A Hill in Korea [Hell in Korea] *** (1956, George Baker, Stanley Baker, Harry Andrews, Stephen Boyd, Ronald Lewis, Michael Medwin, Robert Shaw, Michael Caine) – Classic Movie Review 3429

In director Julian Aymes’s sincere but rather glum and stagey 1956 British film, based on Max Catto’s novel, a retreating British National Service re-con patrol guards a lonely hill temple in Korea and clashes with the Chinese troops during the Korean War in 1951. It was shot on location on the mountain of Montejunto, in Portugal, supposedly similar to Korea. It is notable as the first major feature film to portray British troops in action in the Korean War.

There are stalwart, under-played lead performances from George Baker as Lieutenant Butler, the officer in charge, and Ronald Lewis as Private Wyatt, while Harry Andrews as the sergeant and Stanley Baker as the corporal compensate in the most exuberant and liveliest of turns. The supporting cast to watch contains some notable names set for stardom, particularly Michael Caine (in his début, aged 23) as one of the privates, Stephen Boyd and Robert Shaw as the lance-corporal in his second movie. Incidentally, Caine actually was a veteran of the Korean War, so he also served as technical consultant on the production.

Also in the cast are Michael Medwin, Percy Herbert, Victor Maddern, Harry Landis, Robert Brown, Richard Wattis, Marie Burke, Barry Lowe, Charles Laurence, Eric Corrie, David Morrell and Peter Bull.

With a single letter changed cleverly, the American title makes it sound far more interesting, Hell in Korea, though this was actually its original name and had to be changed everywhere else for distribution reasons.

It’s the first of five productions with Andrews and Caine.

George Baker MBE (1 April 1931 – 7 October 2011) is best remembered for The Dam Busters, The Ship That Died of Shame (both 1955), A Hill in Korea (1956), The Moonraker, Tread Softly Stranger (both 1958), Goodbye, Mr Chips and On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (both 1969) and The Spy Who Loved Me (1977). He was also a popular star on TV as Tiberius in I, Claudius (1976) and Inspector Wexford in The Ruth Rendell Mysteries.

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 3429

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