User reviews

Another Sam Fuller nitty gritty, down-to-earth where the rubber meets the road movie. There is nothing extra in this movie. Every word every action is meaningful. I wish more directors today would study Sam Fuller. It seems that only Quentin Tarantino ever heard of Sam.

The premise of this film is a little unlikely- Korea early in the war and one infantry platoon is assigned to hold off three Chinese and North Korean Divisions while the rest of the U.S. Division regroups. While it is more likely that a larger US force would have had such an assignment the small number of men comprising a single platoon makes for some real character development. There are some great characters here. Fuller wrote some real life into them. I believe Fuller was a combat vet from WWII so he knows what he writes- the fear, the rage, the fear again. There are lots of nice little bits here- the frozen foot while holding up in a cave. No one is sure whose foot it is that is being revived as all their feet are frozen. I had to throw another log in the woodstove after that scene.

If you are interested in war movies without flag waving and corny dialog this movie is for you.

This film is about a small group of soldiers who are given the unenviable task of slowing down the oncoming Korean/Chinese army in order to allow the rest of the army to bid a hasty retreat. It is assumed that few, if any, of these brave men will survive and it's all a matter of digging in and waiting for the inevitable.

Writer/Director Sam Fuller was the first to make a Korean War film when he made STEEL HELMET. This film was made with a minuscule budget, yet was a terrific war film due to his excellent touch--along with acting of wonderful roguish actors, such as Gene Evans. Well, only months after creating this film, Fuller is back with FIXED BAYONETS! and in many, many ways the film is highly reminiscent of the earlier film. Both featured a small group of brave American soldiers who have become separated from the rest of the army. As a result, they are forced to make a brave stand against the odds. And, like STEEL HELMET, you see little bits and pieces about each man--often just before they are killed. Of the two films, I definitely preferred STEEL HELMET because it managed to do so much with the tiniest budget and because it seemed more original. FIXED BAYONETS! was almost like a retooling of the original format.

FIXED BAYONETS! had a larger budget and cast than the previous film, though it still was a very economically made film--mostly due the use of character actors instead of big-name stars. Once again, the exceptional Evans was on hand to play, what else, a battle-hardened and wise non commissioned officer. Richard Basehart, a wonderful actor, played co-lead with Evans and that was a good thing, as he was as capable as any actor in Hollywood but was still relatively unknown (i.e., cheap). Look closely, and you might spot James Dean in a small role and there are many other exceptional actors that give the film lots of color and gritty realism. Because of all these factors, FIXED BAYONETS! is still a very good film and Fuller is really in his element with these war films--probably because he lived the life himself during WWII. No major surprises--just a realistic, simple and effective war film.

The premise of this film is factually based on Task Force Faith in the Korean War:In late November 1950, the Chinese struck, along the Chongchon River, and overran several ROK divisions and landed an extremely heavy blow into the flank of the remaining UN forces. The resulting withdrawal of the United States Eighth Army was the longest retreat of an American unit in national history. In the east, at the Battle of Chosin Reservoir (November 26–December 13) a 3,000 man unit from the US 7th Infantry Division, Task Force Faith, was virtually wiped out, with numerous hand to hand fighting. The Marines fared better; though surrounded and forced to retreat, they inflicted heavy casualties on the Chinese who committed 6 divisions while trying to destroy the Marines.

Of the Task Force Faith and the 2,500 troops trapped by the Chinese, about 1,500 eventually made it back to American lines, the majority of them wounded or badly frostbitten. Roughly 300 able-bodied survivors were formed into a provisional battalion which was attached to the Marines and fought with them in the breakout of the 1st Marine Division during the remainder of the Battle of Chosin Reservoir. Over 1,000 soldiers of Task Force Faith were killed or died in Chinese captivity.

This film is a very accurate, no frills look at the emotions that come with perceived lost causes during war.

