Criterion compiles a collection of the most intriguing and artistically and creatively inclined films in cinema history from the most well renowned to the most obscure. The DVD set of Samuel Fuller’s earlier films, DVD Eclipse Series 5: The First Films of Samuel Fuller, which include critically acclaimed The Baron of Arizona (Vincent Price and Ellen Drew) I Shot Jesse James (Preston Foster and John Ireland), and The Steel Helmet (Steven Brodie and Robert Hutton). Each film has a place of interest for viewers, especially The Steel Helmet.

The Steel Helmet (1951) centered upon the social climate of the Korean War. The most fascinating aspect about the making of the film is that it was produced during the early months of the war but reflected on how the last war World War II and how soldiers transitioned into another one. As viewers watch each soldier in the film, there are distinctions that show ambiguously, but one must also consider the period besides the war experience and how the world changed from 1945 to 1951; the Cold War was already in progress, reconstruction of Japan and Allied occupation of the country, and in the United States the Civil Rights movement was emerging and the military became a part of that movement, take for example the US Army. Observing the characters in the film, it was evident the change progressed but not without repercussions within inter-racial and inter-related lines between Black, White, and Asian soldiers.

Director Samuel Fuller was known for tipping the scales in terms of issues that tugged at emotions and by utilizing the individual characters to convey concerns that occurred in society. The other two films also provide social commentary within the lines of geography and region that also affected economic issues and the common man, the use of masculinity. The entire set of films are thought provoking, be it through the historical backdrop of the conflict of the Korean War or the Wild West, there are comparisons that reflect upon the period in which they were made that may have been longing for a simpler time or a complex one or both.

Read a capsule review of this 1951 film somewhere and it sounded interesting. A very low budget affair, it purports to tell the story of a grizzled veteran, a sergeant, who has narrowly missed execution by the North Koreans. He picks up a Korean boy who dogs his steps. Together they run into other GIs who have lost there way. The grizzled veteran is asked to provide the leadership, despite the presence of inexperienced officers. In the process, prejudices against black soldiers and revealed as well as the place of conscientious objectors. It is an odd, thoughtful movie that refuses to glorify war.

Technically, there's no need for this review. This is fairly rare Sam Fuller, nobody would dig this deep into the catalog without a notion of what things are like. A brief summary: tough-as-nails infantryman "Iron" Mike Zack drags an inexperienced unit to create and defend an observation post, led by a young victim of the war nicknamed "Short Round".

The best thing about this movie is how wonderfully Gene Evans lives Sam Fuller's character, not an invincible Sgt Rock, but a tough, pragmatic soldier. Sam's writing in this movie is top quality pulp, with it's larger than life characters living through a war that piles difficulty on absurdity on tragedy.

As a trivia note, Fuller made this and two other movies (Baron Of Arizona and I Shot Jesse James) for infamous cheapie executive Robert Lippert. Lippert promised no interference if he money came in, and lived up to his promise. In my opinion, The Steel Helmet is the best of the three.

The bad: Oh my goodness does Griffith Park look nothing like Korea. The set for the Buddhist Temple that forms the centerpiece of the movie was obviously constructed by looking up "Buddhism" in an encyclopedia, as it looks nothing like Korean Buddhist temples. Further, "Short Round"'s attempt at an Asian accent in English is almost as bad as his English accent in Korean. The writing is excellent and sympathetic to Koreans, but budget meant authenticity had to be sacrificed.

All in all, this is one of the best war movies of its time and worth seeing by anyone who watches movies frequently.

Excellent. Thanks

I'm a fan of all these really old war movies and this one is a good one. I saw an episode of Mash the other day and was surprised to see Gene Evans was in it. Didn't recognize him at first. The movie was great.