Besides Ivan and myself, did anyone here catch any of the TCM Korean War war movies marathon?

Just wondering if anyone cought any of the TCM Korean War War Movies marathon?

I started it off with catching the end of: Men of the Fighting Lady, watched most of the one dealing with the homefront during that war-which has: Dana Andrews in it. I was right in that it was a soaper-but it was still a decent movie that was good enough to make you feel like you were living in asnd experiancing those early days of the war. After that I cought some of Bogie, Keenan Wynn & William Campbell in: Battlle Circus. Not bad for a sort of a "soaper" which had enought things going on in it to hold ones interest. It was very late when that came on so I watched only part of it. I went to bed, awoke briefy to catch the tail end of Sterling Hayden and Marshall Thompson in: Battle Taxi. This movie was fairly good from what I was able to see. After that I cought All the Young Men which had an older Alan Ladd in it as well as a young Sidney Poitier, James Darren and Satirist: Mort Sahl. Glenn Corbett was also in this movie. This movie is fairly entertaining and had enough action to hold an actioner-effecionadoes attention. After that was: The Bamboo Prison, which was very well done IMO and is almost the same story as the unseen, Prisoner of War: which had, Ronald Reagan, Henry (Harry) Morgan & Steve Forrest. I went out for several hours so missed most of the rest of what was shown but did catch the British Korean War-war movie: Hell In Korea-which had many greats in it like: Harry Andrews, Stanley Baker, Ian Bannen, Stephen Boyd, Michael Caine (I THINK this was his first movie?) and several other "familiar" British recognizable faces.

All in all, those that I was able to see, were all worth seeing even if I didnt see most of them all the way from start to finish. One I really wanted to see had Paul Newman and Walter Pidgeon in it-called: The Cage. I missed it and missed out on seeing Time Limit even though I have it on DvD the day it was released.

 

I caught parts of a few of them, as I was busy doing some other things. I found that they definitely had a different feel to them from most of the WWII movies. As you said, some were quite soap-opera in feel, but I think a sign of how some dramatic movies were done heavy handed in the 50s. I would like to catch some of them again. I always find it interesting to watch some of the supporting characters in these old movies to see individuals who will become notable later in their careers.

 

Yep...Carl and I logged some hours on TCM for sure. Though I missed out on the 'late shift', Carl pulled the slack for me. But I was up early to catch the end of 'Tank Battalion' and settled in for the morning til early afternoon.

btw, the Paul Newman film was titled 'The Rack'. Pretty good movie. I hadn't seen it before though my wife had, but she couldn't remember the ending.

--Ivan

 

Hi Michelle, glad you got to see at least a few in bits. I had been slightly concerned that some I had not heard of-such as Battle Taxi, Tank Battalion-etc, might not be even decent but found out otherwise on some of them. I sure wish that they had played: Prisoner of War, Target Zero and The Glory Brigade-as none are on DvD and all are most excellent movies. Im kinda glad they didnt show movies like Pork Chop Hill, Fixed Bayonets, The Hunters and The Bridges at Toko-Ri-as all of those are available on DvD. I hope you got to ee at least some of Hell In Korea-which is a British Korean War war movie. I saw most of it and fouind it was pretty good and has several of my favorites in it like Harry Andrews (the sergeant) Stanley Baker, Ian Bannen etc. I didnt catch it early enough to see Stephen Boyd or Michael Caine as I guess they were killed off early on?

 

Hi Ivan, I wished I had not been so sleepy as I would have stayed up later to a least see all of Battle Circus-which ive never been able to see all of before. Bogie is cool in his movie as is Keenan Wynn. Its kind of nice seeing a not-so-funny-M*A*S*H movie ;-))

Im going to be picking Janet Thompsons brain for any stories she can tell me of her father (Marshall Thompson) being in that movie. BTW, if your not very familiar with Marshall Thompson, he was in quite a few good to great movies like with Audie Murphy in: To Hell and Back, Jeffrey Hunter in: No Man Is An Island, with Van Johnson in: Battleground-just to name a few;-)) Also, if anyone is familiar with the TV Series: Daktari-he was the star of that show.

Oh and Ivan, I also remember that film being titled A Hill In Korea insead of Hell In Korea. I think you are coeect on the title being chanceged for American Audiences. I checked the few books I have on movies and the movie under any name is either not listed, or I somehow missed seeing it listed? I think I remember seeing it listed on IMDB-as: A Hill In Korea.

Anyway, if those out there who missed this marathon? you missed out on some good gems for movies. Most shown are not available on Laser Disk, VHS, Beta Max or DvD.

 

Carl, please mention to Janet Thompson that I was always a fan of her Father. I don't think he ever go as much recognition as he should have had.

 

Hi Michelle, ill be more than happy to tell Janet. Janet already knows that both my Mom and myself were big fans of his ;-)) I think it makes her feel good to know that there are a core of [eople out there who have not forgotten her dad ;-)) I too feel that he didnt get the recognition he deserved.

BTW, did you know that her Father and Ricardo Montalban were best friends. I saw a few pics Janet had shwoing the Montalbans visiting there home and who were also at their Wedding.

 

I caught five of them. I'd seen "The Rack" and "Men of the Fighting Lady" several times, so I didn't watch them.
I watched "Tank Battalion" and I have to say, it's probably one of the worst movies I've ever seen.
I'd seen "The Steel Helmet" before and it's O.K. so I watched it again.
"Mission Over Korea" was pretty good. About pilots flying observation aircraft, lot's of good footage. Decent story.
"Battle Taxi", a bit cheesy but a pretty decent movie.
"All the Young Men", again a bit cheesy but not a bad movie.

 

Of those you saw above, ive only seen-till now-Man of the Fighting Lady-and along time ago at that, The Steel Helmet-one early morning about 12 years ago, and All the Young Men-around 20 years ago. I didnt catch any of Tank Battalion but, with a name like that for a movie as well as an unknown set of actors-it didnt seem lime it was a candadte to become a classic movie. I also saw about 12 years ago, a few war movies with a yahoo by the name of Wally Campo, as the star in them, and they all sucked prune pits all day. One I remember in particular-COULD have been a decent movie had they used the correct equipment and uniform parts in it. I remember the German DAK uniforms were actually RAD uniforms and the movie itself was watchable but only just. I can't remember the titles of the Campo movies-they were THAT memorable

 

I caught the Robert Mitchum/Robert Wagner Korean War film "The Hunters" yesterday. It was actually a pretty good movie.

 

The Hunters is one of my alltime most favorite. It also has Richard Egan in it too, whom ive always liked.