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To celebrate Robert Walker's 98th birthday, which was yesterday, this week on «Film Friday» I thought I would tell you a little bit about the picture that introduced me to him. This also marked his first significant screen assignment. Directed by Tay Garnett, Bataan (1943) centers on a combat unit in an isolated jungle outpost in the Bataan Peninsula, which is being overrun by invading Japanese troops. The unit of thirteen disenfranchised men includes: Sergeant Bill Dane (Robert Taylor) of the 31st Infantry; Corporal Jake Feingold (Thomas Mitchell) of the Chemical Corps; Lieutenant Steve Bentley (George Murphy) of the U.S. Army Air Corps; Captain Henry Lassiter (Lee Bowman) of the 26th Cavalry; Corporal Barney Todd (Lloyd Nolan) of the Provisional Signal Battalion; Musician 2nd Class Leonard Purckett (Robert Walker) of the U.S. Navy; Private Felix Ramirez (Desi Arnaz) of the California National Guard; Private Matthew Hardy (Phillip Terry) of the Medical Corps; and Corporal Juan Ka...

Directed by Tay Garnett, The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946) begins when drifter Frank Chambers (John Garfield) stops at the rural Twin Oaks diner for a meal and ends up accepting a job offer from its middle-aged, alcoholic owner, Nick Smith (Cecil Kellaway). He is immediately intrigued by Nick's young wife, Cora (Lana Turner), with whom he soon becomes involved in a passionate love affair. They run away together when Nick is out of town, but only travel a short distance, as Cora cannot face a penniless future with Frank. Determined to continue her furtive romance and make a better life for herself, Cora convinces Frank to help her kill her husband, so she can cash in on his insurance money.   After a failed attempt to kill Nick in the bathtub, Frank and Cora stage a car accident, unaware that District Attorney Kyle Sackett (Leon Ames) has been following them. Although Sackett arrives on the scene too late to save Nick, he is certain that Cora and Frank are the culprits. Without...