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Why in the world haven't they made a film about this man, for this era/generation? I'm shocked we haven't seen his profile, or that I didn't hear of his name until today, despite the slew of WWII films following Saving Private Ryan... Anyone?

Coincidentally I watched Night Passage earlier today, though my response was more along the lines of "Why in the world haven't they made a film about Dan Duryea for this era/generation?"

Funny thing about Murphy...he was a genuinely dangerous man. He was short, but was known in his Hollywood days (after WWII he went to Hollywood and was an action star) for getting drunk and beating up lots and lots of guys. Evidently it wasn't just pluck and luck that led to him being such an effective fighter in the war.

It would make a very interesting film- he was one of those guys that society needs badly in wars, but doesn't really have a place for in peace.

I agree that a film on Murphy would be interesting. There is To Hell and Back (in which he starred) which is based on his autobiography, but that's just about his war exploits. What's even more interesting to today's audiences is his later life: quick stardom and then rapidly increasing irrelevance in movies, multiple marriages, a second career as a Country & Western songwriter, and a tragic death. Would probably make for a hell of a movie, except for the fact that nobody knows who he is anymore. Ray Charles, Johnny Cash, Truman Capote, et al, are all still household names and so are good bets for biopics. Not so much a star of mostly B Westerns.

His grave in Arlington National Cemetery is the second most visited after JFK's. He is the most decorated hero of WWII. That must stand for something, no? And for the record, I didn't know who Capote was until after the film premiered.

Murphy was rather good as Pyle in the first version of The Quite American opposite Michael Redgrave's Fowler. Must have been a good part because Brendan Fraser was also impressive in the same role in the recent remake.

Probably many of Audie Murphy post war problems he suffered in his personal life was due to what is now termed Post Traumatic Stress syndrome - see link -

Audie Murphy killed 240 enemy soldiers in WWII. Let that sink in a minute. In real life, he killed more men than (I'm guessing) Clint Eastwood did in the movies. He won the Medal of Honor for calling in artillery strikes around his position while he was sitting on a Nazi ammo depot (the Germans were afraid to attack him for fear of the explosion).

I'm thinking he was a different kind of cat when he went into the service.

I've thought that Audie Murphy would make an amusing lyric to a song of some sort--something like: I'm like Audie Murphy/I've been to hell and back

I read a book a few years back about the making of The Quiet American (original version), in Saigon called A Thinker's Damn, which had a lot about Murphy in it. It's not terribly well written (in the sense that it needed an editor) as I recall, but I do remember it being quite a page-turner, and very well researched. It's available at Amazon, and gets five stars.

Murphy was quite a fascinating and disturbing character and some of his best films caught the dark edge of his personality. I've seen most of his movies and enjoy the majority of his performances, esp. the westerns where he played put-upon characters reacting to corrupt or oppressive forces. He made a great Jesse James in KANSAS RAIDERS (1950) and an even greater Billy the Kid in THE KID FROM TEXAS (1950), one of the most historically accurate Billy the Kid films.

I also recommend: DUEL AT SILVER CREEK, COLUMN SOUTH, DRUMS ACROSS THE RIVER, RIDE A CROOKED TRAIL, NO NAME ON THE BULLET and POSSE FROM HELL. The latter co-stars John Saxon, Vic Morrow and Lee Van Cleef, so you can't go wrong there.

TO HELL AND BACK is a whitewashed version of his story, watered down into a typical Universal Pictures war movie programmer, with all the G.I.'s in astounding good cheer throughout the combat, captured in sunny widescreen and color. Somehow I couldn't believe that Audie was so happy during the war.

But I've always had a great deal of sympathy for poor Audie.

There's a bio of him called "No Name on the Bullet," by Don Graham, that's pretty good.

I find it upsetting how some of you skim over Audie's life, make quick judgements and flip statements about this great man. You want to use his name in song lyrics about how someone else has been to hell and back, who wouldn't have any idea what it was like. Mention of his "multiple " marriages, which by the way was a whooping - 2. A man we don't have a place for in peacetime? I beg to differ. I have never, ever, heard of him getting drunk and beating up all these supposed people. I do know of one instance where he beat up one man for kicking a dog. I support that beating.

Audie Murphy was not only a great war hero, but a kind, generous and humble man. There are many when asked about working with him, reflect on his kindness.

As far as him becoming irrelevant in movies, I imagine several stars were facing that as the times changed, and he left movie making for a few years. He didn't care for some of the fakeness of Hollywood, by the way, and made more money with his quarter horses anyway. He was to read the script for I believe it was "Dirty Harry," when he returned from Virginia.
His movies and memorabilia are being bought up like hotcakes. I know, that I watch his movies over and over again.

I'm not going to sit here and say he was perfect, but as most people love to tear down heroes, I won't stand for him to be raked over the coals. His life is an amazing story, he was an amazing man. Maybe he was human, with flaws and all, but few men measure up to him in my eyes, very few.

Audie Murphy R.I.P.

Well said. Thank you. (And you get your screen name from a Murphy film I haven't seen.)

