New film ‘The Mosquito Bowl’ tells story of WWII football game between Marines

A new film, “The Mosquito Bowl”, tells the story of a real American football match played by US Marines on Guadalcanal on Christmas Day 1944. Its makers use the game to explore service, the loss of youthful ambitions and the human experience of war, showing how sport offered a moment of morale amid the Pacific campaign.

The match brought together two Marine regiments whose ranks included former college and professional football players, many of whom had put promising careers aside to enlist. The film is based on Buzz Bissinger’s book and stars Ray Nicholson as Purdue standout Tony Butkovich; retired Marine Neal McCallum, now 99, is believed to be the last surviving spectator. The account also recalls the danger of playing on a field made from coral, where tackles could leave players bloodied.