Edward Dmytryk returned from the McCarthy hearings to direct this slightly expanded stage show of eight World War Two soldiers, sitting around in a wrecked basement, waiting for their chance to go on furlough .... but the sergeant --- played by a Lee Marvin so young that he still has dark hair -- wants to go out and find a missing man. The endless talk talk talk is alleviated occasionally as Marvin goes out to see the company's captain, who also lives in a wrecked basement.
Dmytryk and the screenwriters have done very little to expand this for the screen. You may, if you like, interpret this as a failure of nerve of Dmytryk's part: he had originally refused to testify as to who was a Communist before the House Unamerican Activities Committee. A few months in jail broke his resolve, and he spent the remainder of his career directing ever larger, ever glossier and ever emptier films.
Dmytryk and the screenwriters have done very little to expand this for the screen. You may, if you like, interpret this as a failure of nerve of Dmytryk's part: he had originally refused to testify as to who was a Communist before the House Unamerican Activities Committee. A few months in jail broke his resolve, and he spent the remainder of his career directing ever larger, ever glossier and ever emptier films.