Anthony Mann's low budget "Men in War" (1957) is notable for his not receiving any help from the Pentagon during filming. Seems the top brass at the Pentagon didn't approve of the script and its depiction of US soldiers without the slightest bit of discipline. Instead, Director Manns simply concentrated on the scenery and tightened the characterizations of his story. There's not much in the way of pyrotechnics or explosions in this film, but it's still worth a viewing mainly because of the performances of Robert Ryan and Aldo Ray. The plot centers on an infantry patrol that's cut off from their main element and deep inside enemy territory during the Korean War (circa 1950). Ryan is the only officer left and his platoon consists of battle-weary troopers Vic Morrow, Nehemiah Persoff, and L.Q. Jones. Nearly out on their feet from exhaustion, Ryan and his men encounter a speedy jeep with an out-of-control sergeant (Ray) and a near-comatose colonel (Robert Keith looking like a zombie). Ray's only concern is to get "his" colonel back to the rear but Ryan reluctantly recruits him (and the jeep) into the fight despite Ray's lousy attitude and erratic behavior. Ray turns out to be a cracker-jack soldier and spectacularly good with his automatic rifle, killing snipers and potential POWs with reckless abandon. He and Ryan have a parting-of-the-ways after Ray's continued insubordination, but their separation is brief. Meanwhile the North Koreans begin picking off Ryan's men one-by-one and soon there's only a skeleton force available to attempt a final albeit needless assault. Why Ryan allows his dwindling number of soldiers to try this suicide mission belies any tactical reasoning, but it does bring the film to a shattering conclusion. The comatose colonel miraculously wakes up in time to grab a rifle and join in the festivities. His bold actions shame old Aldo into rejoining the fight. When the dust clears only three men are left standing. Reinforcements arrive (late as usual) as the men contemplate their survival and the deaths of their comrades-in-arms.
With his limited budget, director Anthony Mann does his best with the resources available. Having a heavyweight cast like Robert Ryan, Aldo Ray, Nehemiah Persoff etc. certainly helps his cause. Mann would later receive almost unlimited funds for epics such as "El Cid" and "The Fall of the Roman Empire." "Men in War" is not on the level of those films but it's a well-done movie with its own timely message of the futility and ravages of war.
With his limited budget, director Anthony Mann does his best with the resources available. Having a heavyweight cast like Robert Ryan, Aldo Ray, Nehemiah Persoff etc. certainly helps his cause. Mann would later receive almost unlimited funds for epics such as "El Cid" and "The Fall of the Roman Empire." "Men in War" is not on the level of those films but it's a well-done movie with its own timely message of the futility and ravages of war.