Good war film, great Gina

NEVER SO FEW was Gina Lollobrigida's first film shot in Hollywood (BEAT THE DEVIL,TRAPEZE and SOLOMON & SHEBA were all shot in Europe), and her arrival to star with Frank Sinatra in this picture was a very exciting event. She should have been given more screen time, but this is an action film intended for a male audience that cares little for romance. So her appearances are always somewhat episodic and her character remains undeveloped. Sturges stages the action sequences very well, the male cast is splendid (especially Richard Johnson and Steve MacQueen), the South East Asian locations are wonderful and atmospheric. Sinatra is always interesting on screen but he does not seem to be very involved in the project. Gina does what she is asked to do, and she does it well. We warm up to her character as the film progresses. At any rate, Lollobrigida was gorgeous-looking in 1959. What a woman!

An undistinguished war film...

One striking point in 'Never So Few' flavor is the luxurious Gina Lollobrigida, cautious, conventional and very careful), who is something to look at from any angle or any side... She displays an array of revealing gowns, and a full and shapely figure... And don't think the lady doesn't know it... With her, temptation is an art, and a titillating bath is an aesthetic manoeuvre... The signorina racks up quite a score... She exudes real charm and, contrary to expectation, the exotic locations of Burma, Thailand and Ceylon (exquisitely photographed in (Technicolor and CinemaScope) are tentatively explored...

'Never So Few' is an undistinguished war film... The stars are much more important than the story, but there is plenty of action...

Sinatra is heroic, tender, and rebel... A hard-drinking, hard-bitten army captain swinging with the plot from mild-mannered soldier so brave in battle, to an officer and a gentleman so afraid of life... He leads his men against the Chinese although it means crossing the Chinese frontier... In a captured Chinese village he orders all prisoners shot, wiring his superiors to 'go to hell.' He finds American supplies, and licenses issued to warlords by Chungking to raid Allied troops and sell the booty to the Japanese, splitting the take with Chungking!

The supporting cast is filled with familiar faces and each reacts to the situation differently:

Peter Lawford is the surgeon pushed out over the hills.. who is treating Captain De Mortimer for malaria... He advises Sinatra not to cross the border...

Steve McQueen looks good as the reckless, casual GI corporal who overpowers two 'guardians of law & order' so neatly that Sinatra gets him transferred to his outfit... McQueen gives his best screen performance, and it led to his being chosen as one of 'The Magnificent Seven' as Yul Brynner's first recruit and second-in-command...

Richard Johnson is Captain Danny De Mortimer ordered with Tom Reynolds to take a two-week "holiday" in Calcutta to obtain a surgeon and medical supplies for their men...

Paul Henreid is a war profiteer who buys and sells things in seven languages, at all hours...

Charles Bronson is the tough and edgy Sergeant John Danforth...

Dean Jones is the sergeant who clearly delivers the message: 'Do not move any attack. Rearm and release any prisoners you may have taken.'

Robert Bray is Colonel Parkson who warns Reynolds not to attack the Chinese village...

Brian Donlevy is General Sloan who backs up Reynolds and puts off the Chungking representative..

Let yourself cash with the action, of which there is plenty, and I think you're in for a chuckling time..

Colorful WWII Action Film with a Strong Cast

NEVER SO FEW is a very entertaining WWII hardnosed action adventure film set in Burma with great characters, dialogue, camaraderie and Steve McQueen as Ringa. The outstanding cast includes Frank Sinatra, Richard Johnson, Gina Lollobrigida, Peter Lawford, Charles Bronson, Brian Donlevy, Dean Jones, Paul Henreid, George Takei and Whit Bissell. Steve McQueen almost steals this film away from Frank Sinatra. However, the worldly Sinatra leading a guerilla force, battling the enemy well as his superiors (Brian Donlevy) and having time to romance Gina Lollobrigida demonstrates a strong sense of charm, righteousness and an ability to show off just how good an actor he really was.

Director John Sturges really new how to tell a story with strong individuals giving each character a sense of depth, believability and distinct charisma. Composer Hugo Friedhofer was very adept at scoring WWII films capturing the drive of the combatants juxtaposed with the horrors of the conflict. The one actor that seems to have gone unrecognized in this film is the very British Richard Johnson. In the earlier scenes in the film he was Frank Sinatra's drinking partner and his second in command. Johnson gives a very colorful and convincing performance and the camaraderie between him and Sinatra looks incredibly natural. It is this camaraderie that is the springboard for all the interwoven characters in this film and really enhances Steve McQueen's introduction as Ringa and the rest is film history.