Too Late the Hero

A WWII film set on a Pacific island. Japanese and allied forces occupy different parts of the island…

• Director: Robert Aldrich
• Genre:Action / Drama / War
• Runtime:128 minutes

Cast

Michael Caine : Pvt. Tosh Hearne
Cliff Robertson : Lt. (j.g.) Sam Lawson
Ian Bannen : Pvt. Jock Thornton
Harry Andrews : Col. Thompson
Ronald Fraser : Pvt. Campbell

In the 1942 Pacific War part of World War II, Lieutenant Sam Lawson, U.S.N. (Robertson), is a Japanese language interpreter who — so far — has avoided combat. Although Lawson is slated for shore leave in forty-eight hours, his commanding officer (Henry Fonda in a cameo role) unexpectedly cancels his leave and informs Lawson that he is to be assigned to a British infantry commando unit in the New Hebrides Islands for a combat mission.

The British base is situated in the middle of a large open field, several hundred yards from the edge of the jungle; on the other side of the jungle is an observation and communications post controlled by the Japanese. Shortly after Lawson’s arrival at the British base, there is a commotion as a patrol of British soldiers sprint out of the jungle and across the open field, pursued by the Japanese. The base commander, Col. Thompson (Harry Andrews), instructs his men to keep well back, out of enemy range; they watch as the patrol are cut down by Japanese machine-gun fire.

Lawson’s commando group is instructed to reach the Japanese post and destroy their radio transmitter, to prevent their relaying the existence of an American naval convoy which is scheduled to appear on the horizon in three days. The post’s radio operator transmits an “all’s well” signal every night at midnight; it will be Lawson’s job to transmit a fake signal (in Japanese) to buy the Allies another 24 hours before the attack is discovered. Read more