Comments on: Robert Ryan: Men In War (1957) http://moviemorlocks.com/2009/11/10/robert-ryan-men-in-war-1957/ MovieMorlocks.com is the official blog for Turner Classic Movies (TCM). No topic is too obscure or niche to be excluded from our film discussions. And we welcome your comments on our blogs and bloggers. Thu, 24 May 2012 20:07:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Robert Kawasaki http://moviemorlocks.com/2009/11/10/robert-ryan-men-in-war-1957/#comment-10726 Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:01:16 +0000 http://moviemorlocks.com/?p=15894#comment-10726 MEN IN WAR is reportedly director Anthony Mann’s personal favorite. Mann thought he could invest every asset of his personal beliefs into this film. Raw psychology of fighting men, dynamism of landscape and a conflict between two different moral standards. Beyond any doubt MEN IN WAR is those things. The film is the most simple war tale which I have ever seen. Yet, it is sometimes more powerful and solid than ATTACK! or PATHS OF GLORY. We don’t see any domineering generals, flash back family memory of the soldiers, smart tactics, or phony patriotism. A platoon was cut off from bigger outfit in unknown Korean land, and the platoon must make effort to rejoin the big stuff for its survival. Consequently, the film offers us an almost endless march of exhausted soldiers. Of course we will see some actions including shooting, bambing, exploding, and attacking along the way, but they are treated with quite restrained manner, so that the entire texture of the film remains strangely calm and even beautifully meditative. I would say that is quite unique and innovatively original for a war film, and I believe that is why MEN IN WAR is a great masterpiece. By encountering this silence yet dreadful atmosphere, we are able to sense meaninglessness of war, and stupidity of mankind. Furthermore, the film itself does not make any ovbious judgement, and this uplifts the film to a philosophical art. Lt.Benson, a leader of the platoon, played by Robert Ryan, is a steady officer who tries to do everything to save his men, however he mercilessly confiscates a jeep from an unwell colonel and his subordinate. Sgt. Montana, the opponent of Benson, played by Aldo Ray, is a deserted soldier with rude attitude, but he sincerely respects his unwell colonel. These two deliver excellent performances and they have succeeded to project the film’s depth and sophisticated ambiguity. MEN IN WAR persuades us to make our own reasoning of mankind. So, I must admit the film is an existential masterpiece from its director and Anthony Mann was a great philosopher indeed.

]]> By: Al Lowe http://moviemorlocks.com/2009/11/10/robert-ryan-men-in-war-1957/#comment-10633 Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:24:48 +0000 http://moviemorlocks.com/?p=15894#comment-10633 I am fortunate enough to have a lot of the movies being discussed as part of my VHS collection, including Men in War and The Iceman Cometh. I was impressed not only by Ryan and Aldo Ray but by Robert Keith, as the shell shocked colonel; his son was Brian Keith. This movie has the worst closing theme song I ever heard in my life. Note to Suzie: I don’t know if Aldo takes his shirt off. I’m a guy, so I didn’t notice.

]]> By: suzidoll http://moviemorlocks.com/2009/11/10/robert-ryan-men-in-war-1957/#comment-10627 Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:21:04 +0000 http://moviemorlocks.com/?p=15894#comment-10627 From watching GOD’S LITTLE ACRE, I found that Ryan and Ray worked well together. The two films were made back to back, I think.

Does Aldo Ray go shirtless in MEN IN WAR like he does in GOD’S LITTLE ACRE? If he did, that would make a great double bill!

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