Senteur As somebody who had not heard any of this before, it became a curious phenomenon to sit and watch a film and slowly have the realities begin to click into place.

Nicole I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

Bob This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Phillipa Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

JohnHowardReid Producer: Gottfried Reinhardt. Executive producer: Dore Schary. Copyright 14 August 1951 by Loew's Inc. An M-G-M picture. New York opening at the Trans-Lux 52nd Street: 18 October 1951 (ran 6 weeks). U.S. release: 28 September 1951. U.K. release: not fixed. Australian release (as the lower half of a double bill with Texas Carnival): 25 January 1952. 69 minutes.SYNOPSIS: Two days in the life of a sensitive recruit in the Union army during the Civil War. He panics and flees in his first encounter, spends a bitter night of self-reproach, and regains his courage and with it peace of mind in the heat of battle the next day.NOTES: Negative cost: $1,642,117.33. Worldwide rentals gross: approx. $500,000. Although it didn't make Bosley Crowther's "Top Ten", the movie does figure in his New York Times list of nine runners-up. Second (to A Place in the Sun) on the National Board of Review's Best American Films of 1951. A complete account of the hazards in filming Red Badge is given in the book "Picture" by Lillian Ross.COMMENT: Although considerably re-edited by Dore Schary and Margaret Booth (and with apparently some of its most forceful scenes now missing), The Red Badge of Courage is still an impressive and powerful work. Huston and his cinematographer aimed for a Brady-like quality in the compositions and the lighting, and this they have achieved, making inspired use of locations in Chico and on Huston's own ranch.At the time of its release, the movie was widely criticized on two fronts: By the studio itself, for having no story and no stars. By professional reviewers, for dissipating tension and explaining the obvious by the use of an off-camera narration. Both these strictures are no longer valid. In 1951, Audie Murphy had just started his famous series of quality westerns for Universal. He was soon to become a household name. And as for the narration, few people are likely to find it intrusive today.So we are left with a movie that, whilst not the masterpiece Huston intended, still has terror and power, sensitivity and horror, feeling and involvement. Red Badge is a sort of Gone With The Wind in reverse. Here is the Civil War made vivid and immediate not by the broadest of canvases and the grandest of details, but by focusing on just one individual on a forgotten and probably unimportant battlefield over the narrow time span of two days.Murphy is skilfully directed. Often the character is a sounding-board for the support players, some of whom (especially Andy Devine, John Dierkes and Royal Dano) contribute some memorably bizarre vignettes. And despite on-screen evidence of editorial tampering, the movie is enriched by all the usual "A"-grade M-G-M craftsmanship, including an evocative music score by Bronislau Kaper.

SnoopyStyle It's 1862. A group of inexperienced Union soldiers head south to face the enemy. They are full of bravado and excitement although young Henry Fleming (Audie Murphy) has secret fears. In the heat of their first full battle, Henry and others turn and run as the Rebs charge. He is shocked to learn of a victory afterwards and wished to have a battle wound, a red badge of courage.Legendary director John Huston made this anti-war war movie. Like the book, it strips away the glory of the battlefield to give a vision of war from the small humanistic point of view. The battle scenes are big enough and chaotic enough without being overwhelming. It fits the final climax where the big battle actually happens on the other side of the hill. Audie Murphy has his boyish looks and his war veteran bona fide. The only uncertain aspect is the narration which purports to be lines from the book. Certainly, I understand the concept but much of it is unnecessary. Huston loved the work but the studio does get its dirty little hands on the film. The filming and the story really struck at the glorification of wars and is one of Huston's most interesting work.

