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.
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.