The Hook (1963)

Regular readers of They Don't Make 'Em Like They Used To know that within the last year, Kirk Douglas began his ascent up my favorite actor list.  Once I discovered what sensational work he does, I began seeking out more and  more of his films.  Last August, during Summer Under the Stars, TCM had a day for Kirk Douglas, so I set my DVR for several of the titles, and now, over six months later, I finally had the chance to watch one of them---1963's The Hook.  Also starring Robert Walker (Jr.) and Nick Adams, with Nehemiah Persoff and Enrique (Pancho) Magalona in support, this George Seaton Korean War-era drama is meaty, powerful, and incredibly gripping.  

In the waning days of the Korean War, a small group of American soldiers is responsible for loading oil onto a neutral freighter.  Before the job is completed, an enemy plane shoots at them, killing one of the GI's.  The remaining three soldiers capture the downed bomber, taking him aboard the freighter with them.  Speaking with his South Korean headquarters, Sgt. Briscoe (Kirk Douglas) receives an order to execute the prisoner, and with 19 years of service under his belt and a military pension on the line, Sgt. Briscoe is determined that the orders be carried out; he instructs Private Dennison (Robert Walker) to do the job.

Insisting that killing a man out of combat is murder, Pvt. Dennison refuses to do as commanded, which puts him at odds with his superior.  Having seen a fellow GI refuse to kill a Japanese soldier at Guadalcanal during the last war, Sgt. Briscoe insists that to refuse to kill the enemy is to be soft and that being soft will result in one's own death at the hands of the enemy. Besides, he tells Dennison, an order is an order, and it must be obeyed.  But Pvt. Dennison will not be swayed---he will  not execute the prisoner, whom he has come to see as a man like himself, with a name, a wife, a child.

Sgt. Hackett (Nick Adams), too, begins to suffer an agony of conscience and will not obey the command to kill the prisoner.  If the man is to die, it will be at the hands of the one given the order---Sgt. Briscoe.  But will he do it?  Or will Privates Dennison and Hackett be able to convince him that such an order is one not to be obeyed?  How it all plays out is the balance of the film.



Based on the French novel L'Hamecon, The Hook is a gripping, wonderfully-acted film. Kirk Douglas gives a terrific, mesmerizing performance.  He is absolutely superb.  Nick Adams is very good too, as is Robert Walker, in his first film appearance. Though billed as Robert Walker, this is Robert Walker, Jr., son of Jennifer Jones and Robert Walker. Wow, does he look like his dad. Enrique (Pancho) Magalona is also terrific.  Because of the language barrier between the men, his character speaks very little---at least with his mouth.  His eyes, on the other hand, speak volumes.

One word of warning---the racial slur "gook" is used dozens of times in this film.  Of course, given that it is a war film and was made in the 1960's, that is to be expected, but I always want to point out those things which viewers will find offensive.  The final line of the film---"Any day a war ends is a good day"---is as meaningful and powerful now as it was then.

A great discussion-piece kind of film, The Hook may, unfortunately, be a little difficult to track down. I don't believe it is out on DVD, nor is it on the TCM schedule anytime soon.  I think it's well worth keeping an eye out for, though. For me, it is easily a 4-star film.

Happy viewing!!

Men in War (4 stars)

Men in War, from 1957, is a Korean War drama starring Robert Ryan, Aldo Ray, and Robert Keith.   Directed by Anthony Mann and featuring the supporting cast of (among others) Phillip Pine, Nehemiah Persoff, Vic Morrow, and James Edwards, this film was part of my Memorial Day weekend viewing.  Additionally, it gave me an opportunity to satisfy my yearning for a Robert Ryan film.

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!!

Toward the Unknown (3 stars)

Toward the Unknown, from 1956, is a post-Korean war drama directed by Mervyn LeRoy and starring William Holden, Lloyd Nolan, and Virginia Leith.  It's a Holden film I've never seen before, so when I saw it on the TCM schedule recently, I made it a point to set the DVR. 

Major Lincoln Bond (Holden) arrives at Edwards Air Force Base longing for a second chance.  Having been captured during the Korean War, Linc eventually caved to the pressure.  Fourteen months of brainwashing and mental torture brought him to the breaking point, and he ultimately signed a confession, an action which agonized him so much that he tried to kill himself by cutting his wrists.  Now that the war is over, Linc's reputation within the Air Force is poor.

Linc yearns for a job test-flying; however, the top brass don't know if they can count on him under stress, so he is turned down and given a different job.  Eventually, though, Linc is given a chance, and while on a test flight, something doesn't seem right to him and he makes an emergency landing.  No one else believes there is a problem...they are sure Linc just can't handle stress and that he hit the emotional/mental panic button, just like he caved to the stress in Korea.  With everyone doubting him, Linc begins to doubt himself.  Will he ever get a chance to redeem himself?

In addition to the main storyline, there is also a romantic subplot.  Linc's old girlfriend, Connie (Virginia Leith), from whom he withdrew after Korea, works at Edwards AFB.  She is none other than the girlfriend of the general.  So, while the main storyline, with all the test flights and aeronautical maneuvers, was a bit technical for me, the personal storyline captured my interest and made this film enjoyable for me.

This film is available through Amazon, in DVD remastered format.  I don't really know what that means, but it's there.  If you are a fan of aviation and/or the space program, I'm pretty sure you'll want to see this movie.  Also, if you are a William Holden fan, as I am, you will want to see this.  He's in the most successful years of his career at this point...looking fabulous and acting brilliantly too.

Happy viewing!!

