Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.5
Overall		3.5

Merrill's Marauders Blu-ray Movie Review

The Little Red One.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III August 11, 2019

Mostly remembered as a warm-up for his (much) later war epic The Big Red One, Samuel Fuller's production of Merrill's Marauders is a troubled but watchable project. It's based on a 1959 non-fiction book by Charlton Ogburn, Jr. that takes place during a rough stretch of the Burma Campaign during WWII and, despite Fuller's solid efforts, was picked apart by Warner Bros. and U.S. Army consultants. Eventually, the project -- and that follow-up, The Big Red One -- was taken away from the director completely. The result is a straightforward combat drama anchored by a few intensely emotional sequences; it's more "patchwork" than jarring, with a nagging aftertaste of what could have been.

Despite its relatively brief 98-minute lifespan, Merrill's Marauders is a film about exhaustion that manages to maintain a steady and almost invigorating pace. Its core story zeroes in on General Frank D. Merrill (Jeff Chandler), who leads his weary men through the brutal jungles of Burma in a sustained effort to cut off Japanese supply routes. His de facto second-in-command, Lieutentant Lee "Stock" Stockton (Ty Hardin), maintains a candid relationship with Merrill and his soldiers...but when their first objective is finally completed, they're all but forced into an even tougher mission by higher ranking officials. Facing a brutal trek through unforgiving terrain, not to mention starvation and sickness, the overworked men continue their difficult and laborious journey against nearly insurmountable odds.

This slow and steady but well-paced structure ultimately works in the film's favor, which plays out like an episodic adventure punctuated by plenty of on-screen highlights. The central performance by Jeff Chandler is mature and measured, perhaps heightened by the fact it was his last -- Chandler injured his back during production and died after surgery complications a full year before the film's theatrical release. Ty Hardin's "Stock" isn't far behind: the role demands a certain degree of everyman charisma, and he makes for a good "face of the people". It's a good thing, too, as the film's short running time doesn't leave much room for smaller roles to be filled out strongly. Two exceptions come to mind: Claude Akins, who portrays Sgt. Kolowicz, stands out in a memorable scene during the film's second half, as does Luz Valdez as an unnamed Burmese girl. The latter has enjoyed a remarkable resurgence as of late: after Merrill's Marauders, her career lay dormant for almost 40 years before she become a prolific TV actress.

There's more good than bad here, but a few obvious signs of interference are clearly visible: the bookending newsreel footage of WWII isn't particularly necessary, nor is almost every stretch of voice-over narration. Digging further into behind-the-scenes territory, a number of scenes were also re-shot or altered at the studio's insistence to give Merrill's Marauders a more popular, pro-Army gloss. Nonetheless, more than a few strong remnants of Fuller's efforts remain, enough to make the film worth a re-evaluation almost 60 years after its original release. Warner Archive Collection's new Blu-ray is a good enough reason as any, serving up a strong A/V presentation that easily outshines their parent company's 2008 DVD. It's a small but mighty package overall, and one that established fans will enjoy most.

Merrill's Marauders Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Warner Archive Collection's reliably strong 1080p transfer of Merrill's Marauders is a very clean and stable presentation. It's advertised as a new HD master, which typically means the fine-grain master positive has been given a fresh scan with additional cleanup. The Panavision frame is used very well during wide shots, often juggling plenty of visual information without feeling too cramped. As expected given the genre and locations, the film has no shortage of earth tones: foliage and uniforms are separated nicely by different shades of green and brown, even remaining differentiated in locations with low light (dense shade, swampy areas, etc.). It's good because such location types dominate this film, so when other colors are introduced -- the reddish-orange of a huge explosion, clear blue skies, and the rust-colored tones of an abandoned industrial area -- we get a nice break from "the usual", giving Merrill's Marauders a surprisingly varied and interesting palette at times. Skin tones and textures are represented nicely, while the natural film grain is highly visible due to the complete lack of digital noise reduction. Simply put, this is a very durable and satisfying presentation that easily outshines previous home video releases. Fans will be extremely pleased.

Merrill's Marauders Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Similarly, the DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track, though more limited by default, clearly gets the job done. There's a lot of dialogue here but it usually falls withing normal speaking levels, with background noise, music cues, and occasional explosions often dominating the sound stage when they kick in. Explosions and gunfire can't help but lack the punch of more modern productions but fall within reasonable boundaries of other films from this era. Similarly, the unavoidable thinness of its one-channel presentation means that this is rarely a deep or enveloping audio presentation, but what's here is well-structured and easy to follow. No source defects or sync issues were heard along the way.

Optional English SDH subtitles are included during the film. Like most recent WAC releases, these are formatted in ALL CAPS but likewise display no obvious sync issues and are placed within the widescreen frame.

Merrill's Marauders Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Merrill's Marauders is packaged in a standard keepcase with no slipcover or inserts. Its sole bonus feature has been carried over from Warner Bros.' respectable 2008 DVD edition.

• Theatrical Trailer (3:49) - This extended trailer, hosted by Lt. Colonel Sam Wilson (the film's technical adviser, who served alongside the real-life General Merrill) is presented in cropped 1.78:1 format and looks to be in very good condition. It's also available on Warner Archive's official YouTube channel if you haven't seen it.

Merrill's Marauders Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Samuel Fuller's production of Merrill's Marauders, based on a 1959 non-fiction book that takes place during the Burma Campaign of WWII, was set to be a warm-up for his 1980 epic The Big Red One...and neither went according to plan. Merrill's Marauders remains a less-remembered part of his filmography for this reason; a good film that potentially falls short of greatness due to interference. Nonetheless, it is emotionally effective with a handful of memorable moments boosted by William H. Clothier's workmanlike Panavision cinematography. Warner Archive Collection's Blu-ray package offers a capable amount of support including a brand-new 1080p master and good lossless audio, although the bonus features are understandably limited. Recommended to die-hard fans and curious newcomers alike.