Kings Go Forth (1958)

In the last days of WWII, a First Lieutenant (Frank Sinatra) and a Corporal (Tony Curtis) in the same reconnaissance unit both fall in love with a naive French girl (Natalie Wood). She's the daughter of two Americans who came to France before she was born but only her mother (Leora Dana) is still alive. But there's still a war to be fought. Based on the novel by Joe David Brown and directed by Delmer Daves (DARK PASSAGE). The film balances the romantic triangle against the Americans attempting to extricate a platoon of German soldiers from a small village which they hold. The war stuff isn't particularly interesting, in fact it's pretty much the same scenario we've seen in countless other war movies that preceded it and would see again. It's the relationship between the soldiers and the girl that gives the film whatever strengths it has. Sinatra was still a formidable actor during this period, Curtis is perfectly cast, perhaps too perfect as his subsequent actions comes as no surprise to us. Wood is lovely but there's something off in her performance, perhaps it's just her weak French accent but she's not quite believable.  With Karl Swenson and Ann Codee.