A World War II propaganda film featuring John Wayne as "Wedge" Donovan, a construction magnate pushing for his workers to be trained as combat engineers to provide them protection as they work on the frontlines in the Pacific theater. There's also a Love Triangle between Wedge, his main military ally, and a Hot Scoop Intrepid Reporter.
Tropes in this film
- Anyone Can Die: Several of Donovan's most prominent subordinates die. Donovan himself is no luckier.
- Cold Sniper: Japanese snipers frequently sport Slasher Smiles while gunning down heroes.
- Construction Vehicle Rampage: In the climax, Donovan and his men use lots of bulldozers and cranes against a Japanese tank unit.
- A Father to His Men: Donovan's Establishing Character Moment shows him get shocked and angry when several of his men come back from an assignment killed or maimed. He throws the survivors a large party, advocates for them to receive weapons and training for self-defense, and goes on the next wartime construction project personally. Later, he's seen tucking in the covers for a young worker who in the hospital.
- Honest Corporate Executive: Donovan strives to serve his country during the war by using his company to help with vital construction projects while keeping his men as safe as possible.
- "I Am" Song: the Seabees "We are" song is one of the best moments in the whole movie. The verse in surprisingly good Russian is an extra nice Bilingual Bonus.
- Intrepid Reporter: Constance is a correspondent who doesn't shy away from visiting war zones.
- Jumped at the Call: Donovan's men are eager to help the military fight Japanese invaders and avenge their dead friends.
- Mentor Occupational Hazard: Played straight with Donovan's employee Eddie. He taught Donovan the ropes of the construction business when he was a teenager and he dies during the Seabees' first campaign.
- My Girl Back Home: One of the Seabees frequently mentions his significant other Olga and paints her name on his bulldozer.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Donovan and his men's first attempt to arm themselves and assist in the defense of a war zone inadvertently ruins a trap that would have let Yarrow wipe out the Japanese soldiers without losing any men.
- Politically Incorrect Hero: Lt. Cmdr. Yarrow is a Reasonable Authority Figure and Nice Guy extraordinaire, but it's implied that the atrocities committed by the Japanese military have caused him to hate their entire race.Yarrow: We're not fighting men anymore, we're fighting animals.
- The Power of Friendship: Yarrow and Donovan become fast friends, to the point where when Donovan falls in love with Yarrow's girlfriend, Yarrow is understanding and not terribly upset.
- Right Behind Me: Donovan tells Yarrow's injured girlfriend that he loves her right as Yarrow enters the room.
- Shirtless Scene: Some of Donovoan's workers go shirtless, given the hot climate.
- Tempting Fate: One of Donovan's men is shot by a Japanese sniper right after saying "There aren't any Japs here."
