A HILL IN KOREA aka HELL IN KOREA (1956, directed by Julian Amyes)  This film is interesting in that it is the only film that easily comes to mind that depicts British UN forces fighting in the Korean conflict. Not many films have been made about Korea to begin with. Those that have been made are usually about Americans.

     There are no pretensions here. The film is simply an action movie, made a few years after the events depicted. There is nice character development, good acting and sufficient action to keep any war movie fan interested.

     George Baker is given first billing. He’s a very credible leader of the platoon of soldiers that make our acquaintance at the top of the film. I first became aware of George Baker while devouring the I, CLAUDIUS series in the mid-seventies. His portrayal of the evil and ultimately ancient and perverted Emperor Tiberius was superb. Because it made such an impression on me I find it hard to accept him in some of the leading man roles he played earlier. Remember, he even tested for BEN-HUR!

     Another Baker, the solid Welsh actor Stanley Baker has always been a favourite of mine, even though he often played very unsympathetic characters. Perhaps it’s because he, too, left such a firm impression on me when as a child I saw him in ZULU, my all-time favourite film. Speaking of ZULU, Baker’s co-star in that film, Michael Caine, is seen in a minor role in A HILL IN KOREA. It was his first film. Carrying the film’s pedigree further, Robert Shaw also appears, in his second screen portrayal.

     Perhaps the best characterization though, is achieved by the under-rated Harry Andrews, who gives his platoon sergeant a colourful lower-class accent, quite different from the upper-crust military men he so often played in better-known films such as 633 SQUADRON.

     Getting back to Michael Caine for a moment, he writes in his autobiography of his experiences as a National Serviceman in the Korean conflict. I remember vividly his description of a night patrol he was on when he came within a few feet of a Chinese patrol. He said the Chinese wore tennis shoes and were very quiet, but you could always tell when they were about because they consistently chewed garlic, the way we chew bubble gum. The smell alerted him on this occasion. There was no light to speak of in the dead of night and the smell of garlic was all that prevented Michael Caine from a deadly encounter with the enemy.

     Perhaps it was this knowledge of Caine’s background that helped me accept the film as realistic. While firmly entrenched in 1950s style filmmaking, I nonetheless found it engrossing and quite entertaining. The black and white photography has a documentary feel to it in places. This serves the film. The set piece at the Buddhist shrine reminded me of the siege in SAHARA, that great Bogart war film. The action is not nearly as intense here, but it is still satisfying.

    Critics of this film sometimes question how masses of Chinese soldiers would charge across open ground to try and overtake machine-gun nests, but I can remember a friend telling me that during the Korean conflict the Chinese army would smoke opium before a charge, working themselves into such a frenzy that they would be almost oblivious to the danger of such an attack and even the pain of wounds. If this is in fact, true, then I don’t find such a depiction hard to believe at all.

     A HILL IN KOREA is a good war film. It stands out for several reasons: good acting, adequate action, gritty realism and above all, the reminder that other countries comprised the UN forces that fought for freedom in that bloody, awful, unacknowledged war (remember it was termed a ‘police action’).

     A few years ago I visited Washington, D.C. I went to see the Vietnam War Memorial. Nearby was an incredible memorial to the soldiers who fought in Korea. It consisted of a group of sculptures, a larger-than-life platoon of soldiers, spread out in formation. Each soldier was an individual. Some looked very grim, some looked weary, and all looked battle-hardened. There was something very ghostly about it. The most striking aspect of the memorial was that it was constructed so that visitors could walk among the statues, as if they were a part of his silent platoon, frozen in time. It inspired cause for reflection.

     Every good war film should aspire to the same goal.

     A HILL IN KOREA is not easy to find on video, but guess where you can obtain it? That’s right-it’s another fine film in the Woody Wise Discount Video inventory. Write to him for a catalogue. The web site is pretty good but the catalogue is more complete. If you’re in the market for buying some great older films, Discount Video is a great place to start.

     Discount Video Tapes Hollywood’s Attic can be reached by writing to P.O. Box 7122, Burbank, CA 91510. Or you can call Woody at (818) 843-3366 (fax- 818-843-3821). His web site is www.hollywoodsattic.com. Tell Woody Einsiders sent you!

Jon Ted Wynne