Tell It to the Marines (film)
| Tell It to the Marines | |
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| Directed by | George W. Hill |
| Produced by | George W. Hill |
| Written by | E. Richard Schayer |
| Starring |
Lon Chaney William Haines Eleanor Boardman |
| Cinematography | Ira H. Morgan |
| Edited by | Blanche Sewell |
| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
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Release date
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Running time
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103 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | Silent film English intertitles |
Tell It to the Marines is a 1926 silent movie starring Lon Chaney, William Haines and Eleanor Boardman, and directed by George W. Hill. The film follows a Marine recruit and the sergeant who trains him, and was the biggest box office success of Chaney's career and the second biggest moneymaker of 1926/1927.
In April 2012 the film became available on DVD from the Warner Archive collection.
In 1924, "Skeet" Burns applies to join the United States Marine Corps, but only to get a free train ride to San Diego, California. When he arrives, he escapes from veteran Marine Sergeant O'Hara and boards another train to "Tia Juana", Mexico for the horse races. However, upon his return, he enlists after all and comes under O'Hara's charge.
At the base, Skeet spots Norma Dale, an attractive Navy nurse. He tries to become better acquainted with her, but his unsubtle, overconfident approach meets with a cold reception. He also discovers that O'Hara is smitten with Norma as well. It becomes clear to O'Hara that Norma does like Skeet when she asks him to take Skeet along on a sea training cruise despite his unsatisfactory performance and attitude. She finds he has already done so. On board ship, Skeet picks a fight with a "gob", a sailor, unaware that his intended victim is actually the Navy heavyweight champion.
O'Hara and his men are assigned to Tondo Island, a dreary naval station described as being "six miles this side of Hell". There, he is tempted by Zaya, a pretty native who is attracted to him. Before things get too serious however, he changes his mind. When she tries to hold onto him, he has to untangle himself from her. This results in a brawl with the outraged locals in which O'Hara has to rescue Skeet. Hearing unflattering gossip about the affair, Norma writes Skeet a letter breaking off their relationship. Skeet mistakenly believes O'Hara told her about the incident in order to improve his own romantic chances with Norma.
The Marines are relieved and are sent to join the Asiatic Squadron, stationed at Shanghai, China. O'Hara and Skeet find Norma there; she greets the sergeant warmly, but refuses to give Skeet a second chance. She and other nurses are then sent to Hangchow to deal with an epidemic. When news arrives that a bandit army is threatening the city, the Marines are ordered to the rescue. During the tense evacuation, O'Hara and his men are chosen to be the rear guard at a bridge. Fierce fighting breaks out. When O'Hara is wounded, he orders Skeet to rejoin the column, but Skeet refuses to obey. The detachment is saved by the timely arrival of an aerial squadron.
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Wikipedia