Never So Few

Year:

1959

Duration:

125 min

Genres:

Drama | War

IMDB rate:

5.9

Director:

John Sturges

Details

Country: USA

Release Date: 1959-12-07

Filming Locations: Burma

Cast

Actor

Character

Brian Donlevy

Isabel Cooley

Gina Lollobrigida

Frank Sinatra

Capt. Tom Reynolds

Peter Lawford

Capt. Grey Travis

Steve McQueen

Bill Ringa

Richard Johnson

Capt. Danny De Mortimer

Paul Henreid

Nikko Regas

Dean Jones

Sgt. Jim Norby

Charles Bronson

Sgt. John Danforth

Philip Ahn

Nautaung

Robert Bray

Col. Fred Parkson

Kipp Hamilton

Margaret Fitch

John Hoyt

Col. Reed

Whit Bissell

Capt. Alofson - Psychiatrist

Richard Lupino

Mike Island

Aki Aleong

Billingsly

Henry Amargo

Scout (uncredited)

Rayford Barnes

Soldier in Helicopter (uncredited)

Charles Bateman

Pilot (uncredited)

Chatu Singh Bedi

Pedestrian (uncredited)

John Bryant

General Sloan's Aide (uncredited)

Eugene Chan

Scout (uncredited)

Spencer Chan

Merchant (uncredited)

W.T. Chang

Elderly Chinese (uncredited)

Kei Thin Chung

Boat Driver (uncredited)

Jim Cronin

Sergeant (uncredited)

Noel De Souza

Secretary (uncredited)

Ross Elliott

Colonel Dr. Barry (uncredited)

Paul Fierro

Hindu Noble (uncredited)

Harold Fong

Chinese Peasant (uncredited)

Martin Fong

Scout (uncredited)

Bhupesh Guha

Hotel Clerk (uncredited)

James Hong

General Chao (uncredited)

Dale Ishimoto

Scout (uncredited)

Morgan Jones

Co-Pilot (uncredited)

Clifford Kawada

Japanese Officer (uncredited)

George Khoury

Headwaiter (uncredited)

Robert Kino

La-Bung La (uncredited)

Joe La Bate

Bellboy (uncredited)

Guy Lee

Bye Ya (uncredited)

Jay Lee

Chinese War Lord (uncredited)

Allan Liu

Scout (uncredited)

Leon Lontoc

Laurel (uncredited)

Clarence Lung

Scout (uncredited)

Mako

Soldier in Hospital (uncredited)

Paul Maxwell

Co-Pilot (uncredited)

Peter Miller

Cargo Man (uncredited)

Rollin Moriyama

Scout (uncredited)

Bong Nam

Kachin Scout (uncredited)

Leo Needham

Pilot (uncredited)

Maggie Pierce

Nurse (uncredited)

James Shen

Chinese Soldier (uncredited)

Reginald Lal Singh

Major Domo (uncredited)

William Smith

MP Officer #1 (uncredited)

Roy Taguchi

Japanese Officer (uncredited)

George Takei

Soldier in Hospital (uncredited)

Irene Tedrow

Head Nurse (uncredited)

Marie Tsien

Eurasian Girl (uncredited)

Lawrence Ung

Chinese Lieutenant (uncredited)

Did you know?

Trivia

John Hoyt, Whit Bissell, and George Takei all went on to become legendary television actors of the 1960s, and all three played memorable roles in Star Trek (1966), but no two of them, let alone all three, were ever in the same episode of that show.

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This movie is based on the real-life story of World War II's OSS Detachment 101. This was an OSS Operations Group designed to specialize in activities in the China-Burma-India region in collaboration with the Kachin Rangers and other Allied special operations units.

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Gina Lollobrigida's first American movie.

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Goofs

During the Jap ambush in the first part of the movie Capt. Reynolds' "gun-bearer" keeps handing him different weapons. He swaps his Thompson for a Sten then passes the Sten back for a Carbine. When the Japanese run out and shoot his "gun-bearer" Reynolds opens up "full-auto" with the Carbine. There were no "full-auto" Carbines in WWII.

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In the lounge scene where Capt. Reynolds punches and falls to the floor with Capt. Mortimer, Reynolds stands and buttons the top button on his tunic. The same button is seen buttoned and unbuttoned a few more times over the next minute.

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Post WW2 cars are behind the jeep driven by Bill Ringa in the early city scenes.

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Quotes

Capt. Tom Reynolds: [Having entered Carla's bathroom, in which she is bathing in a large bathtub] Is that why you invited me in your bath?

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Capt. Tom Reynolds: [while checking in at the hotel, receiving an unexpected invite from Nikko Regas] Well, we're invited to a party tonight. By Mr. Nikko Regas.

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Capt. Tom Reynolds: [while visiting at Regas' posh villa in northern India, noticing the mix of people present] Europeans, Sikhs, Chinese... Doctors, lawyers, merchants and thieves.

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Faq

Q

Cinematographer Bill Daniels---What Did Gina Think of Him?

A

Chicago Tribune, Wednesday, May 27, 1959, pt. 5, p. 1, c. 3:LOOKING AT HOLLYWOODby Hedda HopperLollabrigida, at the races, told me she'd never looked so well as in "Never So Few," with Bill Daniels' photograqphy. She'd like to sign him for life. She came with Benny Thaus. Also there were Ralph Levy and his lovely wife, Alfred hitchcock with Lew Wasserman, and Louella Parsons.___________________________________

Q

Dean Jones---What Movie Was He Suppose to be in After "Never"?

A

Chicago Tribune, December 17, 1959:LOOKING AT HOLLYWOODDean Jones Will Star in 'Magnificent Seven'by Hedda HopperHollywood, Dec. 16---John Sturges, who directed Dean Jones in "Never So Few," will star him in "Magnificent Seven," which he'll produce and direct. In addition, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, where he was under contract for three years but never sang, wants him back for the Young Dr. Kildare TV; this proves what one good part well done will do for a guy. . . .__________________________

Q

Where Filmed?

A

Chicago Tribune, January 25, 1959, p. 26:TOWER TICKERby Herb Lyon. . . . Ex-Chicago Author Tom Chamales and his missus, Singer Helen O'Connell, have reconciled and will hop to Burma with Sinatra to make the movie of Tom's best seller, "Never So Few."______________________________Chicago Tribune, Friday, April 3, 1959, s. 3, p. 12, c. 4:LOOKING AT HOLLYWOODby Hedda HopperIncidentally, the Sinatra, Gina Lollobrigida picture, "Never So Few," will be shot in Hawaii, not Burma, beginning May 4. . . ._____________________________

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