The Steel Helmet
(1951)
84 mins | Drama | 2 February 1951
Director:
Samuel FullerWriter:
Samuel FullerProducer:
Samuel FullerCinematographer:
Ernest MillerEditor:
Philip CahnProduction Designer:
Theobold HolsoppleProduction Company:
Deputy Corp.The following written, onscreen dedication appears before the credits: "This story is dedicated to the United States Infantry." Samuel Fuller's onscreen credit reads: "Written, produced and directed by Samuel Fuller." The film ends with the written statement, "there is no end to this story." This was the first American feature-length film about the Korean War, which began in late 1950.
According to material contained in the MPAA/PCA Collection at the AMPAS Library, in Oct 1950, the Breen Office raised a number of objections, from the standpoint of the Production Code, to certain details in the script. The criticisms ranged from the inclusion of offensive expressions, such as "gook," which appeared in the final film, to the insensitive portrayal of Buddhism and the disregard for the sanctity of the Buddhist temple. In this matter, the Breen Office urged producer Robert L. Lippert to confine the violent scene in the temple to an ante-chamber so as not to show the wanton destruction of Buddhist religious icons. Notes in the MPAA/PCA file also indicate that the Breen Office informed Lippert that it did not approve of the story's unpunished murder of the North Korean prisoner of war, as it was a direct violation of the Geneva Convention code.
In response to the Breen Office complaints, associate producer William Berke assured them that the only destruction to the temple would be done by enemy fire, and that "Zack" would be punished more severely for murdering the North Korean prisoner of war. While the U.S. Department of Defense refused to grant the production its offical approval, it did furnish the production with with some stock military footage of artillery ...
The following written, onscreen dedication appears before the credits: "This story is dedicated to the United States Infantry." Samuel Fuller's onscreen credit reads: "Written, produced and directed by Samuel Fuller." The film ends with the written statement, "there is no end to this story." This was the first American feature-length film about the Korean War, which began in late 1950.
According to material contained in the MPAA/PCA Collection at the AMPAS Library, in Oct 1950, the Breen Office raised a number of objections, from the standpoint of the Production Code, to certain details in the script. The criticisms ranged from the inclusion of offensive expressions, such as "gook," which appeared in the final film, to the insensitive portrayal of Buddhism and the disregard for the sanctity of the Buddhist temple. In this matter, the Breen Office urged producer Robert L. Lippert to confine the violent scene in the temple to an ante-chamber so as not to show the wanton destruction of Buddhist religious icons. Notes in the MPAA/PCA file also indicate that the Breen Office informed Lippert that it did not approve of the story's unpunished murder of the North Korean prisoner of war, as it was a direct violation of the Geneva Convention code.
In response to the Breen Office complaints, associate producer William Berke assured them that the only destruction to the temple would be done by enemy fire, and that "Zack" would be punished more severely for murdering the North Korean prisoner of war. While the U.S. Department of Defense refused to grant the production its offical approval, it did furnish the production with with some stock military footage of artillery fighting and tank maneuvers. A Feb 1951 DV news item notes that although the Pentagon raised objections to the film's unfair depiction of American officers, the film was booked, uncensored, for the entire circuit of Army and Air Force camps in the United States. An Oct 1951 Var news item noted that the exhibition of the film in Iran had been marked by Communist demonstrations, which resulted in the barring of the film there.
According to modern sources, the film was shot in only ten days, including a day and a half of exterior scenes in Griffith Park in Southern California. Modern sources also note that the unexpected success of the film led to a contract for Fuller with Twentieth Century-Fox. The Steel Helmet was the first of a small number of films in which Lynn Stalmaster, who became a prominent casting director, appeared as an actor.
Sgt. Zack, a hard-bitten U.S. Army Infantryman battling Communist North Koreans in the Korean War, is the sole survivor of an enemy attack on his regiment. A bullet hole in Zack's helmet serves as a grim reminder that he narrowly escaped death. When the sergeant regains consciousness, he finds a young Korean boy with an M-1 rifle surveying the scene of the massacre. The boy, an orphan from South Korea, whom Zack names "Short Round," wants to be Zack's friend and insists on scouting for him on his search for the enemy lines. Zack is reluctant to let the boy travel with him, but consents to the arrangement until he can deliver Short Round to safety. On their dangerous journey through the war-torn territory, Zack and Short Round come under attack from two Communist guerrilla soldiers disguised as women praying at a religious site. After killing the two guerrillas, Zack and his charge encounter Corp. Thompson, a black medic who is also the sole survivor of a North Korean attack on his platoon. Thompson joins Zack and Short Round and the three continue their search for the front lines. They eventually encounter an American patrol regiment under the command of Lt. Driscoll, whom Zack knows and dislikes. As Driscoll is in need of an experienced soldier to help his patrol set up an observation post at the front, he offers to put aside his differences with Zack and asks him to join his regiment. Zack initially refuses to join the patrol but changes his mind following a sniper attack by Communist guerrillas. Zack continues, however, to hold his opinion that the ...
Sgt. Zack, a hard-bitten U.S. Army Infantryman battling Communist North Koreans in the Korean War, is the sole survivor of an enemy attack on his regiment. A bullet hole in Zack's helmet serves as a grim reminder that he narrowly escaped death. When the sergeant regains consciousness, he finds a young Korean boy with an M-1 rifle surveying the scene of the massacre. The boy, an orphan from South Korea, whom Zack names "Short Round," wants to be Zack's friend and insists on scouting for him on his search for the enemy lines. Zack is reluctant to let the boy travel with him, but consents to the arrangement until he can deliver Short Round to safety. On their dangerous journey through the war-torn territory, Zack and Short Round come under attack from two Communist guerrilla soldiers disguised as women praying at a religious site. After killing the two guerrillas, Zack and his charge encounter Corp. Thompson, a black medic who is also the sole survivor of a North Korean attack on his platoon. Thompson joins Zack and Short Round and the three continue their search for the front lines. They eventually encounter an American patrol regiment under the command of Lt. Driscoll, whom Zack knows and dislikes. As Driscoll is in need of an experienced soldier to help his patrol set up an observation post at the front, he offers to put aside his differences with Zack and asks him to join his regiment. Zack initially refuses to join the patrol but changes his mind following a sniper attack by Communist guerrillas. Zack continues, however, to hold his opinion that the men in Driscoll's unit are mere amateurs, especially Priv. Baldy, who carries a music box with him, and Priv. Bronte, a conscientious objector in World War II. Soon after Driscoll's unit and Zack's companions set up their observation post at an apparently deserted Buddhist temple, they come under a surprise guerrilla attack. In the ensuing battle, a Communist officer from Manchuria is taken prisoner by Driscoll, who intends to deliver his prized capture to his base. During his captivity at the observation post, the Manchurian officer tells Driscoll's Japanese-American sergeant, Tankaka, that he should be ashamed of his allegiance to a country that interned his people during World War II. Tankaka ignores the prisoner's words, prompting the prisoner to call him a "dirty Jap rat." While Driscoll's unit prepares to clear out of the observation post and return to camp, they are attacked by snipers and Short Round is killed. Motivated by a desire to avenge the boy's death, Zack kills the Manchurian officer in cold blood. The situation looks bad for the Americans, as a large Communist force is making its way to the temple, but they are saved by the arrival of a U.S. Infantry platoon. In the ensuing battle, however, Driscoll is killed and Zack is injured. Following the defeat of the Communists in the battle, the Infantry division escorts Zack, Thompson and the remaining men in Driscoll's unit back to camp.
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