Pride of the Marines

The true story of Al Schmid, a young soldier blinded by a Japanese grenade in the heroic defence of Guadalcanal, allows Garfield to produce a performance of well-modulated intensity that draws upon his understanding of ordinary people, their eager but simple ambitions, and the courage they often find in adversity and despair. The cloying patriotism - although mitigated in part by a confrontation of the social problems facing the US in the aftermath of World War II - is hard to stomach. But the thoughtful script (notice in particular the characters' reaction to the news of Pearl Harbor), the fine direction (you'll either love or hate the bizarre dream sequence), and above all Garfield, make this a film that's always watchable, sometimes riveting.