Go for Broke! (1951 film)
Encyclopedia
Go for Broke! is a 1951 war film
directed by Robert Pirosh
, produced by Dore Schary
and starred Van Johnson
, several veterans of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team
, and Henry Nakamura.
The film dramatizes the real-life story of the 442nd, which was composed of Nisei
(second-generation Americans born of Japanese parents) soldiers.
Fighting in the European theater during World War II
, this unit became the most heavily decorated unit for its size and length of service in the history of the United States Army
, as well as one of the units with the highest casualty rates. This film is a Hollywood rarity which features Asian Americans in a positive light, highlighting the wartime efforts of Japanese Americans on behalf of their country even while that same country interned their families in camps
.
As with his earlier film script Battleground, in which Van Johnson also starred, writer-director Robert Pirosh focuses on the average squad member, mixing humor with pathos, while accurately detailing equipment and tactics used by American infantry in World War II. The contrast of reality versus public relations, the hardships of field life on the line, and the reality of high casualty rates are accurately portrayed with a minimum of heroics.
, Mississippi
, with newly commissioned Lieutenant Michael Grayson (Johnson) reporting for duty with the 442nd, then in training. He discovers that he has been sent to a unit composed of Nisei, when he had expected to return to the U.S. 36th Infantry Division
, a Texas
National Guard
unit with which he had served as an enlisted man. Having joined the war to fight against the Japanese, he is disturbed to find he is expected to fight alongside people whom he sees as Japanese, rather than Americans. From the outset, Grayson runs his platoon with harsh strictness for regulations.
He (and the audience) learn that "Go for broke
" is a pidgin
phrase (used in Hawaii) meaning to gamble everything, to "shoot the works" – to risk "going broke" or bankruptcy. Eventually, Grayson also learns the meaning of the frequently repeated expletive Baka tare, which, loosely translated, means "very stupid."
There is only brief mention of the internment camps from which most of the men have come, but throughout the film, there are references to the camps. There are also a few brief references to the distinctions between the Nisei from Hawaii ("Buta-heads") and those from the mainland ("Katonks"). While Buta-heads (the phrase later devolved to "Buddha-Heads") were a key part of the Hawaiian economy and society, Katonks were largely distrusted and disliked by their neighbors.
Arriving in Italy, the unit is joined by the 100th Battalion
, the Nisei unit formed in Hawaii before the 442nd was created on the mainland. The troops of the 100th are seasoned veterans and the new arrivals look to them for advice. On the march to the front lines, Grayson inadvertently gets left behind while fraternizing
with a signorina, but when he catches up, finds that his platoon has covered for him during an inspection of their positions by the colonel.
Through fighting in Italy and France, Grayson eventually comes to respect the Nisei, and his bigotry fades. Eventually, he is transferred back to his old unit, the 36th as a liaison -- over his objections -- when the 442nd is attached to the larger unit.
As he has misjudged the Nisei, they have misjudged Grayson. They eventually learn that he has defended them against bigotry, even getting into a fistfight with an old friend of his from the 36th who had insulted them.
The climax of the movie comes with the "Buddha-heads'" famous rescue of the "Lost Battalion
", after the 36th is surrounded by the German army. Then comes their return home, and the award of the eighth Presidential Unit Citation.
There is archive footage of Gen. Mark Clark
, and Pres. Truman presenting the unit citation.
War film
War films are a film genre concerned with warfare, usually about naval, air or land battles, sometimes focusing instead on prisoners of war, covert operations, military training or other related subjects. At times war films focus on daily military or civilian life in wartime without depicting battles...
directed by Robert Pirosh
Robert Pirosh
Robert Pirosh was an American screenwriter and director.-Early years:Pirosh was born in Baltimore, Maryland and graduated from the Baltimore City College high school in 1928...
, produced by Dore Schary
Dore Schary
Isadore "Dore" Schary was an American motion picture director, writer, and producer, and playwright who became head of production at MGM and eventually president of the studio...
and starred Van Johnson
Van Johnson
Van Johnson was an American film and television actor and dancer who was a major star at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios during and after World War II....
, several veterans of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team
442nd Regimental Combat Team
The 442nd Regimental Combat Team of the United States Army, was composed of Japanese-American enlisted men and mostly Caucasian officers. They fought primarily in Europe during World War II, beginning in 1944. The families of many of its soldiers were subject to internment...
, and Henry Nakamura.
The film dramatizes the real-life story of the 442nd, which was composed of Nisei
Nisei
During the early years of World War II, Japanese Americans were forcibly relocated from their homes in the Pacific coast states because military leaders and public opinion combined to fan unproven fears of sabotage...
(second-generation Americans born of Japanese parents) soldiers.
Fighting in the European theater during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, this unit became the most heavily decorated unit for its size and length of service in the history of the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, as well as one of the units with the highest casualty rates. This film is a Hollywood rarity which features Asian Americans in a positive light, highlighting the wartime efforts of Japanese Americans on behalf of their country even while that same country interned their families in camps
Japanese American internment
Japanese-American internment was the relocation and internment by the United States government in 1942 of approximately 110,000 Japanese Americans and Japanese who lived along the Pacific coast of the United States to camps called "War Relocation Camps," in the wake of Imperial Japan's attack on...
.
As with his earlier film script Battleground, in which Van Johnson also starred, writer-director Robert Pirosh focuses on the average squad member, mixing humor with pathos, while accurately detailing equipment and tactics used by American infantry in World War II. The contrast of reality versus public relations, the hardships of field life on the line, and the reality of high casualty rates are accurately portrayed with a minimum of heroics.
