US Release date: 9 November 1949
First Melbourne Saturday Suburban: 6 May 1950
Genre: War
Country: USA
Running time: 118 minutes
Director: William A. Wellman
Cast: Van Johnson, John Hodiak & Ricardo Montalban
Australian Distributor: MGM
Melbourne Premiere Venue: Simultaneously at MGM’s Metro and St. James theatres on 10 March 1950 for three weeks at former and two at the latter; both as feature only presentations.
Suburban Release Type: Union 8-W-FO
Rankings
| Rank | ||
| EF Points | 443 | 5 |
| EF PPE | 9.43 | 4 |
| Metres Travelled | 508,108 | 113 |
| Average MT | 10,811 | 103 |
| Engagements | 47 | 144 |
| Slots | 125 | 3 |
| Weeks | 37 | 16 |
| Weeks as % of engagements | 78.72% | 14 |
| Saturdays | 6 | 292 |
| Sats as % of engagements | 12.77% | 331 |
| Tuesdays | 4 | 281 |
| Tues as % of engagements | 8.51% | 315 |
| First billed | 25 | 149 |
| Second billed | 0 | 293* |
| Feature only | 22 | 4 |
Independent ratios
| Engagements weeks 1-10 | 46 |
| Ratio | 97.87% |
| Difference to chain ratio | 11.20% |
| Eng weeks 11-26 | 1 |
| Ratio | 2.13% |
| Difference to chain ratio | -5.49% |
| Eng weeks 27-52 | 0 |
| Ratio | 0.00% |
| Difference to chain ratio | -5.71% |
| Hoyts eng | 0 |
| Ratio | 0.00% |
| Difference to chain ratio | -0.84% |
| Independent eng | 36 |
| Ratio | 76.60% |
| Difference to chain ratio | -0.51% |
| Suburban eng | 11 |
| Ratio | 23.40% |
| Difference to chain ratio | 1.35% |
Notes: MGM’s WW2 epic was a genuine blockbuster: 443 EF points ranked it 4th overall, its EF PPE 4th, 3rd most slots and 4th most feature only presentations. No regular support partner, with FO screenings close to that of double feature presentations.
Battleground engagements
| SUBURB | VENUE | CHAIN | DATE | W | D | B | CO-FEATURE |
| Collingwood | Austral | Suburban | 6/5/50 | 1 | T | 1 | Sky Murder |
| Albert Park | Kinema | Independent | 6/5/50 | 1 | W | FO | FO |
| Burnley | Burnley | Independent | 6/5/50 | 1 | W | FO | FO |
| North Carlton | Adelphi | Independent | 6/5/50 | 1 | W | 1 | Captain is a Lady |
| Richmond | National | Independent | 6/5/50 | 1 | W | 1 | Tale of the Navajo |
| St.Kilda | Astor | Independent | 6/5/50 | 1 | W | FO | FO |
| Toorak | Village | Independent | 6/5/50 | 1 | W | FO | FO |
| St.Kilda | Palais | Suburban | 6/5/50 | 1 | W | 1 | Things Happen at Night |
| Newmarket | Newmarket | Suburban | 13/5/50 | 2 | T | 1 | Sky Murder |
| Brunswick | Empire | Independent | 13/5/50 | 2 | W | 1 | Society Lawyer |
| Caulfield | Camden | Independent | 13/5/50 | 2 | W | 1 | Blonde Fever |
| Elsternwick | Esquire | Independent | 13/5/50 | 2 | W | 1 | Hullabaloo |
| Malvern | Embassy | Independent | 13/5/50 | 2 | W | FO | FO |
| Moonee Ponds | Moonee | Independent | 13/5/50 | 2 | W | FO | FO |
| West Brunswick | Western | Independent | 13/5/50 | 2 | W | FO | FO |
| Westgarth | Westgarth | Independent | 13/5/50 | 2 | W | 1 | Captain is a Lady |
| Preston | Planet | Suburban | 13/5/50 | 2 | W | 1 | Best Man Wins |
| East Brunswick | Liberty | Independent | 20/5/50 | 3 | W | FO | FO |
| East Malvern | Waverley | Independent | 20/5/50 | 3 | W | FO | FO |
| Essendon | Regal | Independent | 20/5/50 | 3 | W | FO | FO |
| Glenferrie | Glen | Independent | 20/5/50 | 3 | W | 1 | Joe Smith American |
| Hawthorn | Vogue | Independent | 20/5/50 | 3 | W | 1 | Joe Smith American |
| Balwyn | Balwyn | Suburban | 20/5/50 | 3 | W | 1 | Blonde Fever |
| Camberwell | Rivoli | Suburban | 20/5/50 | 3 | W | 1 | Things Happen at Night |
| Ormond | Plaza | Suburban | 20/5/50 | 3 | W | FO | FO |
| Preston | St. James | Suburban | 20/5/50 | 3 | W | 1 | Best Man Wins |
| North Brighton | Gardenvale | Independent | 27/5/50 | 4 | S | FO | FO |
| North Melbourne | Central | Independent | 27/5/50 | 4 | S | 1 | Gentle Annie |
| Fairfield | Fairfield | Suburban | 27/5/50 | 4 | T | 1 | Sky Murder |
| Ashburton | Civic | Independent | 27/5/50 | 4 | W | 1 | Love on the Run |
| Middle Brighton | Dendy | Independent | 27/5/50 | 4 | W | FO | FO |
| Footscray | Grand | Independent | 27/5/50 | 4 | W | 1 | Captain is a Lady |
| Sandringham | Roxy | Independent | 27/5/50 | 4 | W | FO | FO |
| Coburg | Plaza | Independent | 3/6/50 | 5 | W | 1 | Blondie’s Secret |
| Heidelberg | Orient | Independent | 3/6/50 | 5 | W | FO | FO |
| Newport | Plaza | Independent | 3/6/50 | 5 | W | FO | FO |
| Williamstown | Empress | Independent | 3/6/50 | 5 | W | FO | FO |
| Yarraville | Sun | Independent | 3/6/50 | 5 | W | 1 | Captain is a Lady |
| Box Hill | Rialto | Suburban | 3/6/50 | 5 | W | FO | FO |
| Elwood | Broadway | Independent | 10/6/50 | 6 | S | 1 | Things Happen at Night |
| North Richmond | Victoria | Independent | 10/6/50 | 6 | S | 1 | Things Happen at Night |
| Oakleigh | Plaza | Independent | 10/6/50 | 6 | W | FO | FO |
| Port Melbourne | Port | Independent | 10/6/50 | 6 | W | FO | FO |
| Surrey Hills | Surrey | Independent | 17/6/50 | 7 | W | 1 | Hit Parade |
| Chelsea | Plaza | Independent | 1/7/50 | 9 | T | FO | FO |
| Reservoir | Plaza | Independent | 8/7/50 | 10 | S | FO | FO |
| South Melbourne | Empire | Suburban | 16/9/50 | 20 | S | 1 | Feathered Serpent |
The 1950 Project 