An impossibly romanticized version of the World War II Pacific theater "construction battalions" (CBs = "SeaBees"), but I still have an affection for this movie.

John Wayne is rough and ready as usual, an engineer...
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An impossibly romanticized version of the World War II Pacific theater "construction battalions" (CBs = "SeaBees"), but I still have an affection for this movie.

John Wayne is rough and ready as usual, an engineer with a spine of steel who constantly involves his crew in action against the Japanese and who wins a woman's heart in the bargain. There is just something about these guys using bulldozers and shovels against the enemy that makes me smile.

Ultimately, this is not a good movie, the scenarios are forced, and the tragedy of the finale a little too sensational. While I like the film, it probably had more use as US propaganda at the time. While forgotten today, the "SeaBees" were given some real publicity at the time.