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The Fighting Seabees (1944)

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All Critics
Top Critics

100

Average Rating: 6.7/10
Reviews Counted: 6
Fresh: 6 | Rotten: 0

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Release Date: Mar 10, 1944 Wide

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Average Rating: 3.5/5
User Ratings: 4,294

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Movie Info

The Fighting Seabees is Republic Pictures' rip-roaring tribute to the US Navy's Construction Batallions (C.B.), without whom no plane would ever have gotten off the ground during WW2. John Wayne stars as Wedge Donovan, head of civilian construction company stationed in a pre-Pearl Harbor South Pacific war area. Despite Donovan's pleas to the Navy brass, he is denied permission to train his men for combat, the better to stave off imminent Japanese attack. Only after incurring heavy losses is

Unrated, 2 hr.

Drama, Action & Adventure, Classics

Directed By: Edward Ludwig

Written By: Borden Chase, Aeneas MacKenzie

In Theaters: Mar 10, 1944 Wide

On DVD: May 22, 2001

Cast

John Wayne
Wedge Donovan
Susan Hayward
Constance Chesley
Dennis O'Keefe
Lt. Cmdr. Robert Yarrow
William Frawley
Eddie Powers
Leonid Kinskey
Johnny Novasky
J.M. Kerrigan
Sawyer Collins
Grant Withers
Whanger Spreckles
Paul Fix
Ding Jacobs
Ben Welden
Yump Lumkin
William Forrest
Lt. Kerrick
Addison Richards
Captain Joyce
Jay Norris
Joe Brick
Duncan Renaldo
Juan
Roy Barcroft
Charles D. Brown
Chief Thundercloud
Tom London
Johnson
Charles Trowbridge
Wally Wales
Seabee
Crane Whitley
Refueling officer
William Hall

Critic Reviews for The Fighting Seabees

All Critics (8) | Top Critics (1) | Fresh (6) | Rotten (0) | DVD (3)

One of John Wayne's popular WWII movies, in which his hero shows the exepected rebellious independence.

March 23, 2011 Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com

| Comment

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com Source: EmanuelLevy.Com

WWII flag waving + Duke Wayne = can't miss action.

August 10, 2006 Comment (1)

Steve Crum

Dispatch-Tribune Newspapers

Standard WW2 flagwaver.

February 11, 2006 Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews

| Comment (1)

Dennis Schwartz

Ozus' World Movie Reviews

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Audience Reviews for The Fighting Seabees

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No more no less than a propaganda film, made during wartime. Wayne plays a construction chief convinced to the necessity of training construction workers to fight as well. There's a couple of good action scenes and Susan Wayward for the curious love angle ( she's the only female around on a Japanese held island!). Standard fare.

June 2, 2011

moon rivers

Super Reviewer

This is a straight up Hollywood- propoganda- you-better-we-can-beat-the-Japs flick. While briefly kinda sorta capsulizing the creation of the SeaBees construction battalion during World War 2 it's loaded with good ole John Ford/ Wayne Irish drinking buddies battling stock war footage Japanese and USA Navy command. It's

December 14, 2011