Combat Squad (1953) User Reviews

On the Ledge

[richardchatten · 6/10 · 5 April 2021]

It's hard to believe the same Cy Roth later responsible for the hilarious 'Fire Maidens of Outer Space' had earlier made this terse little actioner set in Korea in 1951 but with a decidedly forties feel, in which John Ireland takes another Walk in the Sun.

Despite the two earlier reviews dismissing this film, it's a slick job superbly shot by veteran cameraman Charles van Enger; and certainly didn't need Paul Dunlap's noisy score to generate suspense. (Even the bizarre comic interlude with the WAACs succeeds in being surreally comic.)

We don't actually see the squad use the flamethrower and phosphorus grenades they've been issued with; but simple knowing that such weapons are in use is an eye-watering prospect.

Pretty surreal at times

[Coffee_in_the_Clink · 4/10 · 22 April 2022]

John Ireland leads the cast in this forgotten Korean War B-yarn which sees a battle-hardened sergeant attempt to keep his men alive. That is my take on the plot of a film that is essentially plotless. The men argue, joke around, and go from one indistinguishable skirmish to another. The script was written by a man named Wyott Ordung and he was of "Robot Monster" infamy (widely regarded as one of the worst things ever committed to celluloid), which says enough for the script.

Ireland is quite good here and he was the highpoint of the film for me. It is a completely pointless film that just runs over 70 minutes. The direction is wooden and as lacking as the script, but there is a decent bit of action that is well shot and performed. It is clearly shot on the studio lot, so it wins no points for set design; the film could really pass as either a WW2 or Korea film. It all goes no where and is quite surreal in that. Worth tracking down? No. Not even for Korea War enthusiasts.

Poorly done Korean War drama

[bux · 1/10 · 27 May 2002]

During the fifties, Hollywood displayed the ability to crank out some very good "B" war flicks-"The Steel Helmet"(1951), "The Silent Raiders"(1954, and "Paratroop Command"(1958)-however this one is not good. Surprisingly, we have here a cast and crew of tried and true low budget movies, but the bad script, miniscule budget, and lack of direction heads this one South fast. The script and direction never allow the viewer to feel any empathy for the characters, the attempts at G.I. humor fall flat. Ireland seems to be walking through this one in a stupor and it was to be the last big screen appearance for McCallister, who for so many years played the Kid in big budget productions. Maybe he saw the early rushes of this one and decided to call it quits. No one could blame him!

Sad film ... And I don't mean tragic !

[adabsiz · 1/10 · 30 July 2022]

Korea .. by way of Crystal Drive, Los Angeles, CA. ! The Jeeps are sparkling , the uniforms look like they have just been delivered from the laundry , the squad moves into a wood without seeking cover to be picked off easily by the dastardly commies ... And the end of this film is the beginning of another disastrous epic about how victory was achieved in Korea ! Dreadful, from start to finish !!

Korean war movie schlock

[vandino1 · 6 May 2006]

This is cheapo combat stuff with John Ireland as the dull sergeant who puts up with an annoying replacement soldier played by McCallister. There's a USO interlude to get women into the film. Also some mild humor. There's also Goerge E. Stone as a medic and Norman Leavitt as a hickster Hoagy-Carmichael-lookalike as a corporal to add to the goings-on. Climax involves Ireland leading squad after snipers in trees, leading to a mowing down of all but main principals in cast. Weak film, to say the least. Of course a film written by a man named Ordung is quite fitting. Columbia bought this film for distribution back in 1953. They should've saved their money.