elevenangrymen A young Union soldier in the Civil War is getting tired of endless drilling. Finally he gets his wish, as their regiment is told that they are to be shipped out to battle soon. However, the news troubles him. He is afraid that during the fighting he will become scared and run away. He shares his fears with his cocky comrades, but they do little to quell his ever increasing doubts. Finally the next day comes when they all leave for the battle field.As they march towards their destiny, the young soldier sees multiple bodies. He finally gets to the battle field, and he doesn't lose his cool during their first skirmish, but when the second wave comes he loses it and runs. Feeling guilty and saddened, he wanders throughout the forest aimlessly, witnessing first hand the gruesome truth of war.This film would have been absolutely amazing. If it was it's original length. When I finished the film, I was fuming. Not because I didn't like the film, but because it was a butchered masterpiece. The studio mercilessly slaughtered the film, with no thought to it's creative integrity. The film lost so much continuity, that they had someone read quotes from the book to maintain some kind of balance. It makes it hard to review this film, not for what is there, but for what could have been. Perhaps someday someone will take control of the film and restore it to greatness (ahem, Criterion).As it is, I'll focus on reviewing the film as it is. Simply speaking it is one of the best civil war movies of all time. The battle scenes are taught and suspenseful, the acting is top notch and the direction may be some of Huston's best. For starters, Audie Murphy gives a genius performance as the Young Soldier. Having been a war hero himself, Murphy completely immerses himself in the film, and the result is genius. In the earlier parts of the film, his vulnerability is outstanding, and in the later parts of the film when he rages across a bloody battlefield, the fierce determination in his eyes is stunning.By casting unknowns, Huston allowed his film to be not distracted by star-power, and relying on performance only. As the Loud Soldier, Bill Mauldin displays the same vulnerability as Murphy, only on the outside, rather than in a contained fury like Murphy. All the actors give a great semblance of realism to the film, something quite striking for a film of the period. I wish to bring up one scene at this moment, the scene in which the Young Soldier meets an older comrade, who is wounded and dying. The scene where he dies is so aesthetically different from the rest of Huston's oeuvre that I found it hard to believe this film was made by the same man who would later make something so tonally different as The African Queen.I have not read the novel by Stephen Crane (though I probably should), but from what I've seen I can see why the novel is famous. The screenplay, or what's left of it, is brilliant, and manages to be simplistic while still invigorating. The quality of the version I saw was not the best, but I saw enough of the film to be able to say that the cinematography is amazing. The black and white images contrast the bloodshed in the foreground against the clear gray sky in the background. This sharp, crisp, realistic images are incredibly detailed, especially for the period.The way the film is shot reminds me of some period war films, and as Huston shot three I can see where the inspiration came from. The battle scenes are, as I said above, simply amazing. They show a brutal reality that few war films dare to attempt. The brutal combat, with an enemy that is never fully shown. Men die right next to you, and yet you carry on, oblivious to why you're fighting, and what you're fighting for. All of this against the clear American sky. It's not hard to see why the film bombed at the box office; it cut to close to the bone.Huston obviously cared for this film, and he knew it would be special. His meticulous craftsmanship is most easily noticed during the battle scenes.They resonate with a power no "lazy" director could accomplish. Despite the choppy nature of the 69 minute cut, Huston's calm direction is a constant guiding line throughout. No studio could fumble badly enough to lose the spark that the film contains. This brings me to my problem with the film. It feels incomplete, as if someone took scissors and cut out a bunch of random parts. To make matters worse, the opening narration explaining who Stephen Crane is seems like an attempt to elongate the film.The running narration throughout is exasperating, as at many points the narrator will interrupt the flow of the film to quote Stephen Crane, while saying something that does absolutely nothing to help the viewer. This is distracting, and with the fact that the film is only 69 minutes makes the film end way too early, and you are left feeling shortchanged.Overall, this film could have been amazing. As it is, it is only great. It is my hope that someday a restored version will be released, similar to Metropolis. However, as it stands, this is still one of Huston's best, no matter how many people tamper with it.The Red Badge Of Courage, 1951, Starring: Audie Murphy, Bill Mauldin and Arthur Hunnicutt, Directed by John Huston, 8.5/10 (A-)(This is part of an ongoing project to watch and review every John Huston movie. You can read this and other reviews at http://everyjohnhustonmovie.blogspot.ca/)

Petri Pelkonen This is a movie about Henry Fleming, a young recruit at the American Civil War, who overcomes his fears and becomes a hero.The Red Badge of Courage (1951) is directed by John Huston and it's based on Stephen Crane's novel.Audie Murphy, who became the most decorated United States soldier during World War II, is excellent as The Youth.Bill Mauldin is great as The Loud Soldier.Douglas Dick is terrific as The Lieutenant.Royal Dano is very good as The Tattered Man.John Dierkes does a great job as The Tall Soldier.Arthur Hunnicott is brilliant as Bill Porter.Tim Durant is superb as The General.Andy Devine is amazing as The Cheery Soldier.Also great job by Robert Easton, who plays Thompson.The director is seen as Grizzled Union Veteran.There are pretty many great scenes in this movie.It's one great scene where Henry confronts a seriously wounded friend, who runs to the fields.This is a fine movie of fear, and then being able to find that courage you need on the battlefield.