Barry Nelson, a hero cabby from NY who single handedly captures a couple of desperate thugs, accepts an offer to lead a convoy of trucks over the Burma Road for the Chinese government. Along the way he gets entangled in a romance with lovely Laraine Day, who finds she is married to a traitorous heel who has been flying for the Japanese. Phew! What a plot! Altogether, an entertaining, patriotic bit of propaganda that was a product of it's times. However, even given the patriotic fervor of the early war years, Barry Nelson's performance was really way over the top. He was so animated, in certain scenes, he appeared to be making faces! This type of film does not appeal to everyone ... but, if you enjoy them you will want to try "The Purple Heart" and "The First Yank in Tokyo". Same formula - same POV.
6 Reviews
" I'm an American Cab Driver, there aren't too many things which scare us "
thinker169114 October 2010
From the magnificent collection of war time films, comes this jovial story of an American cabby, Joe Tracey (Barry Nelson) who without too much effort, manages to capture single handedly, two notorious hoodlums. In doing so, he is instantly catapulted to national fame. One of the effects of such fame is that he is sought out by Dr. Franklin Ling (Phillip Ahn) and other Chinesse patriots Kim How (Keye Luke) who engage him to lead a convoy of trucks across the old Burma Road. Once there he is beset with a number of problems, least of which are the invading Japanese, little fuel, blown bridges and a fair damsel in distress. Mrs. Gail Farwood (Laraine Day). The movie is standard for the pre-war years and formulated to entice America to join the war. Shown in Black and White, the film is subtly propaganda in nature and sympathetic to the Chinese people's plight. Mr. Nelson is stereotypical of the American hero and is convincing in character.If one enjoys the film, then it's message has been conveyed. ***
The Dragon's Tail
sol-kay22 October 2010
Warning: Spoilers
***SPOILERS*** Unsual WWII movie that was actually finished almost a month before the US enter the war after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor! The fact that the attack on Pearl Harbor is mentioned in the movie's prologue and even later in the movie itself shows that it's storyline was changed after it was already in the can and had a number of scenes re-shot to update it.
Joe Tracey, Barry Nelson, the hard driving New York City taxi driver made a name for himself in capturing single-handedly the two notorious Spinaldi Brothers after they shot down a number of policemen in a New York City subway station. Basking in his popularity as a full fledged honest to goodness red blooded American hero Tracey is later approached by a local Chinese fraternity to drive a column of trucks up the Burma Road loaded with food and medical supplies to the beleaguered Chinese capital of Chunk-King that's on the verge of falling to the Japanese army.
Reluctant at first Tracey has a change of heart when he sees a number of Chinese students singing the Nationalist Chinese Governments national anthem as well as contributing what little they could scrape up for the cause in driving the hated Japs out of their country! Now in Rangoon Tracey runs into Amercan Gail Farwood,Larine Day, who's about to be deported by the British who run the country as an undesirable alien! It's Gail's estranged American the German born husband Tom Farwood, Stuart Crawford, who switched sides, even though at the time the USA was neutral, by joining the Japanese air-force in it's war against the United Kingdom, China's ally, who like the USA was not at war with Japan at the time!
It's hard to follow the movie in any historical context in knowing that Tracey was in fact working on his own in fighting the Japs not for what they did to his country, the attack on Pearl Harbor was still months away, but for what they were doing to the Chinese people! This all was very noble but in no way patriotic on Tracey's part!
In charge of getting a column of trucks across the treacherous Burma Road Tracey uses his expertise as a New York taxi driver to get the job done. In fact the Burma Road was in no way as dangerous as the streets on New York city that Tracey drove his cab for a living.
***SPOILERS*** Pretty good action scenes with Tracey and his American Chinese friend Kim How, Keye Luke, breaking through the Japanese lines at Shan Lu in order to break the siege of Chunk-King some 300 miles away. Among the difficulties that Tracey and his Chinese allies faced was non other then Gail's husband Tom who did everything to keep his mission, in breaking through the Japanses lines, from being successful.
What I considered the real hero in the movie Wing, who reminds me of a Chinese Hurtz Hall, played by Victor Sen Yung who was really the person who saved the day for Tracey and the men under his command. But by the time the film ended Wing wasn't around to get any applause from them!
Joe Tracey, Barry Nelson, the hard driving New York City taxi driver made a name for himself in capturing single-handedly the two notorious Spinaldi Brothers after they shot down a number of policemen in a New York City subway station. Basking in his popularity as a full fledged honest to goodness red blooded American hero Tracey is later approached by a local Chinese fraternity to drive a column of trucks up the Burma Road loaded with food and medical supplies to the beleaguered Chinese capital of Chunk-King that's on the verge of falling to the Japanese army.
Reluctant at first Tracey has a change of heart when he sees a number of Chinese students singing the Nationalist Chinese Governments national anthem as well as contributing what little they could scrape up for the cause in driving the hated Japs out of their country! Now in Rangoon Tracey runs into Amercan Gail Farwood,Larine Day, who's about to be deported by the British who run the country as an undesirable alien! It's Gail's estranged American the German born husband Tom Farwood, Stuart Crawford, who switched sides, even though at the time the USA was neutral, by joining the Japanese air-force in it's war against the United Kingdom, China's ally, who like the USA was not at war with Japan at the time!
