Mcallen Daily Press

HOLLYWOOD FILM SHOP
By ERNEST FOSTER
who portray the heroic marines in Paramount's "Wake Island" are living their parts as literally as rigid U. S. Marine Corps discipline can make them.
On location on the shores of the Salton Sea in California desert country, they wear the leatherneck khaki uniform from sunup to sunset.
The bugler rules their lives. He wakes them up and puts them to bed. They eat when the bugle says they can.
They sleep in tents on military cots. They make their own beds, and the result must be "taut-million."
The players stand inspection each morning before they go on the set. A dangling shoelace or a creased trouser leg calls forth a few biting remarks from the drillmaster-tough as any sergeant.
And they drill and drill. It's four hours a day of "present arms," "port," "left shoulder arms," "forward, march" and "company, halt."
Too many mistakes send a man to the "awkward squad" for another hour of personalized instruction. For Director John Farrow and Producer Joseph Sistrom insist that every actor shown on the screen as a Marine be a credit to the uniform.
Results already are evident.
After one hot, dusty marching session across desert sand, Phil Terry, who is Private Warren in the picture, almost ran into an erect figure in a major's uniform.
"Thanks," grinned Brian Donlevy, returning the courtesy. Donlevy is a major in "Wake Island."
Also rating a salute is Macdonald Carey as the heroic flying lieutenant. Saluters include William Bendix and Robert Preston, a couple of fight-at-the-hat privates.
But not Albert Dekker. He's a civilian who doesn't believe in recognizing any shoulder bars-until the catastrophe of Wake Island changed his mind.