Activate your BLOCKBUSTER On Demand device

The Sullivans (1944)

The Sullivans (1944)
Member Rating:  
The Sullivans attempts to find the positives in one of the most tragic chapters of World War II. Edward Ryan, John Campbell, James B. Cardwell, John Alvin and George Offerman Jr. play the Sullivan brothers, sons of an Iowa railroad worker (Thomas Mitchell) and his wife (Selena Royle). The film traces the boys from childhood, maintaining a relatively lighthearted tone until the Sullivans sign up en masse for the navy at the outbreak of the war. Refusing to be separated, the boys are all assigned to the cruiser Juneau--and all are killed when the vessel goes down at Guadalcanal. This appalling incident (which made something of a celebrity of the brothers' grieving father when he went on a nationwide patriotic lecture tour) resulted in the Navy's decision to never again allowed all the enlisted members of one family to serve on the same ship. Even from the vantage point of fifty years, the scene in which the family receives the wire from the war department is impossible to watch with a dry eye. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

 Read More


Starring:
Anne BaxterThomas Mitchell, (more)
Director(s):
Lloyd Bacon
Format(s):
DVD
View All Versions to rent and buy
 
 
 
 

Synopsis of The Sullivans

The Sullivans attempts to find the positives in one of the most tragic chapters of World War II. Edward Ryan, John Campbell, James B. Cardwell, John Alvin and George Offerman Jr. play the Sullivan brothers, sons of an Iowa railroad worker (Thomas Mitchell) and his wife (Selena Royle). The film traces the boys from childhood, maintaining a relatively lighthearted tone until the Sullivans sign up en masse for the navy at the outbreak of the war. Refusing to be separated, the boys are all assigned to the cruiser Juneau--and all are killed when the vessel goes down at Guadalcanal. This appalling incident (which made something of a celebrity of the brothers' grieving father when he went on a nationwide patriotic lecture tour) resulted in the Navy's decision to never again allowed all the enlisted members of one family to serve on the same ship. Even from the vantage point of fifty years, the scene in which the family receives the wire from the war department is impossible to watch with a dry eye. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Theatrical Feature Running Time:
112 mins

Complete Cast of The Sullivans


Director(s):
Lloyd Bacon
Writer(s):
Mary C. McCall, Jr.Jules Schermer
Producer(s):
Sam Jaffe
Looking for special editions of The Sullivans?
See All Versions
Subtitles:
Check All Versions
Closed Captioning:
Check All Versions
 
 
 
 

BY MAIL

Monthly Subscription 
NEW! 7 - Day Rental
No subscription required. Usually ships in 24 hours.
 
Buy New  $12.99
 

IN-STORE

 

What's Your Take?

Add to FavoritesIn Favorites  |  Share:     Email to a friendShare on FacebookShare on Twitter
YOUR REVIEW
WRITE A REVIEW
 
1000 
 
Member Reviews
 
Bob M.

This is a great movie, possibly the best from the WWII era. Even though it was made before I was born, I was told how it affected everyone who saw it during WWII. This family was a "5 Gold Star Family," and there loss was felt by everyone. They did a great job showing everyone how close the family was while their children were growing up in Waterloo,IA in the 1920's and 1930's.

Yes   |   No

 
Ralph K.

If indeed it is a true story, it is sad and touching. It is, however, a delight to observe the family togetherness and values of yesterdays which helped to create the greatness of our country. From an entertainment point of view it is just an average classic movie in black and white.

Yes   |   No

 
Read All 2 Reviews