The Bridges at Toko-Ri (5 stars)

With it being Veteran's Day weekend, Grace Kelly's birthday, and the 30th anniversary of William Holden's death, I decided to watch The Bridges at Toko-Ri today.  This film, from 1954, which stars William Holden and features Grace Kelly, Fredric March, and Mickey Rooney in supporting roles, is a very realistic war drama.  Based on the James Michener novel of the same name, it takes place in  November 1952, during the Korean War.

William Holden is Harry Brubaker, a Naval Reservist who had already served in WWII but who is called up for action in Korea.  Not only is he war-weary, but he is resentful of having been called back to duty...he just longs to go home to his wife, Nancy (Grace Kelly), and their two young daughters; however he is also committed to fulfilling his duty as a Reserve officer, so he agrees to an extremely dangerous mission in which a group of American planes will fly over Korea and attempt to bomb some bridges that are very important to the North Koreans.

Before the mission gets underway, however, Admiral Terrant (Fredric March), who has a paternal fondness for Harry, allows him leave, to spend time with his wife and daughters.  All too soon, though, Harry must bid goodbye to his family and take off on the bombing run.  His anxiety level is high, and feeling as though he won't make it home alive, he begins a farewell letter to Nancy.  Noticing Harry's jitteriness, his commander gives him an option to stay grounded, but Harry goes through with the mission.

As always, Bill Holden is great to look at....especially in the dress blues he wears while on leave in Tokyo early in the movie. Oh, and that smile of his!!  Grace Kelly, always the epitome of elegance and beauty, is stunning, and her dresses are incredibly gorgeous.  I, for one, wish we gals still wore dresses like that every day! Although Grace's part in the movie is fairly short, she was perfect in the role...and the chemistry between her and Holden was undeniable.

Mickey Rooney has some great comic relief moments.  Also, there is a funny scene in a Japanese bath house where Harry takes Nancy and the girls. Because bathing there is nude, he had reserved the pool for his family. However, a Japanese family has also booked the pool, and it is quite comical to watch the American family try to maintain their modesty.

The lighthearted moments are few, though, and this IS a war movie...a realistic one at that.  I have seen this film several times, and it never fails to move me.  The acting of William Holden is beyond incredible.  The way he brought Harry Brubaker to life was completely amazing; truly, Harry became very real to me.  I could totally feel his resentment at having to serve again and his anxiety over the upcoming mission.  I think William Holden had many spectacular performances, and this is definitely one of his very best.  Oscar-worthy, in my opinion.  (It is Holden's acting and the powerful, realistic ending that take this film from 4 to 5 stars for me.)

I don't know for sure if this is out on DVD, though I do believe it is on VHS.  Also, TCM airs it on occasion.  Definitely try to catch it.  I think this film is an absolute must-see! 

Happy viewing!!!

Submarine Command (2 stars)

Hard as it is to believe, I DO occasionally give William Holden films less than 4 and 5 stars.  Sometimes, as in the case of Submarine Command, I actually give the film only 2 stars.  Of course, it kills me to do that, but sometimes, even Holden's gorgeousness can't turn the movie into a winner for me, and rather than just blindly giving a thumbs-up to all of his films, I put my "objective hat" on and give it the "didn't like it" rating.

From 1951, Submarine Command pairs Holden with Nancy Olson, who starred opposite him in three other films.  Don Taylor and William Bendix co-star in this post World War II/early Korean War film.  The movie begins in mid-August, 1945, just before the end of the Japanese portion of the war.  The submarine Tiger Shark is out in the Pacific, where its commander and another man are attempting a lifeboat rescue of a downed airman, having left Ken White (William Holden) in command during their absence.  Before the men are able to make it back to the sub, there is a Japanese air strike, and White is forced to take the sub down...leaving the men behind to die, an action which causes him to incur the wrath of one of his crew.

Though the war is soon over, Ken's war has just begun.  Besides incurring the resentment of one of his crewmen, who believed Ken should have stopped the dive and returned for their captain, Ken has his own doubts about his actions.  And when, a few years later, as a career Navy man he needs to show a reporter around the Tiger Shark, Ken's demons resurface, causing him to be angry and difficult.  As his wife, Carol, tells him, he's at war with his job, himself, and her.

With his marriage in shambles, Ken is on the verge of leaving the Navy, when North Korean activity begins to build.  The Tiger Shark is called back into action, with Ken in command...and the crew member who detests him part of his team.  Is there any hope for Ken to overcome his demons?  To save his marriage?  To gain the respect of a man who hates him?

Though I love William Holden and think he was very good in this role (not to mention fabulously good-looking!), this movie just didn't do it for me.  For one thing, I thought there was zero chemistry between him and Nancy Olson.  While I think they had great chemistry in Sunset Boulevard, I didn't find their love believeable here in Submarine Command.  As a result, I just didn't even care about their marriage.  I could have cared less if they got back together or not.  And Don Taylor's character was pointless to me.  He added nothing to the storyline, and I think he was wasted in the film.

Also, though it wasn't called by that name, I believe Ken was suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and the message of the movie was that he could overcome its effects by sheer will and determination.  I think the film missed a great opportunity to enlighten the audience about a very real disorder that has affected so many veterans.

Of course, as a William Holden fanatic, I HAD to see this film.  After all, I want to see every one of his films if possible.  So, I'm glad I watched this one...I'm just sad that I didn't enjoy it.  If you are a major Holden fan, or if you like sub movies, you will probably want to see this one.  I would be interested to hear what you think of it.

By the way, I watched this through Net Flix instant viewing.  I don't think it's out on DVD, but TCM does air it periodically.  Happy viewing!!