Men in War
"One more step and I'll fill your guts with lead!"
Synopsis
In Korea, on 6 September 1950, Lieutenant Benson's platoon finds itself isolated in enemy-held territory after a retreat. Soon they are joined by Sergeant Montana, whose overriding concern is caring for his catatonic colonel. Benson and Montana can't stand each other, but together they must get the survivors to Hill 465, where they hope the division is waiting. It's a long, harrowing march, fraught with all the dangers the elusive enemy can summon.
Main Cast
Robert Ryan
Lt. Benson
Aldo Ray
Sgt. Montana
Robert Keith
The Colonel
Phillip Pine
Sgt. Riordan
Nehemiah Persoff
Sgt. Lewis
Vic Morrow
Cpl. Zwickley
James Edwards
Sgt. Killian
L.Q. Jones
Sgt. Davis
Scott Marlowe
Pvt. Meredith
Adam Kennedy
Pvt. Maslow
User Reviews
CinemaSerf
"Benson" (Robert Ryan) is leading a platoon with a seemingly impossible task during the Korean War when he encounters "Sgt. Montana" (Aldo Ray) who has a jeep. He wants to appropriate the vehicle, but is less interested in it's other passenger - a colonel (Robert Keith) who is suffering from some sort of shell shock. There is no way the sergeant is going to abandon his officer, but with their options limited he and "Benson" are going to have to learn to co-operate or else they are all going to end up toast. What follows sees the men gradually learn to respect each other and to deal with the multitude of demons that are dogging their campaign against what appear to be impossible odds. It has certain similarities with "Paths of Glory", also from 1957, in that it condenses the diverse characterisations of a troop of individuals into a tightly knit squadron struggling to survive with limited supplies, munitions and psychological problems that don't abate just because "Benson" is the ranking soldier. On that front Ryan is on good form, as is the almost entirely dialogue bereft Keith who portrays his out-of-it colonel in quite an eerily convincing fashion too as we head to denouement that is by no means a set-piece affair and that showcases some of the horrors of modern warfare. The wartime visual effects are effective too, and I found this to be one of the more superior wartime dramas that doesn't treat their enemy as simply bullet-fodder.
