Red Ball Express is a 1952 American World War II war film directed by Budd Boetticher and starring Jeff Chandler and Alex Nicol, featuring early screen appearances by Sidney Poitier and Hugh O'Brian. The film is based on the Red Ball Express convoys that took place after the D-Day landings in Normandy in June 1944.Budd Boetticher: The Last Interview Wheeler, Winston Dixon. Film Criticism; Meadville Vol. 26, Iss. 3, (Spring 2002): 52-0_3.
Plot In August 1944, Patton's Third Army has advanced so far following the D-Day invasion toward Paris that it cannot be supplied. To maintain the momentum, Allied headquarters establishes an elite military truck route. One racially integrated platoon of this Red Ball Express encounters private enmities, German resistance, minefields, and increasingly perilous missions.
Lt. Chick Campbell, head of the platoon, clashes with Sgt. Red Kallek over an incident that occurred when they were civilian truck drivers and resulted in the death of Kallek's brother.
Cast
The character of General Gordon appears to have been loosely based on General Patton, although Patton is also specifically mentioned in the film. Major General Frank Ross, who was in charge of the actual Red Ball Express, acted as a technical adviser.Jeremy Arnold, 'Red Ball Express', Turner Classic Movies accessed 5 August 2012
Controversy Because of the high percentage of African-American drivers in the Red Ball Express operation, the Department of Defense insisted to Universal that the film be modified so that "the positive angle be emphasized" regarding race relations. Director Budd Boetticher claimed:
The army wouldn't let us tell the truth about the black troops because the government figured they were expendable. Our government didn't want to admit they were kamikaze pilots. They figured if one out of ten trucks got through, they'd save Patton and his tanks.Sean Axmaker, 'Ride Lonesome: The Career of Budd Boetticher', Senses of Cinema 7 February 2006 accessed 25 June 2012
References
External links The Red Ball Express, YouTube
Red Ball Express at TCMDB Review of film at Variety https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiClF0micis&t=3792s