Fixed Bayonets completes director Samuel Fuller's one-two of 1951 movies about the Korean War, the other being the equally (maybe even slightly better) gritty and gripping The Steel Helmet. For those unfamiliar with Fuller's style, let's just say it is as far removed as possible from what Hollywood passes for war movies the past 20 years. No sentimentality and schmaltz here, just a straight-forward and fine-tuned soldier movie, from the boys, for the boys.

Fuller, a war veteran himself, takes a no-frills, realistic approach. With a tight script that weaves themes of courage and confronting one's fears into superb suspense and action scenes that have stood the test of time admirably, Fixed Bayonets does exactly what it says on the cover. The miniature work is decent enough and the studio backlot that passes for the Korean mountains completes the illusion without distractions. It's still a low-budget b-movie but it's holding well at the seams. The acting is all-around solid with Gene Evans once again stealing the show as the gruffy, no-nonsense Sgt. Rock.

Having worked as a journalist for New York newspapers in his younger years, Fuller understands the importance of story above all. Sure, he's not exactly the epitome of subtle - the inner monologues for example should have been avoided altogether. But I'm willing to ignore that because his movies have a sense of urgency and conviction that is hard to find: he's a man with a story to tell, he grabs you by the shoulder and says "this is how it happened, now watch this". And "this" is not about the politics or dramatization of war but war itself, men killing other men in some snowy hills in the middle of nowhere.

This Korean war(1951-1953) drama is the fare of American GIs in Korea early 1951 and stands as one of the best warlike film . A band of Chinese troops follows a soldiers group posing as a regiment. Then, they take refuge into a cave stronghold but the group is besieged. They simply do their best to survive a terrifying situation. But the superiors are murdered and the corporal Demmo takes command.

The film is dedicated to the queen of battles-the United States Infantry. The producers give grateful thanks to the Department of the Army for its encouragement , advice and active cooperation in the preparation and production of this picture. The film is based on true events, a Chinese communist offensive formed by 350.000 soldiers who vanquished 8º Army commanded by Ridgway and withdraw across southern. Posteriorly, American Army and UN multi-national troops undergo a contra-offensive and retrieve lost territory until 38 parallel.

This is a conventional story bolstered considerably by director Fuller's flair for warlike drama and action. Dark and thoughtful and hurriedly made, the movie gains strength as it goes on, and shows a tremendous grasp of the tale as an unit. Excellent performance by male leads, boasting and most restrained acting by Richard Basehart as the corporal taking the command responsibility. Top-notch Gene Evans as brave sergeant and excellent secondaries, Craig Hill, Skip Homeier, Michael O'Shea and appearance an uncredited James Dean. Samuel Fuller's most fluid and strongest film-making lies in his war pictures from ¨Steel helmet,Fixed bayonets, Merril's marauders, Hell and high water, and specially : Big red one¨ all are tremendously exciting and stirring. Rating : Better than average. Well worth watching.

I saw this movie on the AMC movie channel, (cable). Had to be in 1997 or 98, I'm not that sure but I do know it was just before Saving Pvt. Ryan came out and AMC was playing all these war movies on Memorial day.

I never saw this movie before so I started watching and from the first scene of the General jamming a big hunk of chew in his mouth I knew this would be a good movie.

Well need-less to say it just got better. I only wish film makers today, or should I say movie exec's had the stones to make these kind of movies. No message, just a good story about men in combat doing the task that that job requires.

A warriors story about warriors - Great job Sam.

I was able to tape it too, so I have it to view anytime - what a treat.

Made while Korea was still an active conflict, this movie is interesting in its disregard for ideology. Most war movies made during a conflict (and especially those made during and about WWII, which had just ended six years before) make a point of talking about what they're fighting for.

This movie isn't interested in that. It's a soldier picture, conflict between enemies and between friends. It's easy to relate to the cross-section of guys; some are goof-offs, some are noble, some are incompetent. The enemy is cunning and relentless and the weather seems to be trying to kill you all on its own.

