Attack (1956)

Director:

Robert Aldrich

Writers:

Norman Brooks (play)
James Poe (screenplay)

Release Date:

17 October 1956 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | War | Action

Tagline:

It rips open the hot hell behind the glory!

Plot:

During the closing days of WWII, a National Guard Infantry Company is assigned the task of setting up artillery observation posts in a strategic area...

Plot Keywords:

Privilege | Drinking | Captain | Coward | U.S. Army

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Jack Palance	...	Lt. Joe Costa, Fox Co.
Eddie Albert	...	Capt. Erskine Cooney, CO, Fox Co.
Lee Marvin	...	Lt. Col. Clyde Bartlett, CO, White Battalion
Robert Strauss	...	Pfc. Bernstein
Richard Jaeckel	...	Pvt. Snowden
Buddy Ebsen	...	Sfc. Tolliver, Fox Co.
Jon Shepodd	...	Cpl. John Jackson, Fox Co. (communications)
Peter van Eyck	...	SS Captain (as Peter Van Eyck)
James Goodwin	...	Pfc. Ricks (as Jimmy Goodwin)
Steven Geray	...	Otto, German NCO
Jud Taylor	...	Pvt. Jacob R. Abramowitz (radioman) (as Judson Taylor)
Louis Mercier	...	Brouise (French blacksmith)
Henry Rowland	...	German with Binoculars
Holly Bane	...	Soldier with binoculars (as Mike Ragan)
Ron McNeil	...	Pfc. Jones
Strother Martin	...	Sgt. Ingersol
Leonard Bremen	...	Mess Sergeant
William Smithers	...	Lt. Harold 'Harry' Woodruff

Directed by
Robert Aldrich

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Norman Brooks		play "Fragile Fox"
James Poe		screenplay

Produced by
Robert Aldrich	....	producer
Walter Blake	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Frank De Vol		(as Frank Devol)

Cinematography by
Joseph F. Biroc		(photographed by) (as Joseph Biroc)

Film Editing by
Michael Luciano

Art Direction by
William Glasgow

Set Decoration by
Glen Daniels		(as Glen L. Daniels)

Makeup Department
Robert J. Schiffer	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Jack R. Berne	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Robert H. Justman	....	assistant director (as Robert Justman)

Sound Department
Robert A. Reich	....	sound effects
Jack Solomon	....	sound

Special Effects by
Dave Koehler	....	special effects (as David B. Koehler)

Stunts
Loren Janes	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Rose	....	stunts (uncredited)

Casting Department
Jack Murton	....	casting supervisor

Music Department
Frank De Vol	....	conductor (as Frank Devol)

Other crew
Bud Cokes	....	technical supervisor
Robert Sherman	....	dialogue supervisor
Adele T. Strassfield	....	assistant to producer
Paul Vroom	....	producer: stage play
Saul Bass	....	title designer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Associates & Aldrich Company, The (presents)

Distributors

• United Artists (1956) (USA) (theatrical)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2003) (Germany) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Critics' Choice Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (????) (USA) (VHS)
• United Artists (1957) (West Germany) (theatrical)

Other Companies

• Glen Glenn Sound  recording (as Glen Glenn Sound Co.)

Also Known As:

Attack! (USA) (alternative spelling)
Command Attack (USA) (working title)
The Fragile Fox (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | German

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | UK:PG | Australia:PG | West Germany:16 (f) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved

Filming Locations:

Albertson Ranch, Triunfo, California, USA

Company:

Associates & Aldrich Company, The

Trivia:

Made on the RKO lot in only 35 days for a minimal budget of $750,000.

Quotes:

Costa: Listen to me, Cooney! If you put me and my men in a wringer - -if you send us out there and let us hang - -I swear, I swear by all that's holy, I'll come back. I'll come back and take this grenade and shove it down your throat and pull the pin!

Impressive War Drama

Anyone remember a 1965 war movie called BATTLE OF THE BULGE ? That`s the movie supposedly set during the Ardennes campaign in Belguim but instead of seeing snow shrouded forests we`re led to believe the conflict took place on dusty desert plains . Unfortunately with ATTACK director Robert Aldrich makes a similar error in geography and weather conditions . There`s no snow to be seen ( Apart from some fake snow in one scene ) there`s no forests and you do get the feeling the movie was filmed on a hot summers day no matter how the cast try and convince you other wise . In fact I felt rather sorry for the actors dressed in heavy greatcoats jumping up and down trying to get into character and it`s interesting to note that by half way through the movie everyone has stopped in their vain attempts trying to convince the audience it`s a very cold day

That said ATTACK is a very impressive war drama - and please note I used the word drama in the last sentence . It`s based on a play but unlike a lot of movies based on plays that often use flashback to tell the tale the roots of the source is hidden , this actually feels cinematic . The movie centres around the conflict Lt Costa who blames his commanding officer Captain Cooney for getting his platoon wiped out . The human drama of cowardice and command and the motive of revenge feature very heavily . It should also be pointed out how well Captain Cooney is written and played by Eddie Albert , he`s relatively sympathetic as a weak man who seems caught up in things outside his control though at the end he does become a sort of melodramtic carichture . The whole cast do a good job and the scenes with Lee Marvin and Eddie Albert together are superb . It`s such a pity no one seems to make war movies this intelligent anymore