The best thing about this is Gary Cooper. What a fantastic, soulful performance. This is a man at war, first with himself, and then with what it means to be a good citizen. Hawks films the war scenes beautifully, lots of texture and excellent tracking shots. Hawks also find three or four moments of exquisite poetic quality, making the film not just enjoyable, but also memorable.

Not Hawks best, but still very good. Gary Cooper is fine, but the hillbilly atmosphere is a little much.

This is one of those movies where the star appears to have been born to play the role.

Remarkably not good considering story, cast, and director. Short at all times on pacing and inspiration

Good film.

Interesting story and great acting by Gary Cooper. The accents are pretty annoying though, and the born again christian message is a little overplayed. Also, I know this is based on a true story, but the climax seems hard to believe, even if that's what actually happened.

Truth is indeed stranger than fiction. A backwoods draftee demonstrates convicion and valor in what was one of the most hellish stretches of land anywhere in the 20th century. The acting is top notch, with local dialects VERY well learned.

it's hard to decipher exactly what kind of message this is supposed to be getting across, maybe, that religious people of low intelligence are credulous? i suppose it doesn't matter, since after listenting to walter brennan prattling on in hillbilly heaven for forty five minutes, then finally the action starts--and the war scenes are extremely satisfying. if you fast forward the first hour you can get to the meat without having to deal with the failed moral teachings--which is good.

A 150 minute 'war' movie with only 25 minutes of actual war.

An obvious influence on Forrest Gump and a phenomenal performance by Cooper make this film essential. Don't go in expecting a war movie, this is more of a character study with an almost-overwhelming religious theme, but it works.

My grandma had me sit and watch this with her, and it's actually very funny.. despite the seriousness of the setting, I found the tone set by Cooper to be one that is heart warming.