They Were Expendable poster
6.5/10 1945 2h 15m Released

A Tribute to Those Who Did So Much... With So Little!

After a demonstration of new PT boats, Navy brass are still unconvinced of their viability in combat, leaving Lt. "Rusty" Ryan frustrated. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, however, Ryan and his buddy Lt. Brickley are told they can finally take their squadron into battle. The PT boats quickly prove their worth, successfully shooting down Japanese planes, relaying messages between islands, and picking off a multitude of enemy ships.

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Top Cast

Robert Montgomery
Robert Montgomery
Lt. John Brickley
John Wayne
John Wayne
Lt. (J.G.) 'Rusty' Ryan
Donna Reed
Donna Reed
Lt. Sandy Davyss
Jack Holt
Jack Holt
General Martin
Ward Bond
Ward Bond
"Boats" Mulcahey, Chief Boatswain's Mate
Marshall Thompson
Marshall Thompson
Ens. 'Snake' Gardner
Paul Langton
Paul Langton
Ens. 'Andy' Andrews
Leon Ames
Leon Ames
Major James Morton
Arthur Walsh
Arthur Walsh
Seaman Jones
Donald Curtis
Donald Curtis
Lt. (J.G.) 'Shorty' Long
Cameron Mitchell
Cameron Mitchell
Ens. George Cross
Louis Jean Heydt
Louis Jean Heydt
'Ohio'
Jeff York
Jeff York
Ens. Tony Aiken
Murray Alper
Murray Alper
'Slug' Mahan T.M. 1c
Harry Tenbrook
Harry Tenbrook
'Squarehead' Larsen SC 2c
Jack Pennick
Jack Pennick
'Doc'

Reviews

CinemaSerf 7/10

"Brick" (Robert Montgomery) is an US Navy lieutenant desperate to prove that his motorised torpedo boats can do more for the war effort than deliver the mail. Luckily, he's got "Rusty" (John Wayne) as his number two and plenty of opportunity to test their theories against the advancing Japanese as with things looking terrible for the Americans in Manila, they have their work cut out for them. Even though things are…

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FAQ about They Were Expendable

What is They Were Expendable about?
After a demonstration of new PT boats, Navy brass are still unconvinced of their viability in combat, leaving Lt. "Rusty" Ryan frustrated. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, however, Ryan and his buddy Lt. Brickley are told they can finally take their squadron into battle. The PT…
When was They Were Expendable released?
They Were Expendable was released in 1945.
What genres does They Were Expendable belong to?
They Were Expendable is categorised as Drama, War.
Who stars in They Were Expendable?
The cast of They Were Expendable includes Robert Montgomery, John Wayne, Donna Reed, Jack Holt, Ward Bond.