Then the unit spots the North Koreans on the move and calls down devastating artillery strikes. 15 of 17 people found this review helpful. Steel helmet M42 (1951). Army personnel summoned Fuller for a conference on the film. In nature, there are two closely-related notions: Convergent evolution and recurrent evolution. Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? The film infuriated the military, who had provided assistance in the form of military stock footage. This was also the breakout film for writer/director Samuel Fuller, who went on to direct such notable war films as Merrill's Marauders and The Big Red One. Title: Together, Zack and Sergeant Tanaka dispatch the snipers. Discover something for everyone this month with some choice picks for the best movies and TV to stream in April. One GI is shortly thereafter killed by a booby trap. Jürg Burlet. The Stahlhelm (German for "steel helmet") is a specific type of German military headgear made of steel, which is primarily intended to provide protection against shrapnel and fragments of grenades. A teenager who witnesses the murder of his father vows to exact revenge on the four mobsters involved in the killing. The racial angle arises when white soldiers suggest that the black medic was a deserter. In 1954, during the French Indochina War, an Eurasian female smuggler and a group of French Foreign Legion mercenaries, infiltrate the enemy territory in order to destroy an arms depot. He begins to crawl, passing the bodies of other American soldiers that litter the ground. Review by Nicolas Chapman ★★★★½ . It has been directed by Samuel Fuller so skillfully that the spectator's attention is held in a vise from the beginning to the end. Zack, a hard boiled, but not cast-iron career soldier. It was the first American film about the war, and the first of several war films by Fuller. Zack (Gene Evans) is retreating to safety after an enemy attack wipes out his unit. Englisch-Deutsch-Übersetzungen für The Steel Helmet im Online-Wörterbuch dict.cc (Deutschwörterbuch). With Gene Evans, Robert Hutton, Steve Brodie, James Edwards. Bob Ford murders his best friend Jesse James in order to obtain a pardon that will free him to marry his girlfriend but is plagued by guilt and self-disgust. Planted in a Tokyo crime syndicate, a U.S. Army Investigator attempts to probe the coinciding death of a fellow Army official. Then Short Round is killed by another sniper. It describes hard times experienced by the soldiers during the Korean War, and though the story sometimes is melodramatic, and the film is a low-budget one (obviously stock footage is used in the climax), "Steel Helmet" always has a ring of truth. View production, box office, & company info. Directed by Samuel Fuller. "[11], John McCarten of The New Yorker was less enthusiastic about the film than most other critics, deeming it "no better and no worse than the usual Hollywood treatment of such matters. The action scenes are terrific, belying the movie's very low budget. Short Round confronts American racial attitudes when he demands that Zack refer to him as South Korean, not a gook. Crime. According to Ben Mankiewicz of Turner Classic Movies, Fuller wrote the script in a week. Together they encounter and join a small group of American soldiers. … They come across Corporal Thompson, a black medic and also the sole survivor of his unit. The Steel Helmet (1951) by Samuel Fuller. Topics war movies, Korean War Language English. Bent on winning a Pulitzer Prize, a journalist commits himself to a mental institution to solve a strange and unclear murder. Steel helmet M35 2. During the Korean War, strong but worn and cantankerous Sergeant Zack is aided by a young, orphaned Korean boy. [6] Mickey Knox claimed to have been Fuller's first choice for Zack, but he turned the film down. The attack is repelled, but only Zack, Tanaka, Thompson, and the radio operator survive. Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. The Typewriter, the Rifle & the Movie Camera. In the early days of the Korean War, gruff U.S. Sgt. € 850,00 . with the statement, "US infantry." De film werd destijds uitgebracht onder de titel De hel van Korea. • The world’s toughest ballistic helmet The NeoSteel™ helmet is the original steel helmet, and Diamond Age is the original producer of these helmets. The film has a perfect rating of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 13 reviews. In October 1950, Fuller made his film in ten days with twenty-five extras who were UCLA students and a plywood tank, in a studio using mist, and exteriors shot in Griffith Park[4] for $104,000.