A few years ago, I was at a screening of SEVEN MEN FROM NOW at which Budd Boetticher spoke afterwards. Boetticher had worked with Murphy a couple of times so during the Q&A I asked him about Murphy. He recounted how he'd been laid up in a hospital in Mexico City while trying to drum up funds to finish his bullfighting docu, ARRUZA. Murphy came by to visit and asked him how much he needed. Boetticher told him and Murphy said to give him a few days. When Murphy came back he had the money and gave it to Boetticher. (He'd presumably won it by gambling.)

Who, exactly, is raking Murphy over the coals or tearing him down? Every post in this thread is fairly laudatory (if not hagiographic - he was a real man with real troubles, after all). Yes, I said he had "multiple marriages." 2 is "multiple," and I wasn't being derogatory. Hell, my own parents have 5 marriages between them. If you actually read what I wrote, I was saying that this was one of the things that would make his life excellent fodder for a Hollywood biopic about his life, and that's much more a denigration of the tropes of the Hollywood biopic than a criticism of Murphy. And yes, many other stars did face increasing irrelevance in Hollywood, and it goes on to this day. It's a fact of life in the movies and it's not the fault or invention of anyone in this thread. No one mentioned every other actor this ever happened to because we're talking about Audie Murphy.

If you're going to come on here and blast people just for expressing admiration for a guy and a little bit of sadness over what became of him, you might want to avoid the rest of this forum (and the rest of the internet, for that matter).

I don’t think he was blasting anyone – just taking issue, in a very reasonable and clear manner, with some of the things that have been said about Murphy in the above posts. This goes on all the time on this forum, in fact as far as I’m aware it’s what the forum is for.

Most of the posts so far have been painting Murphy as ‘a genuinely dangerous man’, ‘disturbing’, a habitual brawler, or focusing rather morbidly on the number of people he killed – and for what it’s worth, ‘multiple marriages’ makes me think three or more. For a new poster to come here and express some sadness at this trend, and then try to redress the balance with an alternative picture of the man, containing some real information, is surely a good thing, no?

My intent was not to "blast" anyone, it was to defend Audie. I have a right to my opinion, that overall the posts were negative and casting a bad light on him. Even your reasons a book about him would be interesting, were a bit exploitive - in my opinion. I didn't feel the admiration.

If anyone got blasted I think it was me. I don't belong in a forum or on the internet ? If yours is the only opinion that counts, I HAVE misunderstood what a forum is. I think that if you are this sensitive, when someone disagrees, or takes exception with something you post, then perhaps it is you that doesn't belong in a forum. I might also add that prowess with words, does not make a person insightful.

One more issue, you mention sadness at what Audie turned into. We all know he had troubles, who doesn't ? He was moody at times, and I know he gambled, had nightmares, trouble sleeping and slept with a gun under his pillow. I just don't see him as the pathetic person you seem to feel he was. Also, after the birth of his two boys, he was a noticeably happier person. Here is a quote from an interview with Audie, the article is from Western Horseman magazine dated 1962:

Audie has changed some from the fellow he used to be, and today can't bear to shoot a deer. Nor does he feel he's the soldier he once was.
"I don't believe, as I once did in the simple things - like going ahead and to heck with anything else," he says.
Today he's pretty much got what he wants, since he was always fond of horses and wanted to breed them. Just one thing he prefers ahead of horses --- children.
"These are the critters worth living for!" says Audie.

I'll add that Audie was a natural quick draw, some say the fastest in Hollywood, even going back to the days of William S. Hart. He was also an expert marksman. I respect him a great deal for his story "To Hell and Back," for the obvious reasons of course, but also because of the way he insisted that his role be played down, and his unit played up.

Also, if you have ever seen the photo of Audie at Arlington National Cemetery, you can feel the compassion for his fellow fallen, in his body language and set jaw. It is a very moving photo. Audie was supposed to have a fancy headstone when laid to rest, but at some time requested his stone be the same as all the other soldiers, that is why his stone is also plain.

I would also recommend viewing the Youtube video of Audie on "Whats My Line?" for anyone who hasn't seen it. The comments there might be of interest too. I totally agree with one gal who stated - "He is the only man I would have committed adultry for." And another who states "What a wonderful man, so unlike the punks and pipsqeaks Hollywood is made up of today."

Audie was one of a kind, more is the pity.

Thanks to those who defended my earlier post.

I can see the great problems with Audie Murphy, which might only happen in the USA. Most War heros go on to have a life in the army, either in an active or ceremonial role depending on the person. So it is in some way very strange for someone to end up in Hollywood which has a life style in polar opposites to the army life.

Many soldiers need the army for the discipline, code of honour and the comradery. Many soldiers leaving the army cannot come to terms with life in chivy street where these values are not abided by, especially in Hollywood. They have also experienced so much in war that they cannot relate to people who have not.

Awhile back they had a 17 year old who fought in the Falklands War on the radio. He said when he left the army he could not relate to his friends. He felt he was happier talking to other veterans who understood. It took him years to come to terms with none army life.

A good and gripping account of Murphy's time in World War Two is in the book ‘American Hero: Life and Death of Audie Murphy by Charles Whiting. -