Attack (1956)

During the closing days of WWII, a National Guard Infantry Company is assigned the task of setting up artillery observation posts in a strategic area. Lieutenant Costa knows that Cooney is ... See full summary »

Director:

Robert Aldrich

Writers:

Norman Brooks (play), James Poe (screenplay)

Stars:

Jack Palance, Eddie Albert, Lee Marvin

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jack Palance	...	Lt. Joe Costa, Fox Co.
Eddie Albert	...	Capt. Erskine Cooney
Lee Marvin	...	Lt. Col. Clyde Bartlett, CO, White Battalion
Robert Strauss	...	Pfc. Bernstein
Richard Jaeckel	...	Pvt. Snowden
Buddy Ebsen	...	Sfc. Tolliver, Fox Co.
Jon Shepodd	...	Cpl. John Jackson, Fox Co. (communications)
Peter van Eyck	...	SS Captain (as Peter Van Eyck)
James Goodwin	...	Pfc. Ricks (as Jimmy Goodwin)
Steven Geray	...	Otto, German NCO
Jud Taylor	...	Pvt. Jacob R. Abramowitz (radioman) (as Judson Taylor)
Louis Mercier	...	Brouise (French blacksmith)
Henry Rowland	...	German with Binoculars
Holly Bane	...	Soldier with binoculars (as Mike Ragan)
Ron McNeil	...	Pfc. Jones

Storyline

During the closing days of WWII, a National Guard Infantry Company is assigned the task of setting up artillery observation posts in a strategic area. Lieutenant Costa knows that Cooney is in command only because of 'connections' he had made state-side. Costa has serious doubts concerning Cooneys' ability to lead the group. When Cooney sends Costa and his men out, and refuses to re-enforce them, Costa swears revenge.

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Plot Keywords:

national guard | u.s. army | firearm | u.s. military | officer | 

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Taglines:

The battle baitin' bazooka bouncers of company "C"!

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Genres:

Drama | War | Action

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English German

Release Date:

17 October 1956 (USA)

Also Known As:

Command Attack

Filming Locations:

Albertson Ranch, Triunfo, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$750,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Associates & Aldrich Company, The

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Did You Know?

Trivia

Although he plays a coward in this film, in real life Eddie Albert, who served in WW II, was a war hero, in one engagement having braved heavy enemy fire to rescue 70 wounded Marines.

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Goofs

Throughout the picture, German infantrymen use what seems to be some variation of the water-cooled Browning 30-caliber machine gun, which was a U.S. weapon. Also, the German tanks don't resemble any Panzers in use during World War II.

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Quotes

Costa: Listen to me, Cooney! If you put me and my men in a wringer - -if you send us out there and let us hang - -I swear, I swear by all that's holy, I'll come back. I'll come back and take this grenade and shove it down your throat and pull the pin!

User Reviews

One of the two or 3 best war movies ever made.

This gripping film has the benefits of an outstanding cast: Palance was peerless here, combining a sense of command with a deep sense of compassion & especially what it takes to get the job done under fire. Palance could do it because he had been there (& seriously wounded) in WW2. Lee Marvin was a combat marine who got shot in that war, too. These guys had real frames of reference to deal from. All the supporting cast stands out as well, Buddy Ebsen as the savvy platoon sergeant, William Smithers as the by the book lieutenant, Robert Straus & Richard Jaeckel as the grunts they played so well in these films. AND THEN there's Eddie Albert playing the cowardly Captain whose father is a high-level political wheeler-dealer. Some of his swaggering & smirking & foolhardy statements, even the features & facial expressions, seem oddly, weirdly timely, though this film is just short of 50 years old. I won't name names for fear of being drawn into a political campaign year vortex, but this movie sure is worth watching against today's operations in Iraq _ & Washington. I wonder what kinds of movies will be coming out in 1- - 20 years about the Iraq wars.

One more word. It could not have happened with Robert Aldrich at the helm. A real masterpiece!