Product Details

• Actors: Carmen Austin, Mario Barri, Amelia De La Rama, Pedro Faustino, Oscar Keesee Jr.
• Format: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Alpha Video
• DVD Release Date: February 24, 2004
• Run Time: 96 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00015HXAE
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #260,416 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "The Steel Claw" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Platform:  DVD MOVIE Publisher:  ALPHA VIDEO Packaging:  DVD STYLE BOX Captain John Larson loses his hand in an accident and the fourteen-year Marine finds himself discharged from the service without seeing a single day of combat. Everything changes when he is forced back to action in a bloody mission to rescue a kidnapped Brigadier General from a group of Filipino guerrillas led by the mysterious Santana. Replacing his missing appendage with a steel claw Captain Larson leads a daring raid behind enemy lines and comes face to face with both the Japanese army and his own personal demons.George Montgomery produced a number of movies in the Philippines during the sixties including Samar Huk! and From Hell to Borneo. The Steel Claw is the first of these films most of which featured Montgomery as lead actor writer producer and director. Starring: George MontgomeryMusic by: Harry ZimmermanDirected by: George MontgomeryScreenplay by: George Montgomery Ferde Grof Jr. & Malvin Wald DVD Details: Run Time: 96 minutesNumber of Discs: 1Originally Released in 1961ColorNo region encoding; For global distribution.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The Steel Claw, August 20, 2005

By 

D. M. Di Paola - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Steel Claw (DVD)

This is a pretty good movie, considering its story line. Anyway, having spent time in the PI and knowing history of WWII, it is a favorable representation of what may have happened (but it did not) given the circumstances back in 1942. I am glad to have this movie in my collection.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars "B" Movie; "D" Transfer to DVD, December 14, 2004

By 

Matthew M (Southeast Michigan, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Steel Claw (DVD)

I bought this because I liked George Montgomery in a western, 'Cripple Creek,' shown on cable TV. According to an online biography, he was a successful western and B-movie actor, went on to produce and direct some of his own films, including 'The Steel Claw,' and was Dinah Shore's original long-time husband.

This action-adventure has a passable B-movie plot about a disabled marine on a one-man mission to rescue an officer in the early days of the Japanese invasion of the Phillipines, complete with several love interests and decent supporting character development. While the low-budget production values are hard to overlook, the biggest problem is the poor quality of the transfer to DVD. It looks as bad as many home movies.

If you like this actor, marine corps or WWII stories, or just like to watch a character who never says die, then you could indulge in this bargain-priced DVD. Just don't expect a classic.

4.0 out of 5 stars December 1941 in the war-torn Philippines, June 7, 2009

By 

Noirman (NYC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Steel Claw (DVD)

1961's 'The Steel Claw' is a wartime drama set in the early weeks of World War II in The Philippines.

The picture is an action-adventure film about a handicapped, recalled-to-the-duty, hard fighting, no-nonsense Marine Corps Captain, John Larsen,(George Montgomery), who is missing one hand, ordered to go on a very dangerous mission.

The Marine Captain's listed mission is to rescue an American Brigadier General held captive by the enemy, and he requires the assistance of the Filipino guerrillas, behind Japanese infested lines, led by 'Santana', played by Mario Barri, who George Montgomery's Captain Larsen does not always get along with, since Santana is more of a shake-down artist, but at the same time is loyal to the cause of liberation of The Philippines from the Jap invaders. Carmen Austin plays the beautiful Rosa, a brave, female Filipino guerrilla leader. This film is also entangled with a love story between Captain Larsen and a Filipino girl.

The capture of a Japanese troop train is very well done, in conjunction with the attack on a Jap-troop base & factory, where the U.S. 'General' is being held captive. The problem is the 'General' turns out being officer-hating rat....nuff said.

I give the picture 3.5 stars for very realistic effort. Apparently the film appears to be completely outdoors in The Philippines, but since there are no half stars a 4 will be sufficient.

The "steel claw" of the title is a hook that the one-handed Captain Larsen fastens onto himself during the movie. The Steel Claw was directed, starred and co-scripted by George Montgomery.