

Brigadier General Frank D. Merrill leads the 3,000 American volunteers of his 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional), aka "Merrill's Marauders", behind Japanese lines across Burma to Myitkyina, pushing beyond their limits and fighting pitched battles at every strong-point.
Direction
Fuller's documentary combat footage energy, zero glory.
Practical Effects
Real Philippine jungle, real suffering, no comfort.

Director
Samuel Fuller
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Fuller was the last Hollywood director to film actual combat footage before this—he wanted that documentary stink on every frame.
The real Marauders were deactivated immediately after Myitkyina; Fuller knew this was a story of men used up and thrown away.
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Director Sam Fuller served in the First Infantry Division, 16th Infantry Battalion in World War II. He participated in landings in North Africa, Sicily and Normandy and fought to liberate Falkenau, a death camp, in the very last combat of the European war. He earned a Silver Star, a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart and the Combat Infantryman Badge. He freely admits to sanitizing and stylizing combat. "I lie with the camera. I lie like hell. I don't want people to leave." He always strove to honestly and explicitly portray the emotional and mental truth of combat, though, as filtered through his own experience. The Steel Helmet is also a great example. I highly recommend the documentary The Typewriter, The Rifle and The Movie Camera for more insight into Fuller.
@garysouza95 10
Any man that is still alive that fought as a marauder. Thank you my man you have my upmost respect you are a warrior to the core. Thank you for your service.
@TheDevil1222 6
Yeah it is a HollyWood movie ... but then again I remember my dad laughing kinda in discuss and saying " It's not even close to what went on, and a lot of fluff at that " then got up and walked out of the T.V. room. That was around time this movie hit the Saturday Night at the movies runs on T.V. around 65 or so if you are mature enough to remember the 60's. Oh and after all he should of known ... He was one of the original marauders ... he was there from the beginning the real deal, bronze star and all.
@ZZZZ-wz4ue 18
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