The Eve of St. Mark

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The Eve of St. Mark

Run of the mill war time drama centering around the training and combat experiences of a small town farm boy. The cast of characters are a block of defaults from every war movie ever created. Only the over dramatized, over the top performance of the hugely over written script really lower this into a cinema play of the worst kind. The scenes in the nightclub when Vincent Price quotes Shakespeare are just dreadful. First victim of war is Vincent Price's accent. But the time they are going to war he's lost his Southern drawl! Amazingly, the C.O. in Mash turns up when he's in his 20's and HE SOUNDS THE SAME! It's amazing. Is it worth watching, well... if there's nothing better on. Otherwise, give it a miss.

Can't admit to seeing all of this yet but caught several scenes on Film4 recently, while dashing in and out and having lunch. Brief as the glimpses were, I was captivated by the performances of the cast, especially Vincent Price (looking almost cherubic - light years from the characters that were to become his 'trade-mark') and Harry Morgan. Didn't actually 'know' any of the rest of the cast but the whole production seemed well crafted and not at all preachy or over the top. Wholly agree with other reviewers, not seen enough and just as deserving as many another war film. Definitely to be added to my "Must see" list!

This much underrated and little shown movie is up there with the best of the WW2 morale boosters and truly deserves to be better known. Unlike many mawkish and sentimental American movies about the sacrifices made by America in WW2, this film is genuinely uplifting and soul stirring and manages to do so by some superbly poetic speeches made by several cast members, who delivered poetic stanzas as though Olivier and Barrymore were watching. Vincent Price- who as a Southern "aristocrat" has never been better IMHO, quotes readily from Shakespeare and does so without making the viewer feel embarrassed or uncomfortable. His role is that of charm personified and he carries it off perfectly. At other times the dialogue is snappy and amusing and the movies use of many outside locations gives it an added dimension that, along with the dialogue, demands the viewer's constant attention. This is a movie to keep and enjoy. I will !