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Hold Back the Night

  • 19561956
  • 1h 20m
IMDb RATING
6.1/10
157
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • IMDbPro
Hold Back the Night (1956)
  • Drama
  • War
A Marine officer tells his squad the story behind a bottle of liquor that he always keeps with him but never drinks from.A Marine officer tells his squad the story behind a bottle of liquor that he always keeps with him but never drinks from.A Marine officer tells his squad the story behind a bottle of liquor that he always keeps with him but never drinks from.
IMDb RATING
6.1/10
157
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Allan Dwan
  • Writers
    • Walter Doniger
    • Pat Frank(novel)
    • John C. Higgins
  • Stars
    • John Payne
    • Mona Freeman
    • Peter Graves
Top credits
  • Director
    • Allan Dwan
  • Writers
    • Walter Doniger
    • Pat Frank(novel)
    • John C. Higgins
  • Stars
    • John Payne
    • Mona Freeman
    • Peter Graves
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 6User reviews
    • 3Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos15

    Hold Back the Night (1956)
    Mona Freeman in Hold Back the Night (1956)
    Hold Back the Night (1956)
    Hold Back the Night (1956)
    Hold Back the Night (1956)
    Hold Back the Night (1956)
    Hold Back the Night (1956)
    Hold Back the Night (1956)
    Hold Back the Night (1956)
    Hold Back the Night (1956)
    Hold Back the Night (1956)
    Hold Back the Night (1956)

    Top cast

    Edit
    John Payne
    John Payne
    • Capt. Sam McKenzieas Capt. Sam McKenzie
    Mona Freeman
    Mona Freeman
    • Anne Franklin McKenzieas Anne Franklin McKenzie
    Peter Graves
    Peter Graves
    • Lt. Lee Couzensas Lt. Lee Couzens
    Chuck Connors
    Chuck Connors
    • Sgt. Eklandas Sgt. Ekland
    Audrey Dalton
    Audrey Dalton
    • Kittyas Kitty
    Robert Nichols
    Robert Nichols
    • Beany Smithas Beany Smith
    John Wilder
    John Wilder
    • Tinkeras Tinker
    Robert Easton
    Robert Easton
    • Ackermanas Ackerman
    • (as Bob Easton)
    Stanley Cha
    • Katoas Kato
    Nicky Blair
    Nicky Blair
    • Papiroas Papiro
    John Craven
    John Craven
    • Maj. Bob MacKayas Maj. Bob MacKay
    Nelson Leigh
    Nelson Leigh
    • Lt. Col. Toomeyas Lt. Col. Toomey
    Bill Cassady
    • Marine Lieutenantas Marine Lieutenant
    • (uncredited)
    Jay Douglas
    Jay Douglas
    • Helicopter Pilotas Helicopter Pilot
    • (uncredited)
    Don Gardner
    • Helicopter Pilotas Helicopter Pilot
    • (uncredited)
    Otis Greene
    • Goodmanas Goodman
    • (uncredited)
    Tom Irish
    Tom Irish
    • Gordonas Gordon
    • (uncredited)
    Loren Janes
    Loren Janes
    • Lt. Bishopas Lt. Bishop
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Allan Dwan
    • Writers
      • Walter Doniger
      • Pat Frank(novel)
      • John C. Higgins
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    A bottle of Scotch carried by WW2 veteran Captain Sam MacKenzie of the U.S. Marine Corps provides the 'glue' that keeps this story together. Its value rests squarely in its symbolism - a good-luck charm and an object of hope, as well as loyalty. The bottle of Scotch itself was received by Sam MacKenzie in 1942, during a furlough home from the Pacific War. It was supposed to be enjoyed by Sam and his fiancee, Anne but was saved by the two of them for a happy reunion after the war. It's now 1950, at the outset of the Korean War and Captain Sam MacKenzie, commander of the Easy Company, still carries his Scotch bottle with him, as a good-luck charm. The story-line flashes-back to several instances when Sam almost opened his Scotch bottle. During the savage fighting in winter-frozen Korean Peninsula, Sam has to keep his company together while the enemy harasses the United Nations forces during a temporary retreat. At numerous times, Sam is tempted to open his Scotch bottle to either alleviate the suffering of his wounded men or to drown his own sorrow. He resists these attempts, promising himself and his men to open the bottle when they will all reach the safety of their own lines. During one of the brutal skirmishes with Communist foes, Sam is severely wounded. The medical evacuation helicopter arrives to ferry-out the wounded, including Sam. He leaves his precious Scotch bottle behind, with his men to use whenever they feel downtrodden and in need of a stiff drink. His men, led by the company sergeant, finally reach friendly lines and are evacuated by truck with the neighboring company. While on the evacuation trucks , the men from Sam's company muse whether they should finally open the Scotch bottle and enjoy a drink. Realising that it was the promise of a drink from that bottle that kept their morale up during the worst battles, they all refuse to open it. The men decide to save it, as a thing that brought them good-luck, for their wounded company commander, Captain Sam MacKenzie. —nufs68
    • scotch
    • bottle
    • flash back
    • korean war
    • american officer
    • 28 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Taglines
      • In Frisco, Guadalcanal, Melbourne, Korea ... you'll hear about Capt. Sam MacKenzie ... and you'll hear it best from a woman !
    • Genres
      • Drama
      • War
    • Parents guide
      • Add content advisory

    User reviews6

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    It's all about a bottle of Scotch.
    John Payne stars as Captain McKenzie, a marine serving during the Korean War. He and his men are having a hard time, as the Chinese have just entered the war and are pushing the UN troops back because of their overwhelming numbers. During this time, McKenzie shows a bottle of Scotch to one of his sergeants and this bottle leads to a variety of flashback scenes set during WWII. Again and again, he planned on drinking the Scotch, but again and again he decided to wait for another day.

    This is a nice, gritty film that shows what it was often like for American troops during the Korean War. Well made, well acted...worth seeing. My only complaint is minor, as the Australian woman in one of the flashbacks sounded about as Australian as Eva Gabor!
    helpful•0
    0
    • planktonrules
    • Nov 12, 2021

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 29, 1956 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Teufelskommando
    • Filming locations
      • Pickel Meadows, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Allied Artists Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 20 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White

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