It's hard to follow the movie in any historical context in knowing that Tracey was in fact working on his own in fighting the Japs not for what they did to his country, the attack on Pearl Harbor was still months away, but for what they were doing to the Chinese people! This all was very noble but in no way patriotic on Tracey's part!
In charge of getting a column of trucks across the treacherous Burma Road Tracey uses his expertise as a New York taxi driver to get the job done. In fact the Burma Road was in no way as dangerous as the streets on New York city that Tracey drove his cab for a living.
***SPOILERS*** Pretty good action scenes with Tracey and his American Chinese friend Kim How, Keye Luke, breaking through the Japanese lines at Shan Lu in order to break the siege of Chunk-King some 300 miles away. Among the difficulties that Tracey and his Chinese allies faced was non other then Gail's husband Tom who did everything to keep his mission, in breaking through the Japanses lines, from being successful.
What I considered the real hero in the movie Wing, who reminds me of a Chinese Hurtz Hall, played by Victor Sen Yung who was really the person who saved the day for Tracey and the men under his command. But by the time the film ended Wing wasn't around to get any applause from them!
Until the Doolittle Raid
bkoganbing13 October 2014
MGM's B picture unit apparently got this one out in a hurry to take advantage of the anger over the Pearl Harbor attack. According to A Yank On The Burma Road, Barry Nelson led the first counterattack after Pearl Harbor and it was in China.
This film casts Nelson as a cabdriver who after capturing some New York gangsters singlehanded accepts an offer from the Kuomintang of Nationalist China to head a convoy of supplies on the Burma Road from Rangoon to the wartime capital of Chungking. As if his exploits as a New York cabdriver qualified him for such a position.
At the same time Laraine Day is Rangoon inquiring after her husband Stuart Crawford whom she is shocked to learn is a mercenary flying for the Japanese. I'm unaware that the Japanese or any of the Axis powers hired out mercenaries, that sure hasn't come down in history. She tricks Nelson into taking her along to Chungking.
It's a job to Nelson, but as he makes the trip he starts admiring the Chinese for their fortitude. And when news of Pearl Harbor hits, he gets in the first licks for America.
Until the Doolittle Tokyo Raid, the American public festered for news that we hit back after Pearl Harbor. If they couldn't get real news then they settled for some vicarious counterattacks which movies like A Yank On The Burma Road provided.
This is one creaky old propaganda flick that hasn't stood up well at all.
This film casts Nelson as a cabdriver who after capturing some New York gangsters singlehanded accepts an offer from the Kuomintang of Nationalist China to head a convoy of supplies on the Burma Road from Rangoon to the wartime capital of Chungking. As if his exploits as a New York cabdriver qualified him for such a position.
At the same time Laraine Day is Rangoon inquiring after her husband Stuart Crawford whom she is shocked to learn is a mercenary flying for the Japanese. I'm unaware that the Japanese or any of the Axis powers hired out mercenaries, that sure hasn't come down in history. She tricks Nelson into taking her along to Chungking.
It's a job to Nelson, but as he makes the trip he starts admiring the Chinese for their fortitude. And when news of Pearl Harbor hits, he gets in the first licks for America.
Until the Doolittle Tokyo Raid, the American public festered for news that we hit back after Pearl Harbor. If they couldn't get real news then they settled for some vicarious counterattacks which movies like A Yank On The Burma Road provided.
This is one creaky old propaganda flick that hasn't stood up well at all.
New York was never like this...
dexter-107 February 2001
A New York City cabby gets to lead a caravan of medical supplies up the Burma Road to Chungking for the Chinese Five Brothers Society. History testifies that more than medicine was delivered by these runs, most likely fuel and ammunition were common. However, the American role in World War Two China was not clearly defined until the Declaration of War on Japan in December of 1941, so, like the Flying Tigers, the convoys were, until then, sort of official-unofficial adventures. At face value, at least, this film claims humanitarian ends. Cabby Joe Tracey must negotiate dangerous mountain roads during a gasoline shortage, and deal with a determined Laraine Day as well. Can he survive it all? One thing is certain: New York was never like this.
A Yank On The Burma Road
a_baron2 November 2021
This multi-titled film is part comedy, part propaganda. It is probably a bit strong to call it a romantic comedy because the romancing is strictly one-sided, and the damsel is actually a married woman.
It starts with a robbery turned murder in public, and while the police are out looking for the bad guys, who have been clearly identified, a taxi driver drives up to police headquarters and nonchalantly hands them over trussed up like chickens. This leads to both instant fame and to a Chinese humanitarian outfit recruiting him to lead an aid convoy into dangerous territory.
There are roadblocks rather than adventures on the way, until the final scene which is where the propaganda is at its most obvious. Difficult to believe this was made during the Second World War. And even more difficult to believe that America and China were once allies.
It starts with a robbery turned murder in public, and while the police are out looking for the bad guys, who have been clearly identified, a taxi driver drives up to police headquarters and nonchalantly hands them over trussed up like chickens. This leads to both instant fame and to a Chinese humanitarian outfit recruiting him to lead an aid convoy into dangerous territory.
There are roadblocks rather than adventures on the way, until the final scene which is where the propaganda is at its most obvious. Difficult to believe this was made during the Second World War. And even more difficult to believe that America and China were once allies.
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