Maidexpl
Entertaining from beginning to end, it maintains the spirit of the franchise while establishing it's own seal with a fun cast
Lidia Draper
Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.
Stephanie
There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes
JohnHowardReid
I gave this movie a rave review when I previewed it at a trade screening in 1959, commenting that director Lewis Milestone was still the master of action battle sequences and that the movie was brilliantly photographed by Sam Leavitt, an expert in difficult location cinematography. On a second viewing, however, the movie is not as impressive. The characters are ciphers. Although we critics often complain about the stereotyped characters and the all-too-cozy flashbacks of the typical war picture, that doesn't mean that they should be replaced by shadows. The Gregory Peck character is just too tight-lipped and we know little about him. Similarly, Woody Strode's cowardice and malignity are merely taken for granted and never explained. Ditto Robert Blake's confusion and heroism – an interesting blend and doubtless realistic, but still a shadow. Yet incorporated within all this enthusiastic realism, we get the unlikely coincidence of the brother-in-law! Milestone's gritty direction with its sweeping tracking shots over craters of dead, becomes the film's justification, but the script's overall anti-Chinese philosophy now seems more dated than the anti-German stance of All Quiet on the Western Front. For all its gritty realism, locations, black-and-white photography, lack of background music (enemy records are used very effectively), this movie is more a pro-American tract for the times, whereas All Quiet delivers a message for all time.
LeonLouisRicci
The Realistic Battlefield Photography, especially the static Shots of the Aftermath of conflict are Outstanding. The Solid Cast of up and coming Character Actors and a Contemplative, Meditative Mood, all combine for a glimpse at the Futility of Fighting in a Forgotten War.The Propaganda inserted for the Cold-War effort ("they are not orientals, they are communists"), and the Pat rescue Ending are Forced into the Movie and really do nothing to Enhance the Realism of the rest. There are a few other Distractions of Disbelief. The Loudspeaker Brainwashing and the Heavy Handed Peace Talks scenarios are typical Hollywood hokum.But Overall, the Film Succeeds mostly because of the Better Parts, and the Movie is a Worthwhile Effort. It almost gives a Glimpse of what was to come in the 1960's and that was Not a Pretty Picture. No amount of Mind-Control would make us Forget the next "Police Action" (undeclared War).
mw1561
I recently saw this film on television. I usually like Gregory Peck, but he seemed a bit too wooden in this role. Two things stick out in my mind that are so unreal that the film has been diminished.The first thing is the radio announcer. It would have been fairly simple to shhot out the loudspeakers. The announcer seemed so up-to-date on events, it was as if he was on the front line.The second thing is the abrupt ending. AT one moment we're being told that "a million Chinese" are surging up the hill, and the next moment Gregory Peck receives a message that "help is on the way, they should be there any minute". And in the span of about 15 seconds, the "million Chinese" are routed.
thinker1691
Every now and then, a story emerges from Hollywood which affixes itself squarely on the pages of history. This is one such film. It's called " Pork Chop Hill." Amid the history of the Forgotten War, namely Korea, you will find this seemly insignificant event. While the North Koreans and their Chineese Allies, endlessly bickered with the American and their Nato forces, courageous soldiers fought and died by the truck load on the barren slopes of Pork Chop. This film, directed by Lewis Milestone convincingly captured the tragic tale on film. In it, we have a bevy of the finest actors ever to grace Hollywood, some of which have made memorable projects in their own right. In this movie, we have Gregory Peck playing Lt. Joe Clemons an officer ordered to take and hold the tiny hill known as Pork Chop. In his Company you will see Martin Landau, Harry Guardino, Rip Torn, George Peppard, Bob Steele, Woody Strode, Gavin MacLeod, Norman Fell, Harry Dean Stanton and a very young Robert Blake as Pvt. Velie. As impressive a line up as one can get. Everyone destined to become notable as this movie should have become. Except for becoming a Classic, the anti-war message was lost and it garnered few awards. Nevertheless, this film continues to ranks among the very finest of War memorials offered in tribute to American's fighting men. Recommended to all. ****