Plot
The film begins in 1943 at Camp ShelbyCamp Shelby
Camp Shelby is a military post whose North Gate begins at the southern boundary of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, on United States Highway 49. It is the largest state owned training site in the nation. During wartime, the camp's mission is to serve as a major, independent mobilization station of the...
, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, with newly commissioned Lieutenant Michael Grayson (Johnson) reporting for duty with the 442nd, then in training. He discovers that he has been sent to a unit composed of Nisei, when he had expected to return to the U.S. 36th Infantry Division
U.S. 36th Infantry Division
-Pre 2 October 1941 Square Organization:*HHC, 36th Infantry Division, TXARNG**36th Military Police Platoon**36th Signal Company**111th Ordnance Company**111th Engineer Regiment , TXARNG**111th Medical Regiment**111th Quartermaster Regiment...
, a Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
National Guard
United States National Guard
The National Guard of the United States is a reserve military force composed of state National Guard militia members or units under federally recognized active or inactive armed force service for the United States. Militia members are citizen soldiers, meaning they work part time for the National...
unit with which he had served as an enlisted man. Having joined the war to fight against the Japanese, he is disturbed to find he is expected to fight alongside people whom he sees as Japanese, rather than Americans. From the outset, Grayson runs his platoon with harsh strictness for regulations.
He (and the audience) learn that "Go for broke
Go for broke
Go for broke is a phrase meaning "to wager everything".It was the motto of a World War II Japanese American military unit, the 442nd Infantry Regiment.Go for broke or going for broke may also mean:...
" is a pidgin
Pidgin
A pidgin , or pidgin language, is a simplified language that develops as a means of communication between two or more groups that do not have a language in common. It is most commonly employed in situations such as trade, or where both groups speak languages different from the language of the...
phrase (used in Hawaii) meaning to gamble everything, to "shoot the works" – to risk "going broke" or bankruptcy. Eventually, Grayson also learns the meaning of the frequently repeated expletive Baka tare, which, loosely translated, means "very stupid."
There is only brief mention of the internment camps from which most of the men have come, but throughout the film, there are references to the camps. There are also a few brief references to the distinctions between the Nisei from Hawaii ("Buta-heads") and those from the mainland ("Katonks"). While Buta-heads (the phrase later devolved to "Buddha-Heads") were a key part of the Hawaiian economy and society, Katonks were largely distrusted and disliked by their neighbors.
Arriving in Italy, the unit is joined by the 100th Battalion
U.S. 100th Infantry Battalion
The 100th Infantry Battalion was a unit within the US Army's 34th Infantry Division during World War II. The primarily Nisei battalion was composed largely of former members of the Hawaii Army National Guard...
, the Nisei unit formed in Hawaii before the 442nd was created on the mainland. The troops of the 100th are seasoned veterans and the new arrivals look to them for advice. On the march to the front lines, Grayson inadvertently gets left behind while fraternizing
Fraternization
Fraternization is "turning people into brothers"—conducting social relations with people who are actually unrelated and/or of a different class as though they were siblings, family members, personal friends or lovers....
with a signorina, but when he catches up, finds that his platoon has covered for him during an inspection of their positions by the colonel.
Through fighting in Italy and France, Grayson eventually comes to respect the Nisei, and his bigotry fades. Eventually, he is transferred back to his old unit, the 36th as a liaison -- over his objections -- when the 442nd is attached to the larger unit.
As he has misjudged the Nisei, they have misjudged Grayson. They eventually learn that he has defended them against bigotry, even getting into a fistfight with an old friend of his from the 36th who had insulted them.
The climax of the movie comes with the "Buddha-heads'" famous rescue of the "Lost Battalion
Lost Battalion (World War II)
"The Lost Battalion" refers to the 1st Battalion, 141st Infantry , which was surrounded by German forces in the Vosges Mountains on 24 October 1944....
", after the 36th is surrounded by the German army. Then comes their return home, and the award of the eighth Presidential Unit Citation.
Cast
- Van JohnsonVan JohnsonVan Johnson was an American film and television actor and dancer who was a major star at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios during and after World War II....
as Lieutenant Michael Grayson - Lane NakanoLane NakanoTsutomo Nakano , also known as Lane Nakano, was an American soldier turned actor.-World War II:During World War II, Nakano was interned at the Heart Mountain Relocation Center. While there, he volunteered for service in the U.S. Army...
‡ as Sam - George Miki‡ as Chick
- Akira Fukunaga‡ as Frank
- Ken K. Okamoto‡ as Kaz
- Henry Oyasato‡ as Takashi Ohhara
- Harry Hamada‡ as Masami
- Henry Nakamura as Tommy Kamakura
- Warner Anderson as Colonel Charles W. Pence
- Don HaggertyDon HaggertyDon Haggerty was an American film actor appearing in films in the 1940s and 1950s. Before entering films in 1947, Haggerty was a Brown University athlete and served in the US military...
as Sergeant Wilson I. Culley - Gianna Maria CanaleGianna Maria CanaleGianna Maria Canale was an Italian actress.- Biography :Canale was born in Reggio Calabria. In 1947, at the Miss Italia beauty contest, won by Lucia Bosè, she placed second. Canale received publicity in many Italian magazines after this. Her looks were compared to those of Ava Gardner...
as Rosina - Dan Riss as Captain Solari
- ‡These actors were actual veterans of the 442nd.
There is archive footage of Gen. Mark Clark
Mark Wayne Clark
Mark Wayne Clark was an American general during World War II and the Korean War and was the youngest lieutenant general in the U.S. Army...
, and Pres. Truman presenting the unit citation.