Cinema: Death And Daring Deeds

Of all the sad dates that cloud U.S. military history, April 9, 1942, must rank as one of the most devastating. In the Philippines, with his troops racked by disease, surrounded and facing annihilation, U.S. Army Major General Edward King surrendered his 78,000 American and Filipino soldiers and 20,000 Filipino civilians to an overwhelming Japanese force.

Then began the notorious Bataan Death March. Herded by their captors, the prisoners slogged, limped and dragged their comrades through the fierce jungle for 55 miles. Then they were jammed into railroad cars for some farther distance, and finally marched eight more miles to a...