoughtful exchanges between characters that elevate it above a standard portrayal of the campaign. The movie occasionally strives for moments of emotional appeal, and some of the prejudiced remarks and depictions of the Japanese can be jarring. Nevertheless, this is an engaging and intelligent film, greatly enhanced by Dmytryk’s solid direction and Nicholas Musuraca's black-and-white cinematography—a pairing that will delight fans of film noir. It surpasses what one might expect from a typical war movie. 7/10

Source on TMDB