Orla Zuniga It is interesting even when nothing much happens, which is for most of its 3-hour running time. Read full review

Yash Wade Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

Sarita Rafferty There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

Jenni Devyn Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

writers_reign Though I've never actually counted I'm willing to bet the farm that there have been at least four other films featuring Guadalcanal so I can justify my summary. However many there actually were they'd be hard pushed to eclipse this effort which has several things going for it; it was produced less than a year after the events it portrays and at a time when the war - in terms of US involvement - was more or less at the halfway point and to add to the authenticity it was based on a first-hand account - or, as Historians say - Primary Source material by war correspondent Richard Tregaskis. Throw in an excellent cast, none of whom was really a leading man but were the cream of supporting actors led by Lloyd Nolan, William Bendix and Preston Foster and the result is one of the finest of the First Wave of World War II movies.

hjmsia49 The ensemble cast of this film made it the fine war film it is. Most of the cast had starring roles in other films. I thought the narration of Reed Hadley was perfect in telling the story of the first American offensive against the Japanese in WWII. Guadalcanal was a turning point in the Pacific War as it ended a series of Japanese successes and began the shrinking of their Pacific conquests. Others have pointed out the historical inaccuracies including the fact that the Japanese survivors were successfully evacutated from the island and not driven into the sea as depicted in the final battle. One shocking inaccuracy I noticed took place on the second day of the Marine landing. The first night, while huddled in foxholes, they hear gunfire off shore and comments that "The Navy is busy tonight." The next morning, Col. Grayson (Minor Watson) comments, "We lost four cruisers but we beat them off good." In fact, the U.S. Navy suffered one of its worst defeats in history in the battle of Savo Island. The Japanese commander was hardly "beaten off" but decided to withdraw after sinking 4 Allied cruisers (Canberra, Astoria, Quincy and Vincennes)because he thought U.S. carriers were in the vicinity. In fact, they had departed and the Japanese commander could have destroyed the entire invasion fleet and the outcome would have been far different. What proved to be an eventual allied victory, came within a hairs-breath of being a disastrous defeat. While the Marines have received the lion's share of the glory, well deserved, Guadalcanal took the lives of many more Navy personnel than Marines. The many horrific night naval battles took a heavy toll and the waters north of Guadalcanal were aptly renamed "Ironbottom Sound." Sadly, Hollywood has never made a film about the horrors faced by sailors in achieving the victory at Guadalcanal. The movie about the five Sullivan brothers, who all died when their ship (Juneau) was sunk with only 10 survivors in the bloody waters of Guadalcanal, was just a small part of the carnage the Navy suffered there. Guadalcanal Diary is a stirring tribute to the Marine Corps and a accurate portrayal of what they endured on that wretched island.

PWNYCNY This is one of the all-time great classic movies of its genre. Unlike most Hollywood movies that use historical events as backgrounds for sappy and insipid love stories, the main "character" of this movie is the event itself. For the Battle of Guadalcanal is one of the key battles in all of history. This momentous event, which took place at the same time the Soviet Union was battling the Germans at Stalingrad, marked the end of Japanese expansion in the south Pacific and the beginning of the process that would lead to Japan's ultimate defeat. It should also be noted that the Battle for Guadalcanal was entirely an American operation, fought several thousands miles away from home and against an implacable enemy that had months, if not years, to prepare their defenses. Moreover, this battle took place just months after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The acting is great, the story compelling and is all-in-all a movie that is definitely worth watching.

clman065 I just finished watching this film on AMC; I had not seen it in years.The movie features a fine cast of wartime actors such as Willliam Bendix as the obligatory wisecracker from Brooklyn, Anthony Quinn playing a Mexican American marine with a thick accent and Richard Jaeckel as the baby faced kid.Is it my imagination or was Richard Jaeckel in every war film of the era?Not a bad career-from Guadalcanal to Baywatch.Though the film has some historical inaccuracies it must be remember that it was made shortly after the real battle ended and did it's bit to keep wartime morale up.I enjoyed all that was realistic about the film; the real Grumman Wildcat fighters zooming over the beach, the fact that the marines were still equipped with Springfield bolt rifles. Compare the accuracy of this movie to the Thin Red Line where the soldiers are swimming with the natives and admiring the wildlife.