Manila Calling is a 1942 American black-and-white World War II propaganda war film drama from 20th Century Fox, produced by Sol M. Wurtzel, directed by Herbert I. Leeds, that stars Lloyd Nolan, Carole Landis, Cornel Wilde, James Gleason, Lester Matthews, Louis Jean Heydt, and Ted North.
The ARCC staff, made up of radio technician Jeff Bailey and communications men Lucky Matthews and Tom O'Rourke, find an advance Japanese force occupying the plantation of an old friend.
Solidifying their defense positions, the group quickly discovers there is no food or water and that the plantation is now largely surrounded by elements of the Japanese army.
Jeff is working to repair the damaged radio set in order to send messages of hope and courage to the conquered Filipinos.
The Japanese quickly become aware of this possibility and, using all means at their disposal, launch a determined land and air campaign to find and destroy the radio transmitter.
As the bombs continue to fall, destroying the plantation buildings one by one, Lucky states in no uncertain terms that General MacArthur will make good on his pledge to return and free the Philippines and its people.
A small band of fighting men seize a commanding height and after being augmented by several assorted civilians hold the position until their ranks are thinned out, one by one, and the last survivors blasted from the rock by bombers—the last two being Mr. Lloyd Nolan, a hard-bitten fellow, and Miss Carole Landis, erstwhile Ping Girl, who pops into the story without reasonable cause.