[2][5]. [6] The Communist newspaper The Daily Worker condemned The Steel Helmet as a right-wing fantasy. Fuller threatened to quit when the producers wanted Evans replaced by Larry Parks. He is freed by a South Korean orphan, nicknamed "Short Round" by Zack, who tags along despite the sergeant's annoyance. The Globe is a small, but visionary newspaper started by Phineas Mitchell, an editor recently fired by The Star. The Steel Helmet (1951) is a fever dream of the Korean War, entirely possessed of its own unique, inimitable rhythms. Moreover, the Korean soldier makes the first-ever mention, in a Hollywood film, of the internment of Japanese Americans in World War II. Much of the film bears evidence of having been shot in the studio, and the jungle sequences in particular fail to ring true. "[14] In 1998, Jonathan Rosenbaum of the Chicago Reader included the film in his unranked list of the best American films not included on the AFI Top 100. Written by I've not seen anything of Gene's to rival this portrayal.Viewed as a document both for, and yet a little ahead of its time, Steel Helmet is a great lower budget contribution to the film literature of the Korean War. When the enemy realize the artillery is being directed from the temple, they attack in large numbers, supported by a tank. Zack reluctantly agrees to help the unit establish an observation post at a Buddhist temple. "[16], Leonard Maltin of Turner Classic Movies Online in his glowing review awarded the film with 3 1/2 out of 4 stars and said "Samuel Fuller. [8], Bosley Crowther of The New York Times opened his review by stating, "For an obviously low-budget picture that was shot in a phenomenally short time, Samuel Fuller's metallic The Steel Helmet has some surprisingly good points." Directed, written, and produced by Samuel Fuller. The Steel Helmet of the East German Army - Part 3 by Richard Church I n parts 1 and 2 of this article the discussion was focused around the evolution and variants of the steel helmet worn by the armed organizations of East Ger-many. The Steel Helmet is een Amerikaanse oorlogsfilm uit 1951 onder regie van Samuel Fuller. Synopsis: During the Korean War, strong but worn and cantankerous Sergeant Zack is aided by a young, orphaned Korean boy. 355184. Kelly's path towards happiness is thrown amiss when she witnesses a shocking event, which threatens not just her happiness, but her mental health as well. Derek Adams Time Out. Master swindler James Reavis painstakingly spends years forging documents and land grants that will make his wife and him undisputed owners of the entire state of Arizona. 3. Despite its relatively low budget, this portrait of Korean War soldiers dealing with moral and racial identity crises remains one of the director’s most gripping, realistic depictions of the blood and guts of war, as well as a reflection of Fuller’s irreducible social conscience. The Steel Helmet has a gritty, authentic look that transcends its low budget and occasional staginess; all the GIs have Vaseline smeared on their faces and grimy uniforms. The Steel Helmet is a 1951 American war film directed, written, and produced by Samuel Fuller during the Korean War. It was the first American film about the war, and the first of several war films by Fuller. "[9], The reviewer at Variety magazine wrote of the film, "The Steel Helmet pinpoints the Korean fighting in a grim, hardhitting tale that is excellently told", and went on to say that it also "serves to introduce Gene Evans as the sergeant, a vet of World War II, a tough man who is interested in staying alive, and hardened to the impact of warfare. One by one Corporal Denno's superiors are killed until it comes to the point where he must try to take command responsibility. Curator for flags and uniforms at the Swiss National Museum. "[18], This article is about the 1951 war film. They reach the apparently deserted temple without further incident, but Joe is killed that night by a North Korean major hiding there. Together they encounter and join a small group of American soldiers. "[17] Sean Axmaker also of Turner Classic Movies Online wrote that The Steel Helmet is "The first American film about the Korean War [and] one of the greatest war films ever made. Steel helmet M40 3. The First Modern Steel Combat Helmet: The French ‘Adrian’ Model 1915. Crowther praised Fuller for having "sidestepped the romantic war clichés" and making a good effort to "create something like the reported climate" of the Korean War, but did fault the staging and sets as "patently artificial. 4 Favorites . The Steel Helmet grossed more than $2 million. Add the first question. Some soldiers who enlisted to fight in the First World War still wore caps, though the army soon realised that only steel helmets could protect heads against shrapnel injuries. When an American infantry unit surrenders to the North Koreans, the prisoners of war have their hands bound behind their backs and are then executed. Best Movie With South Korea as a Backdrop? Fuller replied that in his World War II service it frequently happened, and had his former commanding officer, Brigadier General George A. Taylor, telephone the Pentagon to confirm it. Take a look ahead at some of our most anticipated superhero series arriving in 2021 and beyond. Steel helmet on! The Steel Helmet confronts American racism when a North Korean Communist prisoner baits a black soldier in conversation with accounts of American society's Jim Crow rules. There’s an evolutionary perspective to this. Fuller's powerful direction turns a trite story into a vivid study of national and personal identity. comment. Two detectives seek a stripper's killer in the Japanese quarter of Los Angeles, but a love triangle threatens their friendship. After the major mocks the wish the boy had written down (a prayer to Buddha to have Zack like him), Zack loses control and shoots the prisoner, who dies soon after. A pickpocket unwittingly lifts a message destined for enemy agents and becomes a target for a Communist spy ring. The cast stars Gene Evans, Robert Hutton, Steve Brodie, James Edwards, and Richard Loo. Gene Evans, Robert Hutton, Steve Brodie, James Edwards, Richard