User reviews

This was one of my favorite war movies whenever it came on TV as I was growing up. One of the few Korean War films it's based on the true story of the fight for marginally strategic piece of land on the eve of the armistice that halted the conflicts combat. Realistic battlefield environment but in 1950's film style without graphic simulation. Gregory Peck is the commander of a company of 135 men who knowing that peace talks are being held and the fighting will soon be halted must still take charge of his command and follow his orders to take Pork Chop Hill. It shows the futility of war and how ground combat will become obsolete. Of course ground combat never did become obsolete. In the cast are Harry Guardino, Rip torn, George Peppard, Norman Fell, Martin Landau, Harry Dean Stanton, Robert Blake, George Shibata and Woody Strode. Director Lewis Milestone made a career in war movies directing World War I films Two Arabian Knights and All Quiet on the Western Front for both he won Academy Awards and World War II films Those Who Dare, Halls of Montezuma, Arch of Triumph, A Walk in the Sun, The Purple Heart, The North Star and Edge of Darkness. Cinematographer Sam Leavitt photographs a dark and gritty look at war filmed in black and white. It's reputed that Milestone was unsatisfied with the creative control he was given with picture and the final cut was not what he intended. As Executive Producer Gregory Peck is said to have had the original 20 minutes of the film cut from the theatrical final version because he wasn't in it and felt too much time would be spent before the star of the film makes his on first screen appearance. The film envisioned by Milestone was also not to end with a voice-over saying how important the battle really was. This is a good movie and I would give it an 8.5 out of 10.

Take a look at the jagged line that represents the boundary truce line between North and South Korea on a map. You'll then have some idea of what Pork Chop Hill is all about.

While the armistice talks are going on in Panmunjom, both sides are jockeying for position on both sides. The truce line will be on a prescribed latitude parallel, but owing to various hills and valleys, adjustments are in order. Those adjustments are costing lives though.

While the talks are in their final stages the Communists prove intransigent about a particular piece of real estate called Pork Chop Hill that really has no significant value. But as Carl Benton Reid at the talks says it's value is it has no value. The Communists are just using it as a test of wills, filed for future reference.

Gregory Peck as Lieutenant Joe Clemons gets the dirty task of leading his men into battle for no real discernible reason. How he keeps his men going is the real story here.

Joe Clemons was a real army lieutenant who wrote a book on his real experiences on literally the last day of the Korean War. Peck is an inspirational Clemons and I'm sure the real Clemons must have liked it.

Scattered in the cast are such future movie and television names as George Peppard, Harry Guardino, Gavin McLeod, Robert Blake, and Norman Fell. But the best performance in the film without a doubt belongs to Woody Strode. He's fully conscious of the racism he's feeling at home just before the civil rights revolution and can't really come up with a reason to die for Korea or do time in the army stockade for desertion. His scenes with Peck and with fellow black GI James Edwards just crackle with heat and talent. I'm surprised no one considered Strode for Best Supporting Actor.

Lewis Milestone who directed THE anti-war film, All Quiet On the Western Front is at the top of his game in Pork Chop Hill. A really good film about a sadly forgotten conflict.

One of the few classic films about the Korean war, Pork Chop Hill is a genuinely good specimen of a nitty gritty war film in the pre-blood and guts era. What the movie lacks in realistic language and violence it more than makes up for in intensity. Peck is amazing, as usual, as Lt. Joe Clemons, the man leading the charge on the hill. His performance of a man on the edge is very believable. Sympathizing with his plight to try and get reinforcements or the heck outta there is an easy task. The early civil rights-era film seems to also touch on some social issues, showing a camaraderie between all ethnicities. Overall, this is a fine example of a classic war film with one of the finest American actors of all time in the lead role...you can't go wrong.

Pork Chop Hill is to films about the Korean War (when more than 50,000 men die, it is a war, not a "conflict") what Go Tell the Spartans is to the Viet Nam War. Neither of them are artificially dramatic, both are understated, both tell the story pretty much as it was, or, at least, as close as Hollywood gets. This entire movie represents the Korean War very well including the posturing at the peace talks. Some people are now calling Korea "the forgotten war." This is regrettably true. More people should see Pork Chop Hill.

Details the notorious struggle to hold the strategically meaningless Pork Chop Hill during the Korean War whilst the Americans and Koreans negotiated over its future.

A fairly detailed examination of the battle with most of the screen time devoted to soldiers on the hill shooting and being shot, acts of bravery and cowardice etc with a clear message about the futility of war and how our boys kept sticking to it despite the questionable value of staying. It is well put together by Milestone who maintains the excitement, albeit Peck's character seems a bit 2 dimensional and a little too John Wayne to be wholly believable. An exciting film nonetheless with a tense convincing climax.

