Lacklustre drama whose elements flatten out rather than coalesce into compelling narrative. The concept itself is a tricky one— how the role of bugle calls serve to rally a listless army platoon in the Korean War, 1951. Now making bugle calls the central element of a war drama means that the drama really has to come from the human elements who reflect the effects of the call. Trouble is that Bobby Driscoll (Prvt. Zane), in a central role, should register the emotional change, but instead either doesn't get the proper coaching or simply walks through his part. Nor does he or his platoon show fear when the enemy (Chinese) attacks. Yet it's really from a background of fear that real courage emerges. Showing how a bugle can galvanize troops to overcome natural fear is what the drama needs to do, but crucially doesn't. For some reason ace director Borzage (Moonrise, {1948}) fails to move his cast into the appropriate mood changes. Even the potentially powerful ending appears more listless than involving. In fact, the production as a whole seems oddly detached. Thus we're left with a basically unrealized potential. Too bad.
Review of Day Is Done
