Customer Reviews

Fixed Bayonets

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Richard Basehart stars as a Corporal who does not like the responsibilities of command. When the Chinese invade the Division must pull back across the river and set up new defence positions. A stay behind platoon is left on the opposite bank of the river to hold a critical pass. One by one the platoon's leaders are killed and it is up to Basehart to save the day. Excellent Korean War drama/action movie. On par with "Pork Chop Hill" and "One Minute To Zero". Also stars Gene Evans as the Sergeant and Skip Homier as a soldier. Highly recommend!

A solid Sam Fuller directed movie with outstanding performances by Gene Evans and Richard Basehart. Classic Fuller with more dialogue than 'action'. Similar to his other Korean War movie "Steel Helmet" including the use of WWII Infantry packs in Korea which had been replaced by then. Overall, a good movie for a Saturday afternoon. Fuller was a veteran WWII Infantryman who showed us the grimness of the front-line soldier's world. It would make a great DVD set with "Steel Helmet". Throw in "Big Red One" and you would have the key Sam Fuller war movies.

This is a taut war movie from Samuel Fuller. A platoon is cut off from the rest of the outfit and has to try to work itself back. Richard Basehart plays the corporal who ends up in charge as men get killed off one by one. Look for James Dean as one of the soldiers.

"Fixed Bayonets" (1951) is a very good war movie, directed by a specialist as Samuel Fuller, who also directed "The Steel Helmet" (1951) and the exceptionally good "The Big Red One" (1980).
As a WWII veteran Fuller knows what war is and what really happens in front line small units.
The present film IMHO, represents a new approach to war movies, stark reality is shown, not as realistic as in "Saving Private Ryan" (1998) or "Band of Brothers" (2001), but definitely more lifelike than "Guadalcanal Diary" or "Gung Ho" both from 1943.

The story is about a Company left to fight an almost suicidal rearguard action during Korea War. Being the main character a Corporal reluctant to assume leadership notwithstanding his personal courage and sense of duty.
Playacting is really good with Richard Basehart as Cpl. Denno and Gene Evans as Sgt. Rock (performing Sergeants is a trademark for him) as the acting high points.
If you are a movie fan try to discover Jimmy Dean in his first film appearance as an uncredited GI.

B&W photography enhances the film by accentuating the desolate winter landscape and martial music follows an old tradition for war movies.

It is a very commendable movie for all those interested in war films.
Reviewed by Max Yofre.

This movie had haunted me ever since I first saw it on Los Angeles TV when I was twelve years old. Being the son of a career soldier it was always expected that some day I would serve in the Army. I always wondered whether I would measure up and be able to lead men in combat.

In 1991 I found myself leading a team of American soldiers advising an army in a very deadly war against a communist insurgency. Leadership in combat is the ultimate challenge and when my tour ended, I felt no different then how Richard Basehart's character did at the end of this movie.

Though a bit dated, this movie is my all time favorite and definitely a keeper.

An okay movie that felt more like the original made for TV dramas of the late 1950s than a full blown movie. Appears to have been shot mostly on a sound stage, and the feel is of early video tape rather than film.

The story involves an Infantry platoon in Korea left behind to secure the withdrawal of the rest of their regiment. They are to hold a position and create a diversion while the regiment withdraws, then to withdraw themselves. The pivotal character is a corporal who does not wish to have command responsibility, but will have it thrust on him. (I think this was a theme borrowed from Henry Fonda's role in "The Imortal Sergeant"). As he agonizes over the emerging reality that he is going to be put in charge by the slow elimination of those above him, Richard Basehart's character conducts entirely too much internal monologue, which we get to share in.

The small unit Infantry tactics, weaponary, and interactions all feel quite authentic, and this is not a bad little movie, just not one I'd put on my "A" list.

After seeing Sam Fuller's "Steel Helmet" on one of the classic channels (AMC or TCM), I bought this DVD expecting a movie of similar originality and grittiness. While "Steel Helmet" confronts the issue of racism with stark realism and grittiness, Fixed Bayonets takes a somewhat softer approach on the issue of cowardice versus leadership.

This movie describes the actions of a platoon left behind as rear-guard, to allow a badly mauled division to withdraw safely to regroup in the face of imminent Communist-Chinese attack. Richard Basehart gives a believable performance of a Corporal who shies from the thought of having to take command because he is afraid of making decisions that affect other mens' lives. Gene Evans, with an equally good performance, plays the Sergeant who ultimately convinces the Corporal that the yellow streak is not permanent. Ultimately, the Corporal's cowardice dissolves away when he confronts the responsability that is thrust upon him. Unfortunately, this point is made rather laborousily and the movie seems to lumber along part of the way.

If you are a classic war movie buff, I'd say "Fixed Bayonets" would make your B list (while "Steel Helmet" should definitely be in your A list). Another Korean war movie that should be in your collection is Antony Mann's "Men in War".

***1/2 1951. Based on a novel by John Brophy, FIXED BAYONETS! was written and directed by Samuel Fuller. After the success of The Steel Helmet, Fuller was hired by the Fox company to direct another war thriller about the Korea war that had just started. This time, it's the story of a platoon ordered to stop the red army while the rest of the regiment is trying to come back to its base. Replace the STEEL HELMET temple by a cave hidden in the middle of a hill covered by snow and you have FIXED BAYONETS!. Samuel Fuller was more interested in the study of the characters than in the originality of the plot. Anyway, after a film like THE STEEL HELMET, any movie about Korea will seem inferior. Recommended.

If you can suspend your disbelief, and you can ignore the painted background of snowy mountains and the fake cavern in which most of the movie develops, you'll find that Fixed Bayonets! is a very good movie.
Based on some critics I read previously, I was expecting a typical American war movie where the Americans are depicted as flawless heroes while the enemy is shown as stupid, malevolent sub-humans. Not so. This is a plain story where soldiers are, well, just soldiers. At least as far as I can perceive, there is no political agenda or in your face heroism discourses. Though not much background is provided for each of the soldiers, I felt empathy for each of them. Stereotypes? Maybe, but depicted in a very natural, convincing way. Particularly likeable are the two main protagonists: Gene Evans as the wise sergeant-mentor Rock and Richard Basehart (who even looks quite handsome!) as the conflicted corporal Denno. Anyone who has been in an unexpected position of leadership where you have to make important decision concerning other people will be moved by his conflict. There are several scenes full of a dramatic tension that are hard to match: watch for the mine rescue field; just awesome. In a sentence, totally recommended. I'll get also "Steel Helmets" to continue my exploration of Sam Fueller's films.

It tooka long time to find. But well worth the effort. A solid Korean war movie. Who would have thought they would get Sgt. Rock on screen.