War Hunt (1962)

Recruits head to the front lines towards the close of the Korean War. The interaction between two of the soldiers...an idealistic newcomer and a psychotic who goes on one-man patrols ... See full summary »

Director:

Denis Sanders

Writer:

Stanford Whitmore

Stars:

John Saxon, Charles Aidman, Sydney Pollack

2 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
John Saxon	...	Pvt. Raymond Endore
Charles Aidman	...	Capt. Wallace Pratt
Sydney Pollack	...	Sgt. Owen Van Horn
Tommy Matsuda	...	Charlie the Korean Kid
Gavin MacLeod	...	Pvt. Crotty
Anthony Ray	...	Pvt. Joshua Fresno
Tom Skerritt	...	Sgt. Stan Showalter
William Challee	...	Lt. Colonel
Nancy Hsueh	...	Mama San
Robert Redford	...	Pvt. Roy Loomis

Storyline

Recruits head to the front lines towards the close of the Korean War. The interaction between two of the soldiers...an idealistic newcomer and a psychotic who goes on one-man patrols slitting enemy throats under cover of night...and the orphan boy who comes between them is examined. The Cease-Fire brings the three to a final resolution.

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Plot Keywords:

korean war | boy | u.s. army | megalomaniac | rifle | 

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Taglines:

There's A Fine Line Between Soldier ... And Killer.

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Genres:

Drama | War

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

May 1962 (USA)

Also Known As:

Hinter feindlichen Linien

Filming Locations:

Topanga Canyon, Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$300,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

T-D Enterprises

Technical Specs

Runtime:

83 min 83 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Denis Sanders directed the film while his brother Terry Sanders produced it.

User Reviews

Ingenious, deeply stimulating, and cautiously photographed...

The 'psychotic' hero is an essay captured in two fine War films: Donald Siegal's "Hell Is For Heroes"— the story of a sergeant who for being psychotic embarked on suicidal heroic missions, and our distinguished film "War Hunt."

The picture is clearly stated and openly defined... Pvt. Raymond Endore (John Saxon) goes out at night on 'solitary' patrols... The information he brings back is very useful for Capt. Wallace Pratt (Charles Aidman) whose posture toward Endore is 'paternal' gratification...

But the strong reason to his voluntary patrol is to murder... He is a ritual killer practicing a formal act with his knife, and after finishing with his victim, he stands behind the body in mystical meditation...

Even after the cease-fire on the Korean front, Endore extends his night patrols... This 'psycho' mind is already sick, and there is nothing to be done to narrow his actions...

With just one major battle scene, "War Hunt" is absolutely a penetrating study of War drama, focusing on its traumatic effects: The 'fighting' soldier and the 'non-fighting' man...

"War Hunt" is ingenious, deeply stimulating, and cautiously photographed... The extraordinary hand-to-hand fight, between Redford and the Chinese soldier, proves it...

John Saxon is terrific as the tormentor and Robert Redford (in his film's debut) is excellent as the idealistic Pvt. Roy Loomis...