Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

To me, this movie is perfection.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

You know, from where I was sitting, I thought that this rather oddball, 1958, WW2 drama was really expecting just a little too much of the viewer by asking them to believe that Natalie Wood, as the Monique Blair character, was, in fact, half-black (or "Negro").I'd say that if Monique's father was, indeed, black (he is never seen in the movie), then, by looking at Natalie Wood who played his daughter, then he must've been the absolute most whitest looking black man on the entire face of the Earth. I kid you not! To me, the casting of Wood as Monique was a grave mistake, especially in a film whose story was apparently striving for believability. There was no way that she could've have ever convinced anyone that she had even a single drop of Negro blood in her veins.Had Wood's character been of mixed-race of, say, Japanese heritage, then, yes, I could've been convinced of that. But Negro!? Ha! No way, Jose!Other than that valid beef, this picture (concerning a decidedly silly, melodramatic love triangle) was corny, clichéd and too predictable (Hollywood-style) to be at all considered worthwhile entertainment.Set in and around a small town along the French Riviera, this film's attempt at dealing maturely with such issues as racism missed the mark, big-time.Though it did contain some intense battle scenes (seemingly thrown in for good measure), these, in turn, did nothing to alleviate the overall monotony that prevailed in this trite, little soap opera.

Kings Go Forth (1958)I shouldn't have loved this movie as much as I did. But it touches on those basics of love and life and rivalry and goodness I couldn't help be manipulated. And it's set in Villefranche, one of my favorite places in the world, and it's set during WWII, when life for Europe was its most on fire. And there I was, crying and loving it."Kings Go Forth" is actually a slightly late in the game WWII flick that shifts attention at first to luxuriating soldiers in the south of France just as the war was ending. It's not as much about war (though there are some remnants of fightings which are tense). It's more about a bunch of decent guys, two of them in particular, and their misunderstandings. And it's about love. The south of France and the Mediterranean is about as decent a setting for romance as you get. It's idealizing (everyone loves the Americans in their Jeeps, which must be half true, but not entirely), and it's all sunny weather and champagne. Except that love is never easy, and it gets more and more intense, sad, and profound. Yes, profound.Tony Curtis is terrific as usual. As Brit Harris he is charming, funny, and clever. Natalie Wood in one of many great roles between "Rebel Without a Cause" and "West Side Story" is rather perfect, except maybe her French accent. But she represents, as Monique Blair, something perfectly innocent and yet ravaged by war. The other lead, the main character Sam Loggins, is played by Frank Sinatra, and Loggins also loves Blair. At first Loggins is noble and lets Harris win the girl's heart, but then it gets complicated.There is a fabulous last war scene for the climax, featuring a special mission needing just two men--our leads, now enemies and distrustful. But in the heat of their battle, Harris gives some real wisdom about character, and Loggins shows true compassion. It's war, the worst and the best of it. And it's the worst and best of love, too, with an ending just slightly hanging in mid-air.Director Delmer Daves pulls off a lot of great, nicely felt films. They often lack an edge of innovation or of real probing triumph, but this is one of those that brings a lot of issues, including racism at its simplest, to a believable story. Don't brush this movie off. And don't be put off by the first twenty minutes or so when the establishing scenes seem like just another good war film. This one goes places, at least for the romantic.

This film certainly deserves more attention. One of Frank Sinatra's best performances, and certainly very good performances from Tony Curtis and Natalie Wod too. I have heard it flopped considerably in it's day. I guess it's because the original novel (which I haven't read, but which I have heard about) was censored for the screen, or made "happier" (though there's still a fair share of dark moments). Sinatra and Curtis are the American soldiers who both fall for the beautiful French girl Wood (trying an accent on for size), who is also half African-American. Sinatra loves her dearly, but Wood falls for the charming Curtis, with bad results. The film works well as character study of shy, introvert Sinatra and cocky extrovert Curtis. Leora Dana is truly excellent as Wood's mother. While Elmer Bernstein's score tends to overstate the cause at times, this is an involving drama. Unfortunately the war scenes aren't as interesting as the human drama.

Maybe 1958 wasn't the best year to present a story like this in a mainstream Hollywood film, but perhaps the producers really wanted to get it out there the best way they could. Censorship and various social taboos made it difficult to present it in a way that would really send it across. As it is, it's somewhat muddled but does contain some entertaining scenes. Sinatra (who also narrates the film in increasingly intrusive and annoying voice-overs) plays a lieutenant stationed in France during WWII. He comes upon a lovely young girl (Wood) who catches his eye and he attempts to get to know her better. However, she is reluctant to let their relationship progress and her mother (Dana), though she admires Sinatra as well, feels the same way. It's all because Wood has a rather shattering secret. Sinatra eventually deals with it okay, but when he introduces his buddy Curtis to Wood, they wind up hitting it off and Sinatra is odd man out. (It should be noted that the young lovers are amazingly insensitive during this part of the movie!) Later, when Curtis mistreats Wood, Sinatra is ready to slit him from ear to ear, but then they are thrust together into a highly dangerous mission behind enemy lines and have to rely on one another for survival. Sinatra does a fine job for the most part and has several simmering scenes with Curtis. Wood, though perhaps not the very best choice for her role, is beautiful and solid as well. She brings quite a bit of heart to her portrayal. Curtis, always at home as a lout and a cad, brings these qualities across well. Even more bizarre casting than Wood is Dana. At age 36, she is done up in heavy (and bad) age makeup in order to play her middle-aged character. It's a role that had to be a slightly daring one in those times and perhaps not too many actresses were lining up for it, but she comes out rather oddly. She does have one extended scene with Sinatra that's good, nonetheless. Few other performers appear at all as the story concentrates on these four people. There are a few interesting battle sequences and a couple of highly-charged dramatic scenes, but the film is never as sensible as one might like. The characters' motivations and feelings seem to change on a dime. Also, elements from the source novel were changed in a way that doesn't help the story remain cohesive. By the end, Sinatra has a war injury that he enacts rather well. It's worth a look for fans of the stars, but isn't nearly memorable enough or powerful enough to leave a huge impression.