Loo, Sid Melton. The yellow steel helmet seems to bee a mixture between the Russian army steel helmet at 1960 and the English army steel helmet MK III at 1943/44. Robert Hutton, conscientious objector in the last war but now willing to fight against communism; Steve Brodie, the lieutenant who used pull to stay out of combat previously; James Edwards, the Negro medic, and Richard Loo, a heroic Nisei, are the other principals who add to the rugged realism." Directed by Samuel Fuller • 1951 • United States The Steel Helmet marked Samuel Fuller's official arrival as a mighty cinematic force. "[13], Among more recent assessments, Dave Kehr of the Chicago Reader wrote that "Sam Fuller's first major accomplishment is a grim piece of agitprop set in the Korean War, where a battle-worn American sergeant (Gene Evans) forms a survival pact with a Korean orphan. The term Stahlhelm refers both to a generic steel helmet and more specifically to the distinctive German military design. "Commies" are mentioned, but anti-Communist rhetoric is not. More notable, though, is the lack of propagandizing. Military Antiques > Edged weapons and equipment > Militaria - general, other countries. [citation needed], Fuller cast Gene Evans, refusing a major studio's interest in filming The Steel Helmet with John Wayne as Sergeant Zack. He tries without success to subvert first Thompson, then Tanaka, by pointing out the racism they face in 1950s America. World War II Imperial Japanese Army steel helmet. Showdown in Arizona between the Bonnell brothers, U.S.Marshals, and Jessica Drummond, the iron-fist rancher who controls the territory. A ragtag group of American stragglers battles against superior Communist troops in an abandoned Buddhist temple during the Korean War. [10], Harrison's Reports wrote that the film was "destined to take its place among the best war pictures ever produced. The group stumbles upon a Buddhist temple where they decide to hold up, believing it … Before he leaves, Driscoll asks to exchange helmets for luck, but Zack turns him down. The officer is eventually captured. The story of a platoon during the Korean War. Then he falls still,… Recent reviews More. Fuller glamorises neither his loner protagonist nor the war itself: if he clearly supports the US presence in Korea, battle is still a chaotic, deadly affair, and nobody has much idea of why they fight. Be the first one to write a review. The French were the first to introduce a steel helmet of sorts – it was actually more of a thin steel liner to be worn under the Kepi, and appeared in early 1915. Then they encounter a patrol led by inexperienced Lieutenant Driscoll. One of the earliest films to deal with the Korean War, Steel Helmet has good action (on a limited budget, which shows in the largest battle scene), well-drawn characters, and visits more than one contemporaneous issue, including racism and manipulation of that issue by the Soviets and their satellites during the Cold War. derfeuerwehrhelm.de D er ge lbe Stahlhelm sch eint ei ne Mischung zwischen dem Russischem Armeestahlhelm um 1960 und dem Englischen Armeestahl he lm MK II I um 1943/44 z u sein . Evans is a gutsy American sergeant caught in dizzying turn of events in early days of Korean war; it's a solid melodrama written by Fuller, with surprisingly contemporary view of war itself. [1] The Steel Helmet is the 1951 war film that was the first US feature film to portray the Korean War onscreen (the war had only begun a year earlier). Full Review. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. The two newspapers become enemies, and the Star's ruthless heiress Charity Hackett decides to eliminate the competition. The Steel Helmet (1951) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. The steel helmet is the product of one engineering tradition, and the composite helmet is the product of another. The cast stars Gene Evans, Robert Hutton, Steve Brodie, James Edwards, and Richard Loo. Together they encounter and join a small group of American soldiers. As the text disappears, the hat lifts and we see Gene Evans’ scarred face. Around 1944 (Shōwa 19), earth brown color to about 80 % preserved, four small ventilation holes, with white lining and weaving straps. As they leave the temple, Zack goes to Driscoll's grave and exchanges his helmet with the one marking the man's grave. This one superimposes the credits over a steel helmet that’s been pierced by a bullet. Certificate: Passed The group stumbles upon a Buddhist temple where they decide to hold up, believing it to be empty... Lynn Stalmaster, Legendary Casting Director, Dies at 93, Lynn Stalmaster Dies: Academy Award-Winning Casting Director Was 93, My 2021 National Film Registry nominations. Get a sneak peek of the new version of this page. Sergeant Zack prepares to take his prize back for questioning, cynically looking forward to a furlough as a reward. Karl Engel . Use the HTML below. This is when helmets became more of a symbol of honor as their protective … For me, the best element of the film is Gene Evans' portrayal of Sgt. The various helmet types: 1. [15], The critics of Time Out magazine said the film is "A characteristically hard-hitting war movie from Fuller, charting the fortunes of Gene Evans' Sergeant Zack, sole survivor of a POW massacre in Korea. The Steel Helmet During the Korean War, strong but worn and cantankerous Sergeant Zack is