Good movie. Movies about the Korean War are interesting because they're so rarely about ideology. They're just about what war really is - ordinary people engaged in a killing contest.

I have only recently seen some of Fuller's films after hearing about him for years. I have been surprised and pleased by each one. "Fixed Bayonets!" Is a great example of how Fuller made the Hollywood system of the time work for him simply because he got films done on time and on budget, (I think). What would have been either a "GungHo" movie or a trite rehash of "Red Badge of Courage" becomes an involving and action packed story of a man becoming a soldier and leader, something Fuller had first hand experience of in WWII.

If you have heard the expression "dogface" applied to a soldier and wondered what it meant this picture will provide your answer. Fuller uses the closeup in just the right amount and just the right time here, and the closeups put the finishing touch on each of the characters, all of whom are distinct and varied. Instead of seeing soldiers similar to others films, these men come across somebody you might know as a regular guy.

Anyone interested in putting stories on the screen should see Sam Fuller's work.

Samuel Fuller had fought in the Second World War and put his field experience to good use in directing this low budget film set in Korea during the Korean War. The story is simple. A major general in charge of an American division is forced to order a tactical retreat of his division across the only existing bridge over a major river, which he will then blow up behind him. In order to avoid the enemy massacring his 15,000 troops as they slowly make their way across that choke-point, the general decides to leave a small platoon of 48 soldiers behind, commanded only by a lieutenant, to make a lot of noise and fire a lot of weapons so that the enemy will not know for some time that the division has pulled out. This platoon, known as a 'rear guard', will thus buy time for the division, and then they can follow after a certain number of days, if they can. The action is set in the snow-covered and freezing mountain environment of that terrible war. (A friend who fought in it told me the worst thing was the cold, far worse than the fighting.) The action of the film is thus circumscribed within this narrow story, in a small mountain pass where 48 men face an entire enemy division complete with artillery. Richard Basehart plays a corporal who, as fourth in line of command, ends up becoming the commander of the platoon when the three men outranking him are all killed. He has an inner struggle about responsibility, and that part of the film is a psychological profile of a man who fears command and also cannot bring himself to fire a gun at another human being. So Fuller is driving home some important truths about what war really involves, namely killing people (a point often forgotten by politicians in their bubbles!) There is a tense scene where Basehart has to walk into a minefield to rescue someone, trying to feel gently through the snow with his boots where the mines might be. (The medic who had proceeded him in this effort had already been blown up by a mine.) I had a friend named Michael Scott who during the Second World War went into a minefield to save his friend Carlos Blacker, and lost an eye, so I have heard some first-hand accounts of this tricky subject. Early on in the film, when the enemy are firing artillery at the platoon, they blast away at a cliff and a rock-fall reveals a handy cave, in which the platoon is able to shelter from the cannon fire. I winced as I saw the soldiers knocking the stalagtites down inside the cave, despite one of the soldiers saying it had taken 2000 years for them to form. I know it was only a set, but the idea of damaged stalagtites offends my geological sense of the proprieties. This film was 'suggested by' a novel by the British author John Brophy. Brophy was from Liverpool, who also wrote a novel and screenplay for the film entitled WATERFRONT (1950), which tells a tragic tale of the Liverpool slums, from which Brophy presumably came himself. There is some good acting and a lot of grit in this simple war film, which concentrates on this small body of men and their struggle against the odds. The film has been restored and included in the 'Maters of Cinema' series on Blu-Ray, as part of the current revival of the films of Samuel Fuller, whose PICKUP ON SOUTH STREET (1953) is probably his best known film. I need hardly point out that 'fixed bayonets' refers to the time when close combat is at hand, and soldiers have to fix bayonets to the ends of their rifles to defend themselves against the enemy, as firing is no longer possible because the enemy is only a few feet away. Bayonet fighting is probably every soldier's worst nightmare, and it is not much different from what warfare was like a thousand years ago, i.e., two men struggling against each other to the death with only sharp blades to decide who lives and who dies. Makes you want to join the army, doesn't it?

