Tonight, a Korean War film called "Hold Back the Night"(1956), starring John Payne as a Marine Captain leading a company of troops in retreat through Bronson Canyon. We haven't done much Korea, but this was a solid little movie, a minor gem even. The generic title gives no indication of the action involved. Payne's company is vastly outnumbered by Red Chinese forces and becomes trapped when a tank blocks their way. There is an argument between Payne and his Lieutenant (Peter Graves) about how to proceed. The Marines have suffered a number of casualties, and Graves suggests hiding or even ditching the wounded, so that the survivors can escape over a Santa Monica mountain pass. But John Payne is dead set against this. After all, the Marine Corps motto is "Semper Fi", they are known for never leaving a soldier behind. But to stay with the wounded in Bronson Cave will mean almost certain death for everyone.
There is also a Bottle of Scotch involved, and in fact it probably deserved a screen credit, because it makes regular appearances and serves as a storytelling device throughout the 80 minute film. It seems the scotch was given to Payne by his gal before he deployed, to be opened only for an Important Occasion. I will leave it to you to see if and when the bottle is finally opened, but it is integral enough to the story to be used in flashback sequences as well.
This does not mean a lack of war footage. To the contrary, legendary Hollywood director Alan Dwan, (perhaps the ultimate Hollywood Craftsman with an astounding 407 credits to his name, including some very famous movies) delivers some realistic looking battle scenes. The kind where, when a mortar hits a machine gun pit, you can see bodies flung up in the air amidst the black smoke. Yeah, it's gruesome but it shows the real thing, which was still unusual even in 1956 (and really up until "Apocalypse Now" and "Platoon").
The Marines' fight for survival is the centerpiece of the film, but there are also somewhat unusual vignettes, told in flashback regarding the Bottle of Scotch, in which Payne has the opportunity to emote. In one such scene, he is in Melbourne, Australia on R&R, and he meets a young lady at a dance. They end up back at her apartment, and he's all ready to open the bottle. He tells the gal "she'd understand", meaning that his girl back home, the one who gave him the scotch, would understand that he's about to cheat on her, because he's 12,000 miles away on leave in a war. But then he is one-upped, because the Aussie lady replies, "Yes, I suppose my husband would understand as well". And her hubby is also a soldier, missing in action. So they're both about to cheat, but then they realise the magnitude of what they're doing and the bottle goes unopened. It's a weird little scene, because macho John Payne has to nearly break down, and he does this several times during the course of the film, as when he is arguing with the stoic and unemotional Peter Graves about the fate of the wounded men.
It's not a major war film due to it's short running time, lack of budget and it's focus on a singular theme (the escape). But director Dwan knows how to put it all together to create an affecting film, one in which the soldiers grow G.I. Joe beards during their ordeal and the prop department has scattered Bronson Canyon with snow (or something like it), to simulate the Korean highlands. Most of the dollars are spent on the very realistic looking explosions, mentioned earlier, and also the inclusion of a Marine rescue helicopter, which appears to be the real thing. Good performances all around, especially from John Payne and Peter Graves in their snow suits, and also from Chuck Conners in a supporting role.....and the Bottle of Scotch.
"Hold Back the Night" is highly recommended for fans of hard core war movies. It's short and to the point rather than long and involved, so even if you don't like war flicks per se, it'll still work for you as a drama. The print is not quite razor sharp, but close, so give it a look. It's a good one, and different. ////
And now, for a Quickie Review of Last Night's Flick:
Last night I watched "Submarine Alert"(1943), a low-budget spy movie starring Richard Arlen as a German-American radio engineer who is co-opted into working for Nazi agents embedded in Los Angeles. As the movie opens, two of the Nazis are driving down Devonshire Street, en route to the home of an electronics genius who has invented a powerful transmitter. After killing the guy, they steal the transmitter and plan to use it to contact Japanese subs, in a scheme to sink U.S. oil tankers, without which the Americans will be unable to prosecute the war. But the transmitter breaks down after a single use. Now they need someone to fix it, so they call on Arlen, with a German Health Spa pioneer providing the front.
Yeah, it's a tad confusing.........especially that last, with the German health guy. It's actually inaccurate to say that he's involved in a health "spa". Really he believes in the health benefits of Certain Radio Frequencies, which come to think of it..........may not be all bad, considering that the Entire Universe is but a conglomeration of vibrations, some harmonious, some not.
It's pretty good for a cheapie, probably because it was made by a major studio (Paramount), and while it looks every bit like a B grade picture, the script covers a lot of ground in 66 minutes. The problem, for me anyway, was that I tuned in expecting a Submarine Movie, meaning one that takes place aboard a submarine. Sub films are a special subgenre for me, and every so often I find myself needing a Submarine Movie Fix. I went with "Submarine Alert" expecting to get one, but though it had plenty of espionage, none of it took place on a submarine. We never even saw the inside of a sub. Instead, the plot is about sending messages to subs, so that the Germans can sink American ships. One part that I didn't get, and am not sure was explained, was where the tankers were sailing from. It seems to me they'd be departing from the east coast to Europe. But if so, how did a Japanese sub get to the Atlantic Ocean? And if the tankers are sailing through the Pacific to aid in the fight against the Japanese, then what are the Nazis doing on the scene? After all, they were defeated in May 1945........ahh, the heck with it. This is a quickie review, and I give "Submarine Alert" Two Regular Thumbs Up, just because it moves quickly down Devonshire Street and doesn't disappoint, despite it's small budget. ////
That's all I know and now I'm toast, super tired and ready for bed. Tonight I listened to Mahler's 8th Symphony. That is your next mission, to check out the symphonies of Mahler and Bruckner.
See you in the morning. Tons of love. xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo :):)
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