Sick Product of a Sick System

Memorable, crazy movie

Great Film overall

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

As a slice of cinematic history, this film is worth watching. It was clear to me that it must have been written, and production largely completed before December 7, 1941. I'd like to see if there is any historical evidence of this.There was no reference in the film to the global conflict in which Europe and Asia were involved at the time until the last minutes of the film. I wonder how the original script ended? Most shocking is the brief shot at the end during the final marching parade where an older Asian man is shown cheering the marines as they march on by. The man is replete with "Foomanchoo" mustache and holding a sign saying "Me Chinese" while waiving a small American flag. Rarely was Hollywood so blatantly racist.The early Technicolor looks colorized by today's standards and yet beautiful for its time. I could have done without the endless marching and parade grounds scenes which took over most of the movie.

After watching this movie, I now know where the "Officer and a Gentleman" screen writers probably got their idea for the character Sgt. Foley. Randolph Scott was the Sgt. Foley of the 1940s. This movie was made during World War Two, but it spares us the jingoistic propaganda associated with most war movies of that era and offers interesting and likable characters, especially Maureen O'Hara as a Navy nurse and John Payne as the recruit. While watching this movie I thought of Richard Gere and how he would have fit in well in this movie. The similarities between this movie and "Officer" must be more than just coincidental. "Officer" was more intense but this movie did not need to rely on such theatrics to maintain audience interest because the star of this movie was the USMC itself.

Not a horrible movie overall, but not a patch on the 1926 silent feature with Lon Chaney as the tough Marine sergeant who has to whip a sassy new recruit into shape, and they come to respect each other, and there's a pretty nurse they both like, and yaddayaddayadda. The plot here is changed a bit, but there's little doubt that it's the same movie, and while Payne and Scott are both solid actors, they can hardly compete with the Man of a Thousand Faces, who was one of the greatest actors who ever lived, with or without makeup. Here it seems like they're too concerned with prettifying the Marine Corps, as opposed to showing the genuine drama involved in the process of training young men to kill and die for their country. The original film was more believable, and much appreciated within the Marine Corps. It had a more compelling story, vastly better acting, and is definitely worth checking out.I think the others who have commented here have summed up the picture's strengths and failings. I just wanted to set the record straight--this movie is a remake, so it shouldn't be considered the wellspring of films like "An Officer and a Gentleman" (a very good movie) and "Pearl Harbor" (a wretchedly awful movie). "Tell It To The Marines" is the wellspring of ALL these films, and the best of the bunch by a long shot. Though it doesn't have a naked Debra Winger writhing on top of Richard Gere, obviously. Eleanor Boardman makes a lovely military nurse, but she keeps her clothes on at all time. (g)I only watched "To the Shores of Tripoli" because I mistakenly thought it was going to be the 1950 release "Tripoli", starring Payne as one of the very first Marines, back in Thomas Jefferson's administration, taking on Barbary Pirates and such. Maureen O'Hara plays a seductive countess who wears various lowcut slinky numbers. Now THAT's entertainment!

"To the Shores of Tripoli" is light drama/comedy about new Marine recruits going through boot camp in the 1940's. This movie is made to look like a Twentieth Century Fox musical. There is too much color in the movie. It makes the story look less real. The colors are too bold and bright. You don't see any war scenes, just training scenes. Of course, there is a spoiled, rich Marine recruit (John Payne) in love with two women (Maureen O'Hara and Nancy Kelly), who wants to get out of the Marine Corp. Randolph Scott, who plays the drill sergeant, has the best role in the movie. He trains the recruits and tries to convince John Payne to stay in the Marine Corp. This is a terrific recruiting movie. It is fun to watch. A bit of trivia: both actors have worked with both actresses several times. John Payne made five movies with Maureen O'Hara,and Randolph Scott made three movies with Nancy Kelly. The supporting cast is full of recognizable faces of the 1940's. Only Harry Morgan is known by name because of his fame from television.