Somewhere in Korea in September, 1950, a small regiment of men has been separated from their batallion. With their communications equipment broken and their supply truck destroyed, the 17-man unit is quite cut off. Under the command of Lt. Benson (Robert Ryan), and with their gear weighing them down, the men must march the 15 miles to where they hope to meet up with another division of American soldiers.
As the men are marching, a Jeep appears out of nowhere, and Lt. Benson commandeers it for his regiment's use. The two occupants of the vehicle are Sgt. Montana (Aldo Ray) and his Colonel (Robert Keith)---a man who is in a shell-shocked state and cannot speak. Montana, concerned only with getting his commander to a hospital, tells Benson that the war is over and that he and the colonel are checking out, that they've had their share of action. Benson, however, needs not only Montana's vehicle, but also his able body; though Montana wants to rebel, since he is outranked, he cannot.
Against his will, Montana joins forces with Benson and his men. With heavily-mined, artillery-filled miles to cross before reaching the platoon, the two men are going to have to put their animosity for each other aside and work together. How it all plays out is the balance of the film.
Men in War is a gritty, ugly, sorrowful film; however, I do think it's one which accurately portrays the horrors tens of thousands of soldiers have endured for the cause of freedom. Not only does the film explore the reality of the physical dangers of war, but it also explores the mental and emotional effects. It's a film which serves to remind us that freedom isn't free, and for that reason alone, it ought to be watched.
Robert Ryan is super in his role as the squad leader; as is typical for my #1 guy, he gives a top-notch performance. Aldo Ray and Robert Keith were exceptional as well---and Robert Keith barely spoke a word through the whole film. By body language alone, he brought his character vividly to life. The supporting cast all portrayed their parts perfectly as well. Quite honestly, this didn't seem like a movie; rather, it seemed like a documentary of actual war footage. It was definitely that realistic! (I am quite close to 5 stars on this one.)
Available on DVD, this film out to be fairly easy to track down. I do hope you get a chance to see it, especially as a way of honoring those who have given the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms we enjoy today.
Happy viewing!!