There are millions of square miles in Korea covered with rugged jagged peaks and layers of ice and snow. In this film entitled, " Fixed Bayonets " the story relates the thoughts and deeds of a select group of soldiers out of a larger division who act as a Rear Guard in such a desolate frozen environment. Anyone who has ever served in the military, can tell you, fighting with a massive army allows one to believe in eventual victory. However, when the force is reduced to a mere handful, as in this case, soldiers quickly become keenly aware of the certainty of death. Furthermore, a single soldier is duty bound to obey orders as they are perceived to be necessary for the survival of all. Indeed, warriors tend to minimize their fears when being led by competent Officers and leaders. Herein is the crux of our movie. Learning he is forth on a list of Platoon leaders, a young Corporal (Richard Basehart) dreads the possibility of Command. Advising him on the eventuality is an experienced veteran called Sgt. Rock. As the Platoon is slowly encroached on by Seasoned North Koreans, death in the ranks is inevitable and with each loss the worry of Corporal Denno becomes more acute. The movie is a soldier's tribute to the often forgotten Police Action, but one which is nevertheless a reminder of the terrible price America paid in the 1950s. Gene Evans, Paul Burke, Glenn Corbett, John Doucette and a very young James Dean are the cast of the film. ***

Watched attentively throughout the film, aware it is Dean's first feature, but never could spot him or hear a word of dialogue that sounded like him. Perhaps the helmets and hoods and dirty faces made many of the GI extras indistinguishable. Or maybe I just need a bigger screen TV.

This film essentially begins immediately after the surprise Chinese attack upon United Nations forces during the Korean War with an American division commander being forced to retreat from his current position. To accomplish this rather perilous retreat, he calls upon a platoon to form a rear-guard action which will allow the rest of the division enough time to escape. Needless to say, none of the soldiers chosen for this mission are too happy about it, however, knowing that they only need to hold off the Chinese for a few days, they reluctantly dig and prepare for the worst. Along with that, they also realize that in order for them to have even a remote chance of surviving, they have to somehow convince the Chinese that they are a much larger force than they actually are. The problem is, once the Chinese realize just how few in numbers they really are, they will easily be overrun and killed. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this was an interesting war film which benefited by good performances from both Gene Evans (as "Sergeant Rock") and Richard Basehart ("Corporal Denno"). Admittedly, it does suffer to a certain extent from its limited budget, but even so, I enjoyed this film for the most part and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.

Fixed bayonets! is directed by Sam Fuller and Fuller writes the screenplay which is based around a novel by John Brophy. It stars Richard Basehart, Gene Evans, Michael O'Shea, Richard Hylton, Craig Hill and Skip Homeier. Music is by Roy Webb and cinematography by Lucien Ballard.

The Korean War, and a platoon of GIs are tasked with diverting the enemy to allow the command units time to regroup and prepare for a counter attack.

"Somebody's got to get left behind, get their bayonets wet. It's tough picking out an outfit, but it's got to be picked"

Samuel Fuller was a real life infantryman combat veteran of WWII, so any time he chose to direct a war film it was time to sit up and take notice, Fixed bayonets! finds him in prime form. All his great traits are here, how things are so understated yet so potent, how his characters are stripped to a very real human form, there's no fuss, filler or pointless flab here. Every line of dialogue and the various combat scenarios positively beg our utmost attention, so as to get some sort of feel as to just what it must have been like in war.

Plot revolves around 48 men holding a rearguard action so as to give 15,000 others a break. The odds aren't really in their favour, because not only do they have to face the oncoming enemy and all their numbers, but they have to battle the terrain, for they are up in the snowy mountains, the harsh coldness a fitting accompaniment to the psychological pangs at work in the platoon. The main narrative thread is based around Basehart's Cpl. Denno, who has trouble shooting an enemy soldier, which is not great since there's a very real chance he may soon have to take command. Ouch! The pressure of impending command...