Excellent war drama and realistic account of a courageous U.S. infantry unit trying to gain control of high ground held by snipers and flame throwers in Korea on the edge of Armistice in 1953. All-star cast that features Gregory Peck, Rip Torn, George Peppard, Woody Strode, Harry Guardino and Bob Steele. Also look for Robert Blake, Martin Landau and Gavin MacLeod in this grim and desperate military action. Peck is rock solid and in command. Directed by Lewis Milestone.

I think when movies like Saving Private Ryan or Platoon came out people thought that these represented "new" insights on the war movie. Unfortunately, I guess they'd never seen a number of classic old films, such as Hell Is For Heroes (Steve McQueen), Sahara (Humphrey Bogart), or, indeed, Pork Chop Hill, starring Gregory Peck.

I've seen Pork Chop Hill three or four times. It is, from what I understand, a historically accurate account of one of the last fifty years' most famous battles, based on the book by famous military historian Gen. S. L. A. "Slam" Marshall. The scene is at the end of the Korean War. Negotiations between the combatants have stalemated. LT1 Joe Clemons (played by Gregory Peck) is ordered to take Pork Chop Hill, a basically worthless piece of territory to demonstrate to the Chinese and North Koreans that resolve had not flagged. So a night attack is ordered. Fog of war messes the whole thing up repeatedly and Clemons is left holding the bag, with his company of men stuck in the assault without the backup they expected to happen. The story is very human, particularly the interaction between Clemons and his second in command, Ohashi. You see men determined to win even though they know they might die (and for what?), men on the verge of breaking only to be rallied or not, the utter confusion of battle. The movie's got a lot of then-unknowns, but later stars, e.g., George Peppard, Rip Torn, etc.

Friend of mine who fought in that area during the korean war felt it was very accurately portrayed as to fighting conditions,landscape,confusion in battle. Believe it was the best war movie when it comes to depicting what it was like for a ground pounder in korea.

Korea,1953.The battle weary Americans believe that an armistice is just around the corner, but the arduous peace talks at Panmunjom say otherwise. Pork Chop hill, which is of ominous significance to both the Americans and the Chinese, is in the firm grip of American forces. This is soon changed however, by a successful thrust from the Chinese, which leaves the hill in Communist hands.Lieutennant Joe Clemons(GREGORY PECK)is ordered to counterattack Pork Chop hill and re-take it.Clemons and his men make a costly advance up the hill, with heavy casualties.The peace talks are constantly prolonged by the Chinese,leaving Clemons unsure as to whether he and his remaining men can hold the hill...

The film basically tells the story of the first stage of the battle of Pork Chop hill in Spring 1953.It presents a semi-fictionalised account of this bloody battle, most of the film seems to be historically accurate, whilst other parts are invented for the sake of the plot, which gave the film an engaging edge. At times, PORK CHOP HILL is a mixed bag, but overall an engrossing and gripping flag waver with bite. The main actors turn in tough and ruggedly stupendous performances, but I couldn't help feeling that the actors playing smaller parts were somewhat wooden and stiff. Nearly all of the characters are in Military uniform and as the film is shot in monochrome, one actor is indistinguishable from the other. The steel jawed characters were easy to like, but somewhat dry(which echoes my comment about the stiff acting),so it was hard for me to care when they were killed.However,this sort of worked in the film's favour as it is a cast iron depiction of men in war. Gregory Peck is on fantastic form as the granite edged Lieutenant Joe Clemons, it's one of his greatest performances.Woody Strode was also on stellar form as the hardened Private Franklin.Carl Benton Reid and a young George Peppard also acquitted themselves impressively. Barry Atwater was very rigid, but still great as the firm Lieutenant Colonel Davis. Veteran cowboy actor Bob Steele has a fleeting cameo as the hard nosed Colonel Kern. His short performance was terrific and I would have liked his character to feature more heavily in the film. Look out for a young Martin Landau in his first film performance as a young Lieutenant.

The film benefits from a robust and cleverly written script thanks to James R. Webb. The script is based on the factual book penned by Brigadier General S.L.A Marshall who was present at the battle of Pork Chop hill. The dialogue between Lieutenant Clemons and Colonel Davis discussing the strategy for attacking the hill was superb, as was the dialogue in the peace conference scenes. Although in other places it was terribly dry, making the film drag a little. The pacing is alright,although at times the film does feel incredibly slow. Director Lewis Milestone uses tight close-ups to brilliant effect and there is a tense atmosphere throughout most of the film. The battle scenes succeeded in clenching my attention and were impressively shot. The ingenuity and grit of the Soldiers fighting is spectacularly depicted.Although,greater emphasis is placed on the characters, thus most of the action is happening in the background or offscreen.It is firmly restrained and at times,the carnage is only heard rather than seen. The final battle was rather abrupt and anti climatic, but still finger biting and taut nonetheless. I thought the special effects, for example the explosions, were excellent and there's some masterful shots of heavy Machine guns being fired.

