Review of Fixed Bayonets!: Sam Fuller Collection

Introduction

In the freezing winter of 1951 in Korea, a division of US troops is tired and low on ammunition, so they need to withdraw from the heavy fighting to restock and regroup. A full retreat is out of the question because the Communist forces would be able to surround them. In order to secretly stage a retreat, the decision is made to leave a 48 man platoon in a rearguard action, remaining in the `Bayonet Pass` to convince the three enemy divisions to the north that the entire division is still there, holding them off until reinforcements arrive. The film focuses on Corporal Denno (Richard Basehart), who has yet to kill an enemy soldier, and is mentally incapable of doing so, but is near the top of the chain of command, and finds himself `promoted` as senior members of the platoon are killed.

Directed by Samuel Fuller, himself a decorated soldier who used his experiences in the Second World War to make films about the then ongoing Korean War - `The Steel Helmet` and `Fixed Bayonets!` were both released in 1951. Fuller`s skill in capturing action using camera movement alone was reportedly praised by Martin Scorsese and both Quentin Tarantino and Jim Jarmusch have cited Fuller as an influence.

Video

The fullscreen monochrome transfer is very sharp, with good contrast and definition. Some scenes do have a degree of surface grain, but that is the exception, rather than the rule. I guess this was filmed on a sound stage, with some location shooting, but Fuller`s direction makes it look like it was shot during the Korean war.

Audio

The DD 2.0 mono soundtrack is clear and even the combat scenes are well presented. There are no subtitles available.

Features

None, which is extremely disappointing as this DVD is released as one of the "Sam Fuller Collection" - one might reasonably expect extras such as a commentary and a retrospective.

Conclusion

Having never seen a film by Samuel Fuller, I watched this without any preconceptions and didn`t know what to expect. The synopsis I read didn`t say whether this is a pro- or anti-war film, whether the focus is on action or characters, or whether Samuel Fuller was a successful director. Having seen this, and two of his other films, I can see why Scorsese, Tarantino and Jarmusch regard him so highly as, although this is an early film in Fuller`s career, the camerawork is exceptional, helped by some fine editing.

Concentrating both on the predicament of the platoon and the character dynamics therein, Fuller has created an involving and gritty war picture. The film does not `take sides`, showing the Korean and Chinese soldiers as brave and resourceful as their American counterparts and this lack of ideological bias is welcome. The film is based on a ridiculous premise, that one division, reduced to one platoon, could fight against three divisions - the idea that 48 men could hold out against 45,000 is beyond plausibility and, like Rorke`s Drift in `Zulu`, makes a good story.

Whilst not a great film, this does boast a fine performance by Richard Basehart as the reluctant hero and terrific production design and is worth a watch.