One of the more interesting films about World War II, Hell to Eternity recently received an overdue DVD release. This 1960 film is about War hero Guy Gabaldon, a young Marine from East Los Angeles, whose ability to speak Japanese made it possible to persuade almost one thousand Japanese soldiers to surrender at Saipan. The real Guy Gabaldon was a technical advisor on the film which he loved so much he even named one of his sons Jeffrey Hunter Gabaldon after the actor who portrays him.

An orphan at age twelve, Gabaldon was unofficially adopted by a Japanese-American family where he learned to speak Japanese. Gabaldon enlisted in the Marines in order to use his language skills on behalf of the U.S. war effort. For his heroism, Gabaldon was awarded the Navy Cross. The battle scenes were filmed on location in Okinawa.

What makes this film different is that it still remains one of the few to discuss the experience of Japanese-Americans assigned to internment camps during World War II. Racism in America is addressed without being the sole focus of the film. One of the continuing themes of Hell to Eternity is the concept of being “All-American”, which examined in such a way that the viewer may not always notice that stereotypes are being challenged or upended.

While Jeffrey Hunter was too old to portray Gabaldon, he is able to project intensity and inner torment as a person uncertain about going to war, going through personal trauma that maked him temporarily a killing machine. There is a Star Trek connection in that Hunter, who starred in the pilot for the series, shares the screen with George Takei, Star Trek‘s Sulu. Fans of classic television may also enjoy seeing TV’s original “Fugitive”, with David Janssen as a Marine Sargeant. My biggest disappointment with this Warner Brothers DVD is that no one thought to have the real Guy Gabaldon provide a commentary track or interview. While much of Hell to Eternity takes place during World War II, not all of it is on the battle field. While there are elements to fault, this still remains a moving, and at times heart-breaking film.