Overall, PORK CHOP HILL is a staunch effort worthy of praise. It's not without flaws but nothing that would stop me recommending it.The acting, direction and script are really the glue holding the film together. A fine way to pass a couple of boring hours.7.5/10.

This is one of the greatest movies about a single battle. It stands alongside "Zulu" and "Hamburger Hill" as the best, in my opinion. An all-star cast of both established actors and future stars under the able direction of Lewis Milestone brings this desperate battle to life. Crisp black and white cinematography is used to great effect. Gregory Peck is outstanding as Lt Clemons, the supporting cast featuring Woody Strode,Harry Guardino, George Peppard, Martin Landau and Robert Blake is top notch. An added bonus is George Shibata, the first Japanese-American graduate of West Point, who plays Lt Ohashi. This film is well paced, building to the assault on Pork Chop hill by introducing the men and establishing their positions in the company. The movie also shows the tedious and frustrating talks to end the war. The men are presented as individuals, but not clichés. Gregory Peck's performance is Oscar worthy, he projects command presence and competence. Lewis Milestone is known for his great "All Quiet On The Western Front" and "A Walk In The Sun". This picture is easily on a level with both of them. The battle scenes are realistic, the emotions; fear, hope, frustration and determination are portrayed brilliantly. This is a must-see for war movie fans A 10 star movie!

Pork Chop Hill

The army names hazardous areas after food so starving GIs are inclined to invade.

Prime example: the mouth-watering but highly lethal heap of dirt in this war movie.

During the Korean War, a depleted US platoon (Rip Torn, George Peppard, Woody Strode) led by Lt. Clemons (Gregory Peck) is ordered to capture a contentious meat-shaped knoll that's currently being occupied by China's Communist forces.

While he requires more support to fend off the Red multitudes, Clemons' government is unwilling to support him or withdraw his troops from the worthless mound.

As an armistice is hammered out, Clemons and his boys hold off the hordes.

A harrowing tale of bravery and stupidity, this 1959 depiction of the 1953 theater of war doesn't dismiss America's delinquencies in the bloodbath, but instead overrides them with glowing nationalism.

Fortunately for famished troops, a McDonalds will shortly materialize on any property seized by the US.

Yellow Light

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There are many war films, and yeah, there are both good ones and poor ones. This one, made in 1959 by Martin Landau and starring Gregory Peck is somewhere in the midst still leaning more to a weaker side. Why? It seems a cool winning formula - to depict a heroic Hill assault, long charge and then a long defense of the Hill. Yeah, but in reality the film is just one long, terribly slow battle scene that is getting tedious already after 30 minutes. Another obvious detail is that actors seemingly perform with a certain effort as if they were forced or simply do not enjoy their lines. It all seems to be one languid, idle and slow pacing attack that is a big bore and a huge yawn. The Longest Day, being made several years after this one, at least has a huge asset - psychological development of many heroes. Here we see caricature schematic Koreans, endless fight and idle remarks. Nice but passable

The Realistic Battlefield Photography, especially the static Shots of the Aftermath of conflict are Outstanding. The Solid Cast of up and coming Character Actors and a Contemplative, Meditative Mood, all combine for a glimpse at the Futility of Fighting in a Forgotten War.

The Propaganda inserted for the Cold-War effort ("they are not orientals, they are communists"), and the Pat rescue Ending are Forced into the Movie and really do nothing to Enhance the Realism of the rest.

There are a few other Distractions of Disbelief. The Loudspeaker Brainwashing and the Heavy Handed Peace Talks scenarios are typical Hollywood hokum.

But Overall, the Film Succeeds mostly because of the Better Parts, and the Movie is a Worthwhile Effort. It almost gives a Glimpse of what was to come in the 1960's and that was Not a Pretty Picture. No amount of Mind-Control would make us Forget the next "Police Action" (undeclared War).

Lewis Milestone directed this Korean War story, based on fact and set near the end of the war, where Lt. Joe Clemons(played by Gregory Peck) is ordered to retake an enemy position called Pork Chop Hill(because it resembles an actual pork chop on a map). Trouble is, morale is uneasy because the war may be coming to an end soon, and nobody wants to be the last soldier killed in this war, especially when the hill in question is of little military value, it would be just to show the Chinese, American resolve. Harry Guardino, Rip Torn, and George Peppard costar. Insightful and intelligent war story with good acting and direction. Some editing is a bit ragged, but otherwise compelling.

