To the Shores of Hell is a 1966

1966 in film

The year 1966 in film involved some significant events.-Events:Animation legend Walter Disney, well known for his creation of Mickey Mouse, died in 15 December 1966 of acute circulatory collapse following a diagnosis of, and surgery for, lung cancer...

 Vietnam war

Vietnam War

The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...

 film directed by Will Zens

Will Zens

Will Zens is a low budget producer, director, screenwriter, and soundtrack composer who made several films in the 1960s.-Biography and filmography:Following service as a test pilot in the U.S...

 and starring Marshall Thompson

Marshall Thompson

Marshall Thompson was an American film and television actor.He was born James Marshall Thompson in Peoria, Illinois. In 1943 Thompson, known for his boy-next-door good looks, was signed by Universal Pictures...

, Richard Arlen

Richard Arlen

-Biography:Born Sylvanus Richard Van Mattimore in St. Paul, Minnesota, he attended the University of Pennsylvania. He served as a pilot in the Royal Flying Corps during World War I. His first job after the war was with St. Paul's Athletic Club...

, Dick O'Neill

Dick O'Neill

Dick O'Neill was an American stage, film and television character actor best known for playing Irish cops, fathers, judges and army generals. He began his acting career as an original company member of Arena Stage in Washington, D.C.He served in the Navy then returned to the theater. In the late...

 and Robert Dornan that was distributed by Crown International Pictures

Crown International Pictures

Crown International Pictures is an independent film studio formed in 1959 by Newton P. Jacobs Jacobs was a former branch head of RKO Pictures until 1947 when he formed his own company "Favorite Films"; a film releasing organisation. Jacobs became one of the first franchises for showing American...

. Dornan may possibly have co-written the film as his Mother's maiden name was "McFadden".

Plot and Production

U.S. Marine Major Greg Donahue, newly arrived in Da Nang

Da Nang

Đà Nẵng , occasionally Danang, is a major port city in the South Central Coast of Vietnam, on the coast of the South China Sea at the mouth of the Han River. It is the commercial and educational center of Central Vietnam; its well-sheltered, easily accessible port and its location on the path of...

, South Vietnam

South Vietnam

South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...

 hears that his physcian brother Gary (Robert Dornan) has been captured by the Viet Cong. Donahue is accompanied by a Marine Sergeant (Bill Bierd), a French Priest (Richard Jordahl

Jordahl

Jordahl is a Norwegian family name that could refer to:*Asbjørn Jordahl - a Norwegian politician for the Labour Party*Anders Jordahl, developer of the C-shaped rail, the first anchor channel*History professor Donald Jordahl at Greenville College...

) and a Vietnamese guide (Jeff Pearl) to free his brother.

Master Sergeant William V. Bierd was a Marine veteran of World War II, China, Korea, and Vietnam. Besides playing Sgt Gabreski, Bierd was an uncredited technical advisor

Technical advisor

A technical advisor is an individual who is expert in a particular field of knowledge, hired to provide detailed information and advice to people working in that field...

 on the film as well as a technical advisor on Marine Corps uniforms to Gomer Pyle USMC.

The US Marine Corps allowed Zens to film amphibious landing exercises at Camp Pendleton that appeared at the start of the film. A Marine Corps HUS-1 helicopter

Helicopter

A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...

was provided for the climax.