While I was in USMC Boot Camp, San Diego in 1960, part of this movie was filmed there. I saw Curtis and Janet lee from a distance, a big thing for an 18 year old recruit. I still miss my beloved U. S. Marine Corps.
some of the people saying Tony Curtis was miscast don't know the history of the movie. The Pima Indians were happy with his portrayal of Ira Hayes and fine with Curtis in the role. It is acting--why should we have politically correct movies? They are ACTORS. One of the finest character actors in history, Iron Eyes Cody often played Indians--even in a famous commercial and he was an Italian.
It's funny, because Tony Curtis was 35 years old when filming this movie, and 36 years old when it was released. Private First Class Ira Hamilton Hayes was only 22 years old when the U.S.M.C. stormed the beaches at Iwo Jima.
Ironically, if one was to do a DNA breakdown of Mr. Curtis, one would find about 30-50% Egyptian DNA strands, as it is with most Semitic folks. And quite a bit of Roman. That is what makes us media / bank controlling / marvel comics creating people so popular. We are the world, we are the children. The truth is - all men are brothers. Herding men by DNA and fake-race is irrational and spits in the face of what IRA was - an American hero.
Thanks for the feedback. I do not know who could have been picked, but TC was surely miscast the same way Jeff Chandler was miscast to portray an American Indian with blue eyes or a Jesus character with shaven armpits, or Charlton Heston as a Mexican Police officer.
