The story of a platoon during the Korean War. One by one, Corporal Denno's superiors are killed until it comes to the point where he must try to take command responsibility.
Direction
Fuller's documentary-honed eye, zero sentimentality.
Editing
Tight 92 minutes, every frame earns its keep.
Sound
Chinese loudspeaker propaganda as psychological weapon.
Director
Samuel Fuller
Richard Basehart
Cpl. Denno
Gene Evans
Sgt. Rock
Michael O'Shea
Sgt. Lonergan
Richard Hylton
Medic John Wheeler
Craig Hill
Lt. Gibbs
Skip Homeier
Whitey
Paul Burke
Doggie (uncredited)
Glenn Corbett
Lieutenant (uncredited)
James Dean
Doggie (uncredited)
John Doucette
18th Infantry Colonel (uncredited)
Pat Hogan
Jonesy (uncredited)
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Fuller filmed this in Griffith Park on a shoestring budget with borrowed Army surplus equipment, faking Korea in Los Angeles.
Released months after Truman fired MacArthur, the film's ambivalence toward command structures quietly echoed national anxieties about military authority.
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