Evasion en Corée

In the 1960s, producer A. C. Lyles had a terrific track record with making westerns. While few had big budgets or made tons of money, they were very successful and filled a niche. They also usually also rehabilitated the image of otherwise forgotten old-time actors he hired for his 'Geezer westerns' (not my term), such as Richard Arlen, Barry Sullivan, Wendell Corey, John Ireland, Dana Andrews, and Pat O'Brian. These guys were all good actors but older as well...and apart from the Lyles films, they often had trouble finding work. Now I am not saying these are great or must-see films for most viewers, but they are great films for up-and-coming filmmakers to watch in order to see how to economically make a fine movie.

"The Young and the Brave" is a bit of a departure for Lyles, as it's not a western but a war picture. It features one of his favorite leading men, Rory Calhoun in the lead. It also features a past his prime William Bendix...in one of his last films.

Three American soldiers become stranded behind enemy lines during the Korean War and they are wandering about...trying to find their way home. They come upon a boy and his dog who are also lost and the five join forces. But they must evade the enemy and keep that dog quiet in order to have any chance.

At the outset, I saw two problems with the movie. First, the Korean kid is obviously a Hispanic kid...and you wonder why they didn't find an Asian child for the role. Second, while I like Lyles hiring older actors past their prime, William Bendix looked way too old to be a G. I.! Rory Calhoun isn't young but is believable in his role as a sergeant.

So despite these problems is the film any good? Well, there are a few more problems I noticed as the film progressed. For example, they are supposed to be behind enemy lines but when they find a baby pig, they have a cookout. Wouldn't they want to NOT light a fire in such a situation?? Also, the dog keeps barking and barking...and you can't help but wonder why they kept this animal with them if they are trying to sneak back undetected. So, logic isn't a strongpoint in this movie!

Overall, if you ignore the logical errors and poor casting in a couple cases, the film isn't bad...more of an inconsequential time-passer for the most part. There are certainly better Korean War movies, such as "The Steel Helmet" or "Pork Chop Hill".

There are two dogs in this film, the enemy kills both of them with the adults showing zero concern. The canines are the only points of interest. Better to have dropped the war and kept the doggies. Rates a 2/10 unless you`re a devotee of animal films then a 6/10.

In the "woke" Hollywood of today, a movie showing the communist North Koreans as murderous would not be produced. In fact, it's hard to believe anyone would try in 1963.

But someone did try and did an excellent job.

It begins with a good script and is made excellent because of the cast.

Rory Calhoun beautifully underplays his role as the sergeant trying to lead a small group of escaped prisoners out of North Korea back to their own lines.

Along the way, they pick up an orphaned little boy, played by the youngster who stole all the acting honors, Manuel Padilla, Jr.

He has played other and different foreign kids, most famously "Jai" in the Ron Ely TV series version of Tarzan.

He was still young, only 52, when he died.

William Bendix was one of those great Hollywood fixtures who played so many different roles, from vicious bad guy to lovable and avuncular types.

Perhaps "The Young and the Brave" is not really a "classic," despite being presented on TCM, but it's an awfully good movie, reminding viewers that U. S. soldiers were the good guys more often than not, and that often they had to overcome their own "leaders" to not only win but far too frequently to survive.

Korea was the second of three wars begun because the "leadership" of the northern part of the country wanted to invade and conquer the southern part.

It's another reminder that all governments are rotten but some are worse than others.

And it's a reminder that, no matter that it's the men on the front lines, doing the killing and being killed, innocent women and children are equally, and even more unforgivably, victims of the horror and brutality.

Rory Calhoun has seldom done a better job, and all his co-performers have given us a movie I can easily recommend.

A.C. Lyles who is primarily known as a producer of B westerns utilizing players past their prime years decided to go in for B Korean War film which combines escaping GI POWS with a good old fashioned boy and his dog story in The Young And The Brave. The results are less than gratifying.

The trio of escaping GIs are Rory Calhoun, William Bendix and Robert Ivers. Bendix is really looking way too old to be a convincing combat soldier and in fact he was in his middle Fifties. A friendly Korean farmer and wife help them out which causes their deaths, but their son played by Manuel Padilla and his adopted German Shepherd dog escape with the soldiers. The kid and the dog prove most useful like Rusty and Rin Tin Tin.

The location for the film looks a whole lot like many a western was shot there and I suspect A.C. Lyles went to familiar turf to shoot this film. All the players look like they've really got no conviction in this project.

Maybe A.C. should have stuck to westerns.

Movie isn't anything fantastic but it does contain many many scenes of Rory Calhoun standing and walking as if his life depends on it--and given that he's being chased by North Koreans who are ready and eager to kill him at the drop of a hat--it certainly does.

I can't really fault anything that happens in the film--its literally something that came on TCM when i wasn't really paying attention, looked up the synopsis of the film and who was in it and ended up watching it mainly because it looked like it was Rory Calhoun Standing and Walking The Motion Picture--which it kind of was.

Would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to see Rory Calhoun in all his standing and walking glory. (but to be honest with you i'm positive he's stood and walked in better films then this before..he must have right?)