Baionetas Caladas (1951)

The story of a platoon during the Korean War. One by one Corporal Denno's superiors are killed until it comes to the point where he must try to take command responsibility.

Director:

Samuel Fuller

Writers:

Samuel Fuller (screenplay), John Brophy (suggested by a novel by)

Stars:

Richard Basehart, Gene Evans, Michael O'Shea

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Richard Basehart	...	Cpl. Denno
Gene Evans	...	Sgt. Rock
Michael O'Shea	...	Sgt. Lonergan
Richard Hylton	...	Medic John Wheeler
Craig Hill	...	Lt. Gibbs
Skip Homeier	...	Whitey

Storyline

The story of a platoon during the Korean War. One by one Corporal Denno's superiors are killed until it comes to the point where he must try to take command responsibility.

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Plot Keywords:

platoon | korean war | korean army | u.s. army | based on novel | 

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Genres:

Action | Drama | War

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 February 1953 (Portugal)

Also Known As:

Baionetas Caladas

Filming Locations:

Griffith Park - 4730 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The technical adviser, Raymond Harvey, US Army, was awarded the Distinguish Service Cross (second only to the Medal of Honor), two Silver Stars and two Purple Hearts, during WW II and won the Medal of Honor in the Korean War. Whilst working on this film, he became close friends with the director Samuel Fuller. Apparently, the US Army assigned Harvey as technical adviser to the production after they had had issues with Fuller's earlier movie about the Korean War, The Steel Helmet (1951).

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Goofs

Whilst enemy medics are evacuating their dead and wounded from a road, the leader of the American platoon only a few yards away shouts orders to his troops - yet the enemy soldiers don't hear him.

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Quotes

Cpl. Denno: Some men are afraid of high places. Some are afraid of water. And some are afraid of being responsible for the death of a lot of other guys.

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Connections

Featured in The Men Who Made the Movies: Samuel Fuller (2002)

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Soundtracks

Indiana
(uncredited)
Music by James F. Hanley
Lyrics by Ballard MacDonald
Sung by a chorus when the troops are first pulling out
Played occasionally in the score

User Reviews

Excellent War Film

The premise of this film is factually based on Task Force Faith in the Korean War:In late November 1950, the Chinese struck, along the Chongchon River, and overran several ROK divisions and landed an extremely heavy blow into the flank of the remaining UN forces. The resulting withdrawal of the United States Eighth Army was the longest retreat of an American unit in national history. In the east, at the Battle of Chosin Reservoir (November 26–December 13) a 3,000 man unit from the US 7th Infantry Division, Task Force Faith, was virtually wiped out, with numerous hand to hand fighting. The Marines fared better; though surrounded and forced to retreat, they inflicted heavy casualties on the Chinese who committed 6 divisions while trying to destroy the Marines.

Of the Task Force Faith and the 2,500 troops trapped by the Chinese, about 1,500 eventually made it back to American lines, the majority of them wounded or badly frostbitten. Roughly 300 able-bodied survivors were formed into a provisional battalion which was attached to the Marines and fought with them in the breakout of the 1st Marine Division during the remainder of the Battle of Chosin Reservoir. Over 1,000 soldiers of Task Force Faith were killed or died in Chinese captivity.

This film is a very accurate, no frills look at the emotions that come with perceived lost causes during war.