This somber view of war has some moments that are beyond shocking, dealing with the track of an American troop through the Chinese mountains to blow up a road that's a Japanese are using to get through. They have to deal with so much more than just the dangers of the mountains but bandits, starving villagers, and the different viewpoints of the situation, not only between the American soldiers but between Sir James Stewart and the Chinese officers they encounter who have a different way of looking at things.
A beautiful Chinese woman, Lisa Lu (the widow of an executed Chinese officer), accompanies them, and offers store not only advice on how to deal with the rugged terrain but the different viewpoints between cultures, and everything is fine with her until a subtle attraction begins to grow between her and Stewart. With everything going on, the war story was all they needed and the inclusion of romance is a pointless intrusion. Stewart also has to deal with growing tensions among his men, including one who is ill from the extreme heat, a few intense rivalries which threatened to turn violent, and the sudden shocking death of one of them from a simple act of kindness.
Co-starring in the above average ensemble or Glenn Corbett, Harry Morgan, Frank Maxwell and Rudy Bond, and they are all very good. The sardonic humor of Morgan and cynicism of Maxwell are contrasted by the good nature of Corbett, the most level headed of them all, even Stewart. He's giving quite an aggressive performance here, and not speaking in that slow drawl that has had mimics imitating him for years. This is very well filmed, dealing with several important issues, including racism, not only to the Japanese, the enemy, but to the Chinese, supposed allies. Racism from people living in the mountains towards the American soldiers results in some horrifying violence. An anti-war view of war, very surprising considering its very all American star, showing a slowly created madness that destroys even the strongest when the real horrors of war get to be too much even for the strongest of soldiers.
A beautiful Chinese woman, Lisa Lu (the widow of an executed Chinese officer), accompanies them, and offers store not only advice on how to deal with the rugged terrain but the different viewpoints between cultures, and everything is fine with her until a subtle attraction begins to grow between her and Stewart. With everything going on, the war story was all they needed and the inclusion of romance is a pointless intrusion. Stewart also has to deal with growing tensions among his men, including one who is ill from the extreme heat, a few intense rivalries which threatened to turn violent, and the sudden shocking death of one of them from a simple act of kindness.
Co-starring in the above average ensemble or Glenn Corbett, Harry Morgan, Frank Maxwell and Rudy Bond, and they are all very good. The sardonic humor of Morgan and cynicism of Maxwell are contrasted by the good nature of Corbett, the most level headed of them all, even Stewart. He's giving quite an aggressive performance here, and not speaking in that slow drawl that has had mimics imitating him for years. This is very well filmed, dealing with several important issues, including racism, not only to the Japanese, the enemy, but to the Chinese, supposed allies. Racism from people living in the mountains towards the American soldiers results in some horrifying violence. An anti-war view of war, very surprising considering its very all American star, showing a slowly created madness that destroys even the strongest when the real horrors of war get to be too much even for the strongest of soldiers.