I love Gregory Peck and have seen many of his movies. He can't save a bad movie but he always adds a star in my book. Fortunately he does not need to save this one. I am also a fan of classic war movies (lately that's about all I've been watching as I slowly work my way through the local video store's collection). So I really liked this one.

The B&W filming was really gritty and captured the whole pointlessness of the battle that was Pork Chop Hill, right before the 1953 Armistice. We take it, the Chinese take it, we decide to take it back.... You really get a sense of the tactics employed by the troops on both sides and the tough job that is the infantryman's assaulting a hill, amid confusion, snafus, and the ever-present risk of death.

(1959) Pork Chop Hill WAR

/;Based on fact written from S. L. A. Marshall's personal book similar to "Hamburger Hill" centering on taking charge of a pointless hill. In this case it's against the Chinese taking the hill from the Koreans and the US soldiers duty to take it back from them. Another anti-war film with a message already seen way before the movie is even over still important since it's part of history. Starring Gregory Peck as the Sergent and George Peppard, Rip Torn and Robert Blake playing some of the soldiers. Adapted from the book by Brig. Gen. S. L. A. Marshall USAR. Gregory Peck was uncredited as executive producer.

I like this movie and while it lacks the realistic and detailed gore of modern war films, and it does have its glitches and goofs, it did not do a bad job for a 1959 production.The attention to detail given to King Company's organizational structure, and many other technical aspects of the platoon and company level combat operation portrayed was outstanding thanks to Captain Joseph G. Clemons Jr., the movies' technical director and actual commander of King Company during the battle. In addition, there was also an in your face, down in the dirt grittiness about the film that many other war films even to this day lack. One of my favorite parts of this movie was the on going confrontation between Lieutenant Clemons and Private Franklin. The way the conflict played out in the movie brought out the motivational traits from Clemons that makes a great leader and the final acceptance of Franklin of his obligation as a soldier and his willingness to share the fate of his brother in arms, what ever it may be; I love Woody Strode. As one living in the real world, I shaped my views of this film not from the anti-war intent of director Milestone, but from a war movie fan, and real life Grunt perspective. While it does have anti-war overtones courtesy of director Milestone and others, Pork Chop Hill was based on an actual Korean War battle, and book of the same title by U.S. Army historian S.L.A. Marshal, and the movie does contain many factual events such as the friendly fire incident at the command post. I like Pork Chop Hill for the Hollywood production that it is, and would recommend that its critics be ignored, and enjoy the movie.

One of the finest (anti)war movies ever made is undoubtedly the 1930 epic All Quiet On The Western Front, directed by the incomparable Lewis Milestone. 29 years later, Milestone once again turned his attention to the waste and futility of war with Pork Chop Hill. This powerful and well-made Korean War drama is not quite in the same league as Milestone's earlier classic, but it still paints a vivid picture of the harsh realities of combat, and conveys a palpable sense of the pointlessness of war.

Lieutenant Clemons (Gregory Peck) is a honest, dependable American soldier fighting in the Korean War. He believes in carrying out orders whatever they may be, but his attitude is put to the ultimate test when he is instructed to lead an attack on a tactically insignificant hill in the dying days of the war. Issuing orders which he knows will lead to pointless loss of life, Clemons leads his men up the titular hill into a maelstrom of enemy gunfire, looking on in horror and dismay as his boys are gunned down or blown to bits in their futile quest.

After the film had been shot, Milestone was somewhat irritated to discover that the studio had tampered with his intentions, adding a misleading last-scene voice-over which tried to suggest that the victory on Pork Chop Hill made a significant difference to the future of millions of Koreans. The film is at its best when delivering its anti-war sensibilities, especially the bitter scenes showing honest young soldiers losing their lives for no particular reason. In historical terms, the capture of Pork Chop Hill was both costly in lives and irrelevant in consequence. The performances are generally first-rate. Peck is excellent as the man who tries to justify the insanity of what his platoon have been ordered to do. He gives his best performance since Twelve O'Clock High a decade earlier. Giving memorable supporting turns are familiar character actors like Harry Guardino, Rip Torn, George Peppard and Martin Landau, all of them resisting the urge to appear as gung-ho heroes to add to the film's stance that war is a meaningless and expensive pursuit. There have been few genuinely worthy Korean War films but this one and M*A*S*H - released 11 years later - are recommended titles for anyone looking for authentic film treatments about the subject.

Wow, is this bad film. You'd think with this cast it would be a great one. But you would be very wrong.

With lines like, "Have some raisins." Or, when Gregory Peck asks Martin Landau how many men he has left in Love Company. "Twelve." And then a cannon shell blows up 2 of them. "Bring along your ten men", is Peck's response. What depth. What compassion. This film is surely laughable.