MacArthur

General MacArthur was a complex character who longed to be at the center of attention. He was one of a handful of characters who directly influenced world events, like Churchill or Roosevelt, and he knew it. His long career, including both world wars has left an imprint on the world that is still felt today, years after his retirement from public life and subsequent death.

The film is composed of set pieces interspersed with documentary-style clips of his war adventures. Notable is MacArthur’s defense of The Rock of Corregidor, an island fortress in the Philippines. We see that MacArthur refused to leave the Rock until personally ordered by FDR. We also learn that MacArthur loathed the nickname Dugout Doug, pinned on him by the media. MacArthur chose to leave by PT boat, rather than submarine as most commanders would. But before he left, he made the famous vow, I shall return. He later made good on his vow, also. It is interesting to note that the great man suffered from seasickness during the long boat ride to Australia.

After the war, McArthur served as military governor of Japan and helped immeasurably to bring that country back on its feet with dignity. The Korean War was also explored, featuring his brilliant landing at Inchon, a feat that they said could not be done. —Epinions.com