On H List of Movie Reviews

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Halls of Montezuma (1951)

Rate: 4
Viewed: 2/24

HallsM
2/24: Taken from the powerful opening line of the United States Marine Corps' official hymn, Halls of Montezuma is a WWII picture in the Pacific that paints the obvious: war is hell.

Well, it's dull to watch. A situation has developed, and there's a countdown to defuse it. So, soldiers get the job done while some die, and the end. That's terrific. While at it, men forego wearing their helmet, especially when the bunker is being bombed so often and rocks are constantly falling down. Ditto for while on the battlefield.

Richard Widmark is a natural leader. I wondered if he served in the military, but he didn't due to his perforated eardrum. The most decorated actor of the ensemble is Neville Brand although he's not shown much. He saw action at the Battle of the Bulge and was awarded the Silver Star. Everybody else is fair except for Skip Homeier who plays a flaming queer living a lie.

All in all, I'm surprised at Lewis Milestone for failing to separate Halls of Montezuma from the pack because of what he did with the 1930 Best Picture Winner: All Quiet on the Western Front.