''Only the Brave Know Hell'' (released in the United States as ''The Ravagers'') is a 1965 Filipino-American

war War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular o ...

drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has been ...

film directed by

Eddie Romero Edgar Sinco Romero, (July 7, 1924 – May 28, 2013), commonly known as Eddie Romero, was a Filipino film director, film producer and screenwriter. Early life Romero was born on July 7, 1924. His father was José E. Romero, the first Philipp ...

and co-written by Romero and Cesar Amigo, starring

John Saxon John Saxon (born Carmine Orrico; August 5, 1936 – July 25, 2020) was an American actor who worked on more than 200 film and television projects during a span of 60 years. He was known for his work in Western (genre), Westerns and horror film ...

Fernando Poe Jr. Ronald Allan Kelley Poe (August 20, 1939 – December 14, 2004), known professionally as Fernando Poe Jr., and often referred to by his initials FPJ, was a Filipino actor, film director, producer, screenwriter, and politician. His long and s ...

and

Vic Diaz Victor Sunico Diaz'', popularly known as Vic Diaz, (July 29, 1932 – September 15, 2006) was a Filipino character actor who mostly portrayed villains. He was also the father of Teddy Diaz, the founding guitarist of the Filipino Rock band The D ...

. It was produced by

Hemisphere Pictures Hemisphere Pictures was a film production and distribution company that specialised in movies from the Philippines. More information is available at '' Kane W. Lynn''. Filmography * Terror Is a Man (1959) * The Walls of Hell (1964) * Moro Witc ...

, which consisted of Eddie Romero,

Kane W. Lynn Kane W. Lynn (1919–1975) was an American film producer who made a number of movies in the Philippines with producer Irwin Pizor and Filipino director Eddie Romero as Hemisphere Pictures, or the ''House of Horror'' as they often referred to them ...

and Irwin Pizor. In the Philippines, the Pilipino-language version was entitled ''Hanggang May Kalaban'' () while the English-dubbed version was entitled ''Only the Brave Know Hell'', both of which were released in February 1965, while in the United States, it was released as ''The Ravagers'' in December 1965. The film is set in the Philippines during World War II. It is about a band of brave Filipino

guerrillas Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare in which small groups of combatants, such as paramilitary personnel, armed civilians, or irregulars, use military tactics including ambushes, sabotage, raids, petty warfare, hit-and-run tactics ...

who battle with the last remaining Japanese occupation forces. The film was advertised as "the biggest war film ever filmed in the Philippines". Lead actress Bronwyn FitzSimons was the daughter of actress Maureen O'Hara. It was one of several war movies Saxon made outside Hollywood.

Plot

In the year 1945, The commandant of the Japanese forces occupying the Philippines is ordered to transport a shipment of gold bullion back to Japan. The Japanese soldiers take over a convent where the gold shipment is situated, and take a number of nuns and young girls prisoner in the process. Unbeknownst to the Japanese, one of the captive women is actually a female American agent named Sheila (Bronwyn FitzSimons), whom the Japanese have been looking to capture. Kermit Dowling (

), a

USAFFE United States Army Forces in the Far East (USAFFE) (Filipino: ''Hukbong Katihan ng Estados Unidos sa Malayong Silangan/HKEUMS''; Spanish: ''Fuerzas del Ejército de los Estados Unidos en el Lejano Oriente'') was a military formation of the Unite ...

officer, together with an ex-convict named Gaudiel (

), leads a group of Filipino guerillas in an attack on the convent. Gaudiel finds himself attracted to Sheila. The guerillas beat the Japanese troops in a fierce battle and liberate the convent, saving the gold shipment.

Cast

as Capt. Kermit Dowling *

as Sgt. Rubinio Gaudiel *Bronwyn FitzSimons as Sheila Ryan *

Robert Arevalo Robert Ylagan Arevalo (; born May 6, 1938) is a Filipino film and television actor. Personal life Arevalo is the son of Filipino film actor/composer/musician Tito Arevalo; his uncle Angel Esmeralda is the father of the late Jay Ilagan and his un ...

as Capt. Araulio *Jose Dagumboy as Joe *

as Cruz *Michael Parsons as Reardon *Kristina Scott as Mother-Superior *

Vic Silayan Victor Payumo Silayan (January 31, 1929 – August 30, 1987), commonly known as Vic Silayan, was a Filipino actor who is best known for his roles in ''Kisapmata'' (1981) and ''Karnal'' (1983). Personal life He was born in Gapan, Nueva Ecija, ...

as Capt. Mori *Ann Saxon

References

External links

* * 1965 films 1960s war drama films 1965 drama films Films directed by Eddie Romero Pacific War films Philippine black-and-white films Philippine war drama films {{war-drama-film-stub

Plot

Cast

See also

References

External links