It's May 1953, and fresh-faced US Army recruited Robert Redford (as Roy Loomis) has joined the battle for Korea. Women in the area greet the American private by saying, "Welcome to Korea, I hope you don't die" and "I love you." Mr. Redford soon notices strange behavior from fellow handsome private John Saxon (as Raymond Endore). A loner, Mr. Saxon nightly paints his face, stealthy makes his way into enemy territory, single-handedly kills an enemy soldier, and performs a ritual Indian dance over the body.
Redford finds Saxon's behavior troubling, and tries to separate the increasingly disturbed man from his only friend, eight-year-old Tommy Matsuda (as Charlie). The orphaned Korean lad has formed a hero-worshiping relationship with Saxon, which Redford seeks to sever. There are things to admire about this inexpensively made anti-war drama, especially Saxon's characterization, but the film makes the old symbolic points rather ordinarily and the new ones haphazardly. Some character motivation is noticeably lacking.
***** War Hunt (4/6/62) Denis Sanders ~ Robert Redford, John Saxon, Sydney Pollack, Tom Skerritt
Redford finds Saxon's behavior troubling, and tries to separate the increasingly disturbed man from his only friend, eight-year-old Tommy Matsuda (as Charlie). The orphaned Korean lad has formed a hero-worshiping relationship with Saxon, which Redford seeks to sever. There are things to admire about this inexpensively made anti-war drama, especially Saxon's characterization, but the film makes the old symbolic points rather ordinarily and the new ones haphazardly. Some character motivation is noticeably lacking.
***** War Hunt (4/6/62) Denis Sanders ~ Robert Redford, John Saxon, Sydney Pollack, Tom Skerritt