They Were Expendable (1945): cast, story & where to watch
1945 · Film · ★ 6.5
Released in 1945, They Were Expendable is an action, drama and war film directed by John Ford, running about 135 minutes. “A Tribute to Those Who Did So Much... With So Little!” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. Shortly after Pearl Harbor, a squadron of PT-boat crews in the Philippines must battle the Navy brass between skirmishes with the Japanese. The title says it all about the Navy's attitude towards the PT-boats and their crews.
Who’s in it. They Were Expendable stars Robert Montgomery as Lt. John Brickley, John Wayne as Lt. (J.G.) 'Rusty' Ryan, Donna Reed as Lt. Sandy Davyss and Jack Holt as General Martin, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 6.5/10, They Were Expendable has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on YouTube TV and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch They Were Expendable page.
If you liked it. Fans of They Were Expendable tend to enjoy The Dark Knight, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Inception and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch They Were Expendable (1945)?
- In US, They Were Expendable is available to stream on YouTube TV, and rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is They Were Expendable worth watching?
- They Were Expendable holds an audience score of 6.5 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy action, drama and war. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in They Were Expendable?
- They Were Expendable stars Robert Montgomery, John Wayne, Donna Reed, Jack Holt and Ward Bond.
- When was They Were Expendable released?
- They Were Expendable was released in 1945, with a runtime of about 135 minutes.