‘The Mosquito Bowl’ Star Tom Francis on Singing in the Movie Last Minute and the ‘Visceral and Intense’ World War II Scenes
Tom Francis says director Peter Berg added a staged singing scene for him at short notice in “The Mosquito Bowl”, a film about four college football stars who served in the US Marines during the Second World War. Francis, a British actor known for West End and Broadway roles, plays David Schreiner; he says Berg’s warm, collaborative approach made the film a meaningful experience.
The film draws on Buzz Bissinger’s book about a football game played by Marines preparing for the Battle of Okinawa, and depicts the battlefield in graphic, deliberately unromanticised terms. Of the four men portrayed, only John McLaughry survived the war; all were 24. Francis also said he hopes to return to theatre for an original play, though he enjoys making films.
In short
- Tom Francis was asked to learn a song for filming the next day.
- “The Mosquito Bowl” portrays four football stars serving in the Marines.
- Francis hopes to return to theatre in an original play.
Explained simply
The Second World War brought the United States into a vast conflict across Europe and the Pacific. In 1945, US Marines were preparing for the Battle of Okinawa, a major and exceptionally costly campaign against Japanese forces.
The film is based on Buzz Bissinger’s book about a football game played by Marines before that battle. It follows four college football stars who joined the Marines; only John McLaughry survived the war, and all four were 24.
Tom Francis, a British actor known for performing in theatre in London and on Broadway, plays David Schreiner. The story brings together sport, military service and the experiences of young men facing wartime combat.
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