Fixed Bayonets!

Infobox Film | name = Fixed Bayonets!


caption =
director = Samuel Fuller
producer = Jules Buck
writer = John Brophy (novel)
Samuel Fuller
starring =Richard Basehart
Gene Evans
Michael O'Shea
Richard Hylton
Craig Hill
Skip Homeier
cinematography = Lucien Ballard
music = Roy Webb
editing = Nick DeMaggio
distributor = Twentieth Century-Fox
released = 1951 U.S. release
runtime = 92 min.
language = English
budget =
imdb_id = 0043540

Fixed Bayonets! (1951) is a war film written and directed by Samuel Fuller and produced by Twentieth Century-Fox during the Korean War. It is Fuller's second film about the Korean War. In his motion picture debut, James Dean appears briefly in the film.

Plot

The film is set in the Korean War. The story follows the fate of a lone 48 man platoon left to defend a hill in hostile territory, as the rest of their 15,000 man regiment covertly retreats to safety and regroups. The subplot explores the psychological makeup of the individuals charged with leadership of the platoon, and therein examines the nature of service and valor.

Cast

*Richard Basehart ... Cpl. Denno
*Gene Evans ... Sgt. Rock
*Michael O'Shea ... Sgt. Lonergan
*Richard Hylton ... Medic John Wheeler
*Skip Homeier... Whitey
*David Wolfson ... Bigmouth
*Henry Kulky ... Vogl

Production

Fixed Bayonets! was the first film of a seven picture deal between Twentieth Century-Fox and writer/director Fuller. The U.S. Army assigned Medal of Honor recipient Raymond Harvey as the film's technical advisor. Samuel Fuller, himself a decorated WWII Veteran, forged a bond with Harvey which endured; Harvey again served as technical adviser in the 1958 film Verboten!. Fixed Bayonets! is also noteworthy as the first appearance, albeit uncredited, of James Dean in a feature film.

Though an original story, Darryl F. Zanuck thought the story of the reluctant Richard Basehart's unwillingness to take command was reminiscent of Fox's "The Immortal Sergeant" and Fox ordered a screen credit for the writer of that film. [pp.272-273 Fuller, Samuel "A Third Face" Alfred A Knopf (2002)]

Fuller relates that with the large amount of action films made during the time the film had trouble getting some extras for the opening retreat scene. A production assistant was able to find some dancers from a musical and after costuming, Fuller had them convincingly simulate fatigue and depression by loading their uniforms and packs with heavy weights.

References

External links

*imdb title|0043540