OK, So maybe "To The Shores of Tripoli" isn't so much a "war movie" as a "wartime movie", but I think it still fits the bill....

It's the journey of one Chris Winters (John Payne) who joins the Marines in chase of a dame, one Mary Carter (Maureen O'Hara), who it seems is also a Navy Nurse! The film is more about Winters and his struggle to win Mary over, and although he doesn't know it yet, to come to terms with himself.

Throughout, Winters is torn between not wanting to be in the Corps, and wanting to be with Carter, which he can't due to regulations. He's also got to fight the legacy of his father, and his drill sergeant (Randolph Scott.)

It turns out, though, that Winters is quite the capable Marine, and proves it on several occasions. Most notably saving his former drill sergeant from certain death, to both of them.

He comes to realize that he's Marine material at the end, when he learns of the attack on Pearl Harbor, just as he's leaving for his arranged desk job....

At the end you realize you've just been fed a nice healthy dose of prime wartime propaganda (and a good example of early color!), but that's ok. I give this a 6/10 just because, well, its interesting enough to watch, just once, but not so much so that I'd give it another go....

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