The Hook *** (1963, Kirk Douglas, Robert Walker Jr., Nick Adams) – Classic Movie Review 9396

Director George Seaton’s 1963 MGM black and white Korean War drama The Hook stars Kirk Douglas, Robert Walker Jr and Nick Adams.

Three fleeing American soldiers, troubled by their principles aboard a neutral vessel, must decide whether or not to carry out an order to kill a captured enemy airman POW in Korea.

High-voltage acting and tense handling boost a downbeat, talky script. Kirk Douglas is ideal as the seemingly tough-as-nails Sergeant P J Briscoe, while Adams and Walker support strongly as the Private soldiers he commands. But, in spite of all the intelligence on show, the public of the day weren’t hooked, probably thinking the movie was too cerebral.

However, The Hook motors on the impressive performances from Douglas as Sergeant Briscoe, Walker Jr as Private O A Dennison and Adams as Private V R Hackett. And Enrique Magalona [Pancho Magalona] is surprisingly eloquent as the largely non-speaking prisoner, Kim aka ‘The Gook’.

Larry Adler’s harmonica score is a plus.

Henry Denker’s screenplay is taken from Vahé Katcha’s novel.

Also in the cast are Nehemiah Persoff, Frank Richards, Barnaby Hale, John Alderson, Anders Andelius, Mark Miller, William Challee, John Gilgreen, Ralph Ahn, Dallas Mitchell and John Bleifer.

The Hook is directed by George Seaton, runs 98 minutes, is made by Perlberg-Seaton Productions, is released by MGM, is written by Henry Denker, from Vahé Katcha’s novel, shot in black and white by Joe Ruttenberg, is produced by William Perlberg, is scored by Larry Adler, and is designed by George W Davis and Hans Peters.

RIP Kirk Douglas.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9396

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