I had my skepticism about GO FOR BROKE! when I first read that it was going to be one of the June Reel 13 Classics. Not only had I not heard of the film (a rarity for me, at least amongst the classics), but the synopsis wasn't even very promising. The thought of Van Johnson in the lead was the first strike and then the whole bit about training Japanese-American soldiers for WWII just reeked of governmental influence, which more often than not, is a recipe for disaster. However, after seeing it last night on Reel 13, I was surprised to discover that while it did occasionally teeter on the verge of propaganda, it was exciting and interesting in spite of its overt patriotism.
Van Johnson was no surprise, however. He flat out stunk, as expected. The actors that carry the film, amazingly enough, were the Japanese actors. I say amazing because in late 40's and early 50's Hollywood, these actors probably weren't getting many opportunities and often were relegated to poorly written, two-dimensional supporting roles. Additionally, minority actors generally didn't have access to the kind of training others did. In GO FOR BROKE!, while some of their accents are thick, the Japanese-American actors are consistently more interesting and natural than the European-Americans. Also, their scenes are better written – more honest and detailed. Particularly good was Lane Nakano as Sam (Nakano apparently actually served in the 442nd Regiment that the film is based on). His on-screen charisma is a wonder to behold and yet the remainder of his career consisted of walk-on roles and occasional television guest appearances.
I think they other key element that makes GO FOR BROKE! work is how detailed it was in regards to war strategy and planning. Director Robert Pirosh does a very good job of laying out the geography for each battle situation and then explaining how the Americans are going to structure their attack. The screenplay manages to accomplish this without being condescending or over-explanatory. The battles themselves then take on a greater impact because you are able to understand how all the pieces of the puzzle fit together and are therefore more involved in each moment of the skirmishes.
Overall, GO FOR BROKE! is a tightly-structured, well-paced and efficient film. Thematically, it would be a good double bill with Edward Zwick's GLORY in that both films not only tell the story of soldiers and unlikely heroes, but also of a nation maturing and getting over its on racial prejudices to truly be the all-welcoming melting pot that it set out to be at its inception.