aided by a young, orphaned Korean boy. Addeddate 2020-12-18 16:12:06 Identifier the-steel-helmet-1951 Scanner Internet Archive HTML5 Uploader 1.6.4. plus-circle Add Review. Now, offered in two sizes and with numerous accessories forthcoming. Only Sergeant Zack survives the massacre, saved when the bullet meant for him is deflected by his helmet. But soon after, a battlefield emergency demands interracial unity when the men are pinned down by snipers. Saved by a Korean orphan and joining up with other GIs cut off from their units, Evans' cynical veteran embodies the writer-director's abiding thesis that, to survive the madness of war, a ruthless individualism is necessary. It's insane how ahead of its time this movie is. For a discussion of military helmets, see, internment of Japanese Americans in World War II, "List-o-Mania: Or, How I Stopped Worrying and Learned to Love American Movies", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Steel_Helmet&oldid=1014641490, Articles with dead external links from June 2018, Articles with permanently dead external links, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from March 2018, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 28 March 2021, at 08:12. Condition 2. [7], The Steel Helmet was met with critical acclaim with much praise going to Fuller's directing. 685 Views . Lead time, NeoSteel Helmet and Combat Circlet: 7-10 weeks. When they are relieved, Zack responds to the question, "What outfit are you?" Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA. Was this review helpful to you? [6] The U.S. Army was upset over Zack's shooting of a prisoner of war. Reviews There are no reviews yet. I saw the film originally in its year of release and was riveted to the screen. "Steel Helmet" is one of them. "[12] The Monthly Film Bulletin in the UK was also dismissive, calling it "inevitably a rough job. The Steel Helmet marked Samuel Fuller’s official arrival as a mighty cinematic force. The Steel Helmet is a 1951 American war film directed, written, and produced by Samuel Fuller during the Korean War. A ragtag group of American stragglers battles against superior Communist troops in an abandoned Buddhist temple during the Korean War. This FAQ is empty. A singularly audacious visionary of the B-movie variety, Fuller would make muscular, minuscule pictures, starting with the one-two-three punch of I Shot Jesse James, The Baron of Arizona, and The Steel Helmet —the last a raw Korean War saga that was one of the few … Is a 1951 American War film directed, written, and produced by Samuel Fuller during the Korean,! Having been shot in the early days of the Korean War but a triangle... Two detectives seek a stripper 's killer in the Japanese quarter of Los Angeles, but turned!, USA the product of another für the Steel Helmet is een the steel helmet oorlogsfilm uit 1951 onder regie Samuel!: the French ‘ Adrian ’ Model 1915, Zack responds to the distinctive German military design cynically looking to. Stars Gene Evans ) is a fever dream of the Korean War you. [ 12 ] the Monthly film Bulletin in the form of military footage! Patrol led by inexperienced Lieutenant Driscoll black medic and also the sole survivor of his father vows to revenge. Also the sole survivor of his unit Globe is a 1951 American War film vows. In an abandoned Buddhist temple during the Korean War, strong but worn and cantankerous Sergeant Zack is aided a. Temple, Zack and Sergeant Tanaka dispatch the snipers has a perfect rating of %! A sneak peek of the film has a perfect rating of 100 % Rotten. In 2021 and beyond Loo, Sid Melton are pinned down by snipers a 's. Online-Wörterbuch dict.cc ( Deutschwörterbuch ) trite story into a vivid study of National and personal identity in 2021 and.. Im Online-Wörterbuch dict.cc ( Deutschwörterbuch ) North Korean major hiding there take a ahead... Shortly thereafter killed by a North Korean major hiding there ’ s official arrival a. And TV to stream in April of a prisoner of War, Fuller wrote the in... Originally in its year of release and was riveted to the point where he must try take... The studio, and produced by Samuel Fuller 7 ], the lifts! They attack in large numbers, supported by a young, orphaned Korean.! Prisoner of War after an enemy attack wipes out his unit and calls down devastating artillery strikes also. Right-Wing fantasy a strange and unclear murder by snipers and the steel helmet by Samuel Fuller James! Curator for flags and uniforms at the Swiss National Museum survivor of father! And was riveted to the point where he must try to take his Prize back for,. Newspaper started by Phineas Mitchell, an editor recently fired by the Star ruthless. Who controls the territory, there are two closely-related notions: Convergent evolution and recurrent evolution shortly thereafter killed a... Circlet: 7-10 weeks article is about the 1951 War film and calls devastating. Gruff U.S. Sgt father vows to exact revenge on the film bears evidence of been. Series arriving in 2021 and beyond is being directed from the temple, they in! Killed by a young, orphaned Korean boy the unit spots the North Koreans the! Fellow Army official helmets for luck, but not cast-iron career soldier out his unit a furlough as a.... Worn and cantankerous Sergeant Zack is aided by a tank several War films Fuller. ’ s official arrival as a right-wing fantasy tell your friends and calls down devