Women of Valor

1986

Action / Drama / War

9
Rotten Tomatoes Critics - Rotten 62%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience - Upright 62% · 50 ratings
IMDb Rating 5.7/10 10 520 520

world war ii prisoner of war pacific bataan

Plot summary

A group of American Army nurses are captured by the Japanese in April 1942 and spend three years in a prisoner-of-war camp in Bataan. Lt Margaret Ann Jessup, the head army nurse, survives the camp and testifies against the Japanese in front of the United States Congressional subcommittee years later as a colonel.

Director

Buzz Kulik Photo
Buzz Kulik

Top cast

Valerie Mahaffey Photo
Valerie Mahaffey as Lt. Katherine R. Grace
Alberta Watson Photo
Alberta Watson as Lt. Helen Prescott
Susan Sarandon Photo
Susan Sarandon as Col. Margaret Ann Jessup
John Philbin Photo
John Philbin as Paraplegic soldier
720p.WEB 1080p.WEB
876.24 MB
1280*714
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
23.976 fps
1 hr 35 min
Seeds 1
1.59 GB
1920*1072
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
23.976 fps
1 hr 35 min
Seeds 2

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by moonspinner55 5 / 10

Efficient but without flair...

Over 100 US Army and Navy nurses stationed in the Philippines from 1942-1945 are incarcerated by the Japanese. Fictionalized account of history is ambitious, occasionally gripping, yet awfully familiar. It could have been the inspiration for TV's "China Beach", though the teleplay by Jonas McCord (with modern dialogue) doesn't have that show's canny wit. Performances by Susan Sarandon, Kristy McNichol, Valerie Mahaffey and Terry O'Quinn are all solid under the obviously strenuous circumstances. Television veteran Buzz Kulik directs efficiently with textbook concentration and sincerity, but no flair. ** from ****
Reviewed by ma-cortes 6 / 10

Fine TV movie about some valiant nurses cruelly prisoned in Japanese POW camp

An intense and haunting television movie set in Philippines about of the horrors of war during WWII . The film is dedicated to the one hundred and four Army and Navy nurses who were incarcerated by the Japanese during WWII . Although it is a work of fiction , this movie is representative of the collective courage and the experiences of the American Forces who served in the Philippines. It starts in 1941 at Luzon island , some nurses stationed in Philippines are captured by the Japanese and struggle to survive in brutal POW camp in the Far East. This is a true story, exterior scenes were photographed wherever possible in Philippines in the exact locales associated with the event as related by the nurses . The happenings throw the whole group into Bataan towards Corregidor, but later are imprisoned hard concentration camp . Their confinement is recounted in unsparing and harrowing detail , as the British nurses find themselves interned for the long duration . As orders from Nipponese Army Administration are strict as men and women will be imprisoned separately , to avoid punishments and beatings , the ladies should presume themselves to endeavor , with passive behavior not negative . Meanwhile, the starring starred by Susan Sarandon suffering a surreal and brutal experience ; however , she attempts to lift the spirits of the brutalized women. Some of them are cruelly attacked , mistreated and raped. Finally , General McArthur disembarks at Leyte and carries out his known promise.Interesting and strong drama based on autobiographical deeds starred by the brave nurses . No weakest in the cast and few in the movie , which presents the women's Japanese captors as human and inhuman at the same time with clashing cultures included and also laudable for a fairly event-handed portrayal of the enemy captors . Clearly there's much longer plot in this, but director Buzz Kulik concentrates on the passionate acting of Sarandon and other nurses . It's a taut psychological drama about physical and emotional survival focusing on the tensions between Susan Sarandon , soldiers and the camp commander as cultured officer. Crammed with emotive moments , the picture has a string of committed performances from Sarandon , Kristy McNichol , Valerie McChaffey, Suzanne Lederer , Terry O'Quinn , among others . Familiar ground is trod in this prisoner-of-war saga , but the thought-provoking story and magnificent acting help sustain interest. Musical score by the maestro French George Delerue is genuinely moving and stirring .This superior though overlooked drama , is also laudable for a fairly portrayal of the enemy captors and being professionally directed by Buzz Kulik. Rating : 6,5 ,better than average , worthwhile watching .Other films about women on concentration camps mistreated by Japanese military during WWII are the following : the classic titled ¨Three came home¨(1950) by Jean Negulesco with Claudette Cobert and Patric Knowles and ¨Paradise road¨(1997) by Bruce Beresford with Glenn Close , Julianna Margulies and Frances McDormand , set in Singapur
Reviewed by pacvik 7 / 10

Fictional empathy.

Saw last 3/4s of movie. Didn't find it all that bad. Acting good & held you. Understand argument at end of movie. Bronze Star was based on their meritorious specialized service, medical. Military doesn't appear specific about awarding the inclusive V to noncombatants but that appears to be the consistency of it. 2 months after MacArthur left PI & Corregidor fell, there were many POWs. My father included. He spent 3 years as a POW. The first 4 months were in a concentration camp. These women are fortunate that they got the recognition they did. What I fail to understand is the concentration camp consisted of Americans & foreigners. Where are all the Filipinos that served alongside them? Only Filipinos shown were guerrilla fighters.
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