Go for Broke! is a 1951 war film written and directed by Robert Priosh starring Charles Van Johnson about the real life Japanese-American 442nd Regimental Combat Team during World War II, the most highly decorated unit in US Army history. The film follows a platoon of the regiment from training in 1943 to their greatest victory rescuing a lost battalion in 1944. The soldiers face the brutality of war, as well as the bigotry of their peers.
In real life, The 442nd was a segregated unit composed of volunteer Japanese-American soldiers. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the Roosevelt Administration locked up most if not all Japanese-Americans on the west coast in internment camps. It was claimed that there could be spies or saboteurs among them, despite most being born in the United States and had never seen Japan. Eventually the military recruited men from the camps to serve in several units, primarily in the European theater, where they went on to become the most highly decorated units in US Army history.
Written in the middle of the era of The Hays Code, the film keeps a distance from more gruesome details of war, but tries does its best to depict them. It is also remarkably progressive for its time. There is no attempt to hide the fact that these people and their families were unfairly treated, that their relatives are still in camps while they are overseas, and that this harsh treatment was entirely rooted in race. It also portrays Asian-Americans in a positive light while depicting the racism and bigotry the soldiers faced is frequently called out as wrong. The three-letter word for Japanese frequently uttered in films of the era is treated as the slur that it is.
Go For Broke contains examples of:
- Adam Westing: Several layers. Robert Priosh was a US Army veteran in WWII, and does his best to depict US Army tactics and equipment accurately. Further, all but one of the named Japanese-American characters are played by actual veterans of the 442nd Regiment, and that one character, Tommy, is played by a Korean War veteran. Many of the harsh and bitter comments made by Chick take on a new meaning knowing this.
- Arc Words:
- "Go For Broke", the battle cry of the regiment. Hawaiian Pigdin slang for "shoot the works", meaning to wager everything on a possible final attempt.
- "Bakatare!" The word crops up repeatedly in the film. Grayson doesn't speak Japanese, neither does his platoon sergeant O'Hara, and the other soldiers refuse to tell him. Eventually Sam tells him.Lieutenant Grayson: Tell me something, Sam. What does bakatare mean?
Sam: Well, freely translated; You're a heel. A stupid jerk and a heel.
Lieutenant Grayson: That was putting it mildly.
- Break the Cutie: While Tommy doesn't lose his sunny disposition, the world tries it's best. One of his friends is shot right in front of him, he reluctantly gives his pet pig to a starving family, he is wounded in combat, and he loses several squad mates.
- A Father to His Men: Lieutenant Grayson is respected, but Sam is more of a father figure if one had to pick a character. He tends to keep the peace among the others, especially when Chick picks on Tommy.
- Friend or Foe?: A rather amusing example. The 442nd are sneaking up on a German strongpoint while Grayson and his platoon sergeant are sneaking away from it in the other direction. They shoot at each other in confusion. They realize what's wrong but call for the password. Grayson and his friend don't know the new password, so Grayson eventually shouts "BAKATARE".
- The Protagonist: Van Johnson was known for playing dashing average soldiers in typical war movies. In a bit of a trope subversion, while he at first appears like this it's more of an ensemble cast and he is an introductory character. Further, for an actor known for playing nice guys, it's unusual for the time to depict him as a racist.
- Reality Is Unrealistic: The tourist guides Lieutenant Grayson picks up were based on real policies by the US military. There are many photos of American GIs in full uniform playing tourist in Italy and other places.
- War Is Glorious: Subverted. While in the era of such WWII films, and the Hays Code, it's written by a guy known for his realistic depictions of war and combat.
- War Is Hell: While the overall fight is depicted as The Good War, the film does its best to make fighting itself seem nasty and frightening. While there are exhilarating moments, these are always accompanied by frightening realities.Sam: What happens when a man gets hit?
Veteran: Sometimes they yell. [a man screams; an NCO gets up, and is hit by fire] Sometimes they don't. Squad leaders don't last long.- One soldier is immobilized by a stray shot, and killed by a falling tree, not even from the shell itself. He screams as it comes down and is abruptly cut off.
- A man is killed by a shell burst, doesn't even realize it, and dies in another's arms. The second man is badly wounded by another hit. It's not dignified, he screams for the medics at the top of his lungs.
- White Male Lead: The movie is about the Japanese-American 442nd Regimental Combat Team, but starred the very blonde Van Johnson.