The Bridges at Toko-Ri (1954)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Mark Robson

Writers:

Valentine Davies (writer)
James Michener (novel)

Release Date:

December 1954 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | War

Plot:

Set during the Korean War, a Navy fighter pilot must come to terms with with his own ambivalence towards...

Plot Keywords:

Pilot | Fighter Pilot | Korean War | Fear | Navy

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 2 nominations

Cast

William Holden	...	Lt. Harry Brubaker
Grace Kelly	...	Nancy Brubaker
Fredric March	...	Rear Adm. George Tarrant
Mickey Rooney	...	Mike Forney
Robert Strauss	...	Beer Barrel
Charles McGraw	...	Cmdr. Wayne Lee
Keiko Awaji	...	Kimiko
Earl Holliman	...	Nestor Gamidge
Richard Shannon	...	Lt. (j.g.) Olds
Willis Bouchey	...	Capt. Evans (as Willis B. Bouchey)

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Canada:PG (Ontario) | Australia:G | West Germany:12 (f) | Finland:K-16 | Spain:18

Filming Locations:

Fujiya Hotel, Miyanoshita, Hakone, Kanagawa, Japan

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

The U.S. Navy's cooperation in the movie's making included the use of 19 ships.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Based on the 1953 novel by James Michener, the aircraft flown were actually F2H Banshees, not the more prevalent by 1955 F9F Panthers.

Quotes:

Lt. Harry Brubaker: I'm a lawyer from Denver, Colorado.
Mike Forney: Judas, how'd you wind up in a smelly ditch in Korea?
Lt. Harry Brubaker: I was just asking myself that same question.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "The Fifties" (1997)

A meritorious tribute to the heroism of the Jet-Bomber pilots...

The mission is clear and straight: to destroy completely the vital Korean bridges at Toko-Ri in order to frustrate enemy actions...

The film is a competent work and meritorious tribute to the heroism of the Jet-Bomber pilots (William Holden and Charles McGraw) and the extreme courage of the helicopter rescue service (Mickey Rooney and Earl Holliman).

'Where do we get such men,' affirms Rear Admiral George Tarran from the bridge of the aircraft carrier, and he was right!

The film exposes a close observation of the men's minds, their attitudes, their families, the tragedy of war, and the fascinating danger of the Jet-Bombers take-off and landing...

Charles G. Clarke's aerial photography in color of the Jet planes is simply spectacular...

Fredric March as the Admiral is staunch and human, and William Holden perfect as the American soldier fighting man... Grace Kelly flourished with her beauty the splendor of the picture...

Based on James E. Michener's novel, this ambitious action thriller is a cut above the usual war tragedy with impressive statements to make about war, death and politics...