Highly Overrated But Still Good

A Masterpiece!

a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

HOLD BACK THE NIGHT-1956 This Allied Artists film is based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Pat Frank. It tells the story of a U.S. Marine Captain played by John Payne. Payne has been carrying around a bottle of Scotch given to him in 1942 by his girl, Mona Freeman. She tells him to only open it if he really needs it.It is now 1950 and Payne is part of a Marine company chasing the North Korean Army up to the Chinese border. The Marines are caught off guard by the invasion of the Chinese Red Army, and are forced to retreat. This film follows the company as it fights a rear guard battle against relentless Red Army attacks.The company is slowly being chopped up as it moves through the mountains from the Chosin Reservoir to the sea. At each stop the company makes, Payne pulls out the bottle and thinks back to better times, and his romancing Miss Freeman. He then smiles and puts the bottle away. "It can keep." he says to himself.The company is losing men and vehicles, both to the Chinese and the bitter cold as they retreat. They are also getting bogged down with all the wounded. They are quickly running out of food and medical supplies. There is the odd supply run by a Marine helicopter to drop off some ammo, but it is not enough. The helicopter is only able to take out a few of the more seriously wounded out at a time.After 5 days, the company is down to just 28 men, and they still have 7 miles to go to reach the Marine front line. The men are exhausted, and can barely move. Payne pulls out the bottle and promises them all a belt when they make it to safety.They spot a Red Chinese ambush in the hills ahead. The men flank it and manage to destroy the waiting tank and supporting troops. Payne is wounded in the firefight. The remaining Marines pick up the wounded and stagger their way forward. The group reaches safety and Payne is airlifted to a hospital ship. Payne still has his bottle because the survivors refuse to crack open the Scotch. The company figures it is their good luck charm.Also in the cast were future television stars, Chuck Connors (Rifleman) and Peter Graves. (Mission Impossible) There are several, well done combat scenes throughout the film, and some impressive pyrotechnics as well. For an Allied Artists film, it is quite good.The director, Allan Dwan, started out in films in 1912, and directed his last feature in 1961. Dwan himself said he directed over 500 films in his long career. He worked in all genres, from silents starring Douglas Fairbanks Sr.to Shirley Temple films. He was also a steady hand at westerns and war films. His best known film is likely, 1949's, THE SANDS OF IWO JIMA, where he directed John Wayne to his first Oscar nomination.The author, Pat Frank, was a war correspondent in Korea during the war. He also wrote the cold war novel, "Alas, Babylon".

Strangely, I have this one in my library since the late 80's. And I realize only now that it's really a rare film. No one has commented it yet and it is on any lists on any dealers in the USA.What a shame.It's a strange, weird, abashed movie. But not disappointing one. A war movie about the Korean war - till here nothing new - and the "relationship" between a soldier - Payne - and a bottle of liquor he always carries with him. And since WW2, as I remember...Of course, through this "friend", and the "souvenirs" stuck to it, he lives everything again: friends, women, beautiful and difficult moments of his life. It's not a real actionner, but a rather solid drama.A very strange one. Like a TWILIGHT ZONE episode. And it seems, as far as I remember, that there was an episode around this topic. But I am not sure. Sorry.I hope this little movie will be aired again, for the happiness of gem searchers.And this was also an Allan Dwann film.