Paratroop Command

"Paratroop Command" is not a typical sort of war film. It's from the ultra-cheap studio, American International Pictures. And, it's not really about a company or squad of men...more the story of one hard luck soldier during WWII.

When the story begins, Charlie (Richard Bakalyan) shoots a member of his own company....though it really isn't his fault. After all, the dead guy was dressed as a German soldier and was waving his fun about as if he was going to shoot Charlie's fellow soldiers! But one member of the company hounds Charlie...telling him that he murdered this man! And, through the course of the film, Charlie works had to overcome this distinction.

Despite the film being cheap and obviously filmed in California instead of North Africa and Italy, the story itself is sound and works because of it. While not a brilliant film by any means, it's a good example of a cheap movie done right.

A young soldier (Bakalyan) feels he is jinxed...can never do anything right.....fellow soldiers agree with him, and persecute him in combat. Good low-budget war flick, featuring "unknown" cast. Of course our anti-hero redeems himself in the bullet laden conclusion.

Charlie (Bakalyan) joins the paratroops because he has failed at everything else in his life. When he accidently kills another GI, things really take a turn down. The cast of relative unknowns does a fine job, and Bakalyan shows flashes of brilliant acting ability that thus far have gone undiscovered. This one is low-buck all the way, puts stock war footage to good use, but well worth catching on the late show.

In the short running time of 71 minutes Paratroop Command follows a small group of soldiers participating in landing in North Africa, Sicily, and Salerno which in actual time was about a year and a half. One of them, Richard Bakalyn accidentally kills one of his comrades in friendly fire and can't quite win the trust of the other men, including his lieutenant Ken Lynch.

Not that the incident was his fault, it wasn't. In fact it was a rather stupid way for the other guy to get killed if you watch the movie. Still Bakalyn just can't get the others to trust him.

Directing Paratroop Command is William Witney who was one of Herbert J. Yates's best B western directors. He directed films with all of Republic's western stars. His grind them out style honed with years working for Yates shows in Paratroop Command.

Nothing terribly special here, just some veteran movie makers doing their thing.

This is the type of b movie you would love when you were a kid . Soldiers just shooting at each other a lot 😂😂. If Quentin terrantino thinks it's great then what do those other reviewers know?