Battle Zone

1952's "Battle Zone" came from Poverty Row's Allied Artists, a Korean War programmer featuring native Korean Philip Ahn (Master Kan on KUNG FU) fighting the good fight in one of Hollywood's earliest efforts on the Korean front. There is the usual love triangle, between John Hodiak, Stephen McNally, and Linda Christian, compensated by the main storyline focusing on the filmmakers responsible for taking the battlefield footage, risking their lives right alongside the soldiers. Linda Christian, one of Mexico's loveliest exports, was just rekindling the career that began with "Tarzan and the Mermaids," while Stephen McNally went on to play the villainous one eyed Count opposite Richard Greene and Boris Karloff in "The Black Castle." Many of these early Allied Artists titles have been difficult to find, as Monogram was trying to upgrade their stature, despite the continuation of the Bowery Boys series. Curiously, this war picture was among five that aired on Pittsburgh's Chiller Theater during the 1969-70 season, alternating between straight films, often Italian, and more typical genre fare. Ironically, "Battle Zone" turned out to be the very last non horror item broadcast that year, on April 18 1970, paired with Larry Buchanan's "Zontar the Thing from Venus." Linda Christian's best known horror title, "The Devil's Hand," from Crown International, was a far more frequent guest on Chiller Theater.

John Hodiak and Stephen McNally star as a pair of Marine combat photographers who are sent to Korea and the war seems just a big old bit of hijinks for them. McNally stayed in the corps and is now a sergeant. But Hodiak left after World War II and re-enlisted. But before that made sure he came back in as a sergeant with one more rocker on his sleeve. That is a bone of contention between him and McNally, but it's far from the only one.

They're also rivals over an Italian nurse they met in World War II, Linda Christian. Now I'm not aware of any Marines in the Italian theater in World War II, but this is a B film from Allied Artists. These two keep trying to top themselves to impress her.

The climax is when the two and their unit get stuck behind the lines and get some great footage the better when Matt Ridgeway starts retaking territory. It's all on the GI Joe level of combat.

I wasn't expecting much and was not disappointed with Battle Zone.

This is the far most unbearable, awful movie from Lesley Selander I have ever seen; I say Lesley Selander because he is the director here, but it would have been the same with ANY director, regarding the emptiness of this garbage junk. This a war film? Let me laugh...CROSS OF IRON, ATTACK, THE LONGEST DAY, BRIDGE OVER THE RIVER KWAI were actually war films. This is boring, talkative, and this lousy John Hodiak as a lead.... Lesley Selander was a western film maker, though he also gave us several war films, just bearable - not more - a science fiction flick - lousy but fun, and a good adventure film: ROYAL AFRICAN RIFLES. Except his fifties decade westerns and, I almost forgot, I WAS AN AMERICAN SPY, don't lose your time with Lesley Selander's filmography.

As much as bronco riders hate to see rodeo clowns because they show up after injuries, combat photographers held the most hated jobs in World War 2 since they took photos of troops killed in action. So, it seemed a stretch to make a film about heroic combat photographers. I found the frequent grinning of Hodiak and McNally uncomfortable from the start. They certainly defy logic to run on the battlefield with large 1920's era cameras, giving away locations of their own eagerly while they photograph secret enemy locations. Linda Christian is given the romantic interest of someone you might meet 15 minutes waiting to see the doctor only once, never to be seen again. No hugs, kisses, come on brave boys, you can do better than that!

John Hodiak, Stephen McNally, and Linda Christian are on a "Battle Ground" from 1952, produced by Allied Artists, a poverty row company. The film also features Martin Milner and Jack Larson, both of whom recently died.

Danny (Hodiak) is a Marine, a vet of WW II, who re-enlists to fight the Korean War. He's a combat photographer and joins a photo unit. To his dismay, his rival, Mitch (Stephen McNally) is on board as well. Jeanne (Linda Christian), a nurse with the Italian Red Cross, stands in between these former friends.

Mitch, in fact, is now engaged to her. Danny keeps trying, however.

I have to say I found this a pretty friendly rivalry. Danny made no bones about trying to get Jeanne back, and a secure Mitch took it with good humor. They also worked very well together, at one point going behind enemy lines.

Lots of battle sequences -- it moved along but was still on the boring side.

Jack Larson, who went on to play Jimmy Olsen on "Superman," was a dear friend and a wonderful man. He's adorable here. It's sad that Jimmy wrecked his acting career, but he went on to produce and write librettos. I wish he'd written a book; he had the most wonderful stories.

Martin Milner is also easily recognized by Baby Boomers, thanks to "Route 66." He worked in movies from the time he was a teenager.

Hodiak and McNally both gave good performances. Linda Christian, despite the ads for the film, isn't in it all that much. She was a real beauty with a gorgeous figure, and also very intelligent. In 1952 she was married to Tyrone Power, and their wedding in Rome in 1949 was bigger than any celebrity wedding we see today, getting a full spread in Life magazine, and coverage everywhere, with 10,000 people outside the church. Cruise and Holmes married in the same place and there 1000 people outside the church.

Just so-so; all of these people made better films.