Title: Go for Broke! Year: 1951 Director: Robert Pirosh Producer: Dore Schary Production Company: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) Runtime: 92 minutes Country: United States Language: English Format: Black-and-White Genres: War, Drama, Historical --- Synopsis: Go for Broke! dramatizes the real-life story of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, an all-Nisei (second-generation Japanese American) unit that fought in Europe during World War II. The film follows Lt. Michael Grayson, a newly commissioned officer who is assigned to command the 442nd. Initially harboring prejudices against his Japanese American soldiers, Grayson gradually comes to respect their courage and dedication as they engage in combat in Italy and France. The narrative culminates in the unit's heroic rescue of the "Lost Battalion" in the Vosges Mountains. --- Cast: Van Johnson as Lt. Michael Grayson Lane Nakano as Sam George Miki as Chick Akira Fukunaga as Frank Ken K. Okamoto as Kaz Henry Oyasato as Takashi Ohhara Harry Hamada as Masami Henry Nakamura as Tommy Kamakura Warner Anderson as Col. Charles W. Pence Don Haggerty as Sgt. Wilson I. Culley Gianna Maria Canale as Rosina Dan Riss as Capt. Solari John Banner as German Officer (uncredited) Jerry Fujikawa as Communications Sergeant (uncredited) Richard Anderson as Lieutenant (uncredited) Hugh Beaumont as Chaplain (uncredited) Frank Wilcox as HQ General (uncredited) Mario Siletti as Italian Farmer (uncredited) Edward Earle as General at Dress Parade (uncredited) Ann Codee as Pianist (uncredited) Note: Several cast members, including Lane Nakano, George Miki, Akira Fukunaga, Ken K. Okamoto, Henry Oyasato, and Harry Hamada, were actual veterans of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. --- Production Notes: Directed and written by Robert Pirosh, Go for Broke! was produced by Dore Schary and released by MGM. The film was notable for its authentic portrayal of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, with many roles played by actual Nisei veterans. The production aimed to highlight the contributions and sacrifices of Japanese American soldiers during World War II, at a time when their families were subjected to internment in the United States. The film's title, "Go for Broke," was the unit's motto, signifying a willingness to risk everything for success. --- Legacy: Go for Broke! stands as a significant film in American cinema for its early and respectful depiction of Japanese American soldiers. It brought attention to the valor of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, the most decorated unit for its size and length of service in U.S. military history. The film's release helped challenge prevailing stereotypes and contributed to a broader understanding of the Nisei soldiers' heroism. In 1979, the film entered the public domain in the United States due to MGM's failure to renew its copyright registration. --- Trivia: The screenplay by Robert Pirosh was nominated for an Academy Award in 1951. The film includes archival footage of General Mark Clark and President Harry Truman presenting the unit citation. The 442nd Regimental Combat Team suffered one of the highest casualty rates in the war, underscoring their commitment and bravery. The film's title, "Go for Broke," is a Hawaiian gambling term meaning to wager everything on a single roll of the dice, reflecting the unit's fighting spirit. --- Curated Hashtags: #GoForBroke1951 #VanJohnson #442ndRegimentalCombatTeam #NiseiSoldiers #WWIIHistory #JapaneseAmericanHeroes #RobertPirosh #MGMClassics #WarFilm #HistoricalDrama #PublicDomainFilm #MilitaryCinema