W.I.A. (Wounded In Action) (1966)

Apologies but I couldn't find one single image from the film, so the above photo is from a different Steven Marlo picture

1966 - W.I.A. (Wounded In Action) (Myriad Productions)

[US co-production filmed in the Philippines]

Director/Writer Irving Sunasky Producers Irving Sunasky, Samuel Zerinsky Associate Producer Leopoldo Salcedo Cinematography Enrique Rogales Music Polding Silos [as Leopold Silos] Editor Gregorio Carraballo [IMDB also lists Fred von Bernewitz]

Cast Steven Marlo (Private Joe Goodman), Maura McGiveney (Lieutenant Marietta Dodd), Leopoldo Salcedo (Major Armando De Leon), Mary Humphrey (Lieutenant Joan Marsh), Albert Quinton (Major Slater), Victor Izay (Sergeant Roman), Bella Flores (Carmen), John Horn (Corporal Bliss), Pete Duel (Private Myers), Joe Sison (Sanchez), Brennan Wood (Captain Ed Bill), Romy Brion (Ruther)

WAR/ROMANTIC DRAMA

SYNOPSIS (from the AFI Catalog): In the Philippines during World War 2, US and Filipino soldiers who have been wounded in action against the invading Japanese are taken to a military evacuation hospital. One patient, Filipino Major Armando de Leon, nearly begins an affair with Nurse Joan Marsh but she is transferred from the hospital. US Private Joe Goodman also falls in love with a nurse, Marietta Dodd, but he is returned to the United States when the officers learn of their romance. Before he leaves, however, Joe pledges to marry Marietta when they can be reunited.

NOTES by Andrew Leavold: This film is impossible to find any information on other than the adjacent article in a Guam newspaper from February 1966. Did it ever play under a different name in either the Philippines or the US? Was it ever sold to TV? Or did it simply vanish into oblivion once the film was completed? If anyone can shine a light on this mystery, please get in contact.   

Steven Marlo on W.I.A. (from a 2018 interview with Michael Barnum in the Quad-City Times)

What can you tell me about the little known independent feature W.I.A. Wounded In Action (1966).

Steven Marlo: Irving Sunasky directed this film. When I was in college, he taught me more about Shakespeare than anyone. Irving cast me as a lead in this film playing a doctor in the Philippines. Of course, The Philippines is where I was stationed when I was in the service, and here, twenty years later I am back there making a movie! This is a movie I would love to see again, but I have never been able to locate a copy of it. Leopoldo Salcedo was in it, and he was sort of the Clark Gable of the Philippines. He played a major role in the film. 

At the time I was cast in the picture I was dating an actress named Maura McGiveney, and I said I didn’t want to do the film unless she could play opposite me. So, Maura was cast as my leading lady, which was wonderful…at first. Well, we get to the Philippines and half way through the film she meets this local gangster and dumps me for him [laughs]. Then about two months after that, he dumps her. Sadly, years later, Maura developed a drinking problem and died far too young. She was a very pretty lady. I think her father was an actor. [Author’s note: Maura McGiveney’s father was character actor Owen McGiveney].