Combat action scenes are thrilling, artillery warfare in the snow constructed with skillful thought. While this wouldn't be a Fuller film without some edge of seat drama, with the stand out here a breath holding sequence of events in a minefield. Tech guys come up trumps, the sound mix is bang on (a haunting cacophony of Asian bugles really rattles the head), Ballard's black and white photography is crisp and captures the pending peril vibe suitably, and Webb's musical compositions are unobtrusive and rightly keeping focus on the human drama.

A lesson in being simple yet so potently effective, Fuller on blob. 8/10

You can find several movies with the same theme of "platoon must pretend to have greater numbers to fool the enemy", but you can only find a handful of movies about the Korean War that were made during the event itself. Fixed Bayonets! Starring Gene Evans and Richard Basehart, is one of them, but it's not the greatest war picture you'll see in your lifetime. It definitely feels like a B-picture, with the production values and screenplay telegraphing every plot point far in advance. However, during-war movies are worth appreciating because they capture the feeling of the war before its outcome was known. The aura of this movie is not victorious, but instead has the message of, "We're trying our best, folks, but we don't really know what we're doing." It's far different than the messages from WWII movies made from 1941-1945.

Gene is a burly, strong soldier who continually encourages Richard to get his feet wet in the art of killing. Richard is an officer school dropout who has managed to survive the war without killing a single enemy soldier. He can follow orders but can't give them, and his biggest fear is to someday be left in charge of the platoon. Gee, I wonder what will happen. . .

There are some moments that are entertaining, in the sense of capturing the war atmosphere. In one scene, all the men take off their shoes and massage each other's feet to prevent frostbite. In another, Gene points to something off camera and says, "That's Jonesy's ear," to remind them how serious the enemy fire is. There's a sequence during which they bury landmines in the snow, and then they forget where they put them and are tiptoeing around at night hoping not to get blown up. Had the cast been full of A-tier actors, like John Wayne in Gene's role and Kirk Douglas in Richard's part, the movie probably would have been classed up and been more successful. Try it out if you like, but the better Korean War movies are Retreat, Hell! And One Minute to Zero.

This is an interesting movie to watch on themes of responsibility and its inevitability. The person who wants it the least is the person who ultimately gets it and, by virtue partly of his reluctance, turns out to be the best suited for the job at hand. And in this film that job is to be the leader of a rear guard action to dissuade the North Koreans from closing in on a withdrawing regiment. The chain goes from the regimental colonel, who we see as the film opens, a "one of the guys" type of guy with a wad of chewing tobacco, clustered with some other men in a tent, and then to a young lieutenant who's company is chosen to lead the rear guard action, and the GI's in the company played by some familiar faces, and is whittled down to a young corporal who would never want the responsibility but exceeds his own limitations and ultimately wins his own self respect.

War film, curious, because it is about the conflict in Korea where a group of soldiers protects the back of a retreat. This conflict is not often shown. They leave the snowy mountains and in winter. These soldiers have to make the communists (Korean, Chinese) believe that all the soldiers are still there. They have to face the cold, the egos of some of them, and, of course, the communist soldiers, first on reconnaissance, then arriving with mortars and guns, then with their tanks. This while holding a single defile between two mountains, which they have booby-trapped and are besieging to block any passage, the time for the rest of the troops to get as far away as possible. The bayonet of the title is for hand-to-hand combat to block the passage by preventing anyone from passing.

Samuel Fuller, who is never into subtlety, is particularly effective here. Through the exchanges between the soldiers on their moods vis-à-vis the situation or their personal moods, the management of moments of tension, with the expectation of an enemy that we do not see, then the first clashes and then the final assault. The scene of the mines in the ice with the injured soldier is particularly successful. A success for a simple concept, an almost unique setting, exploited by a precise cutting that gives pride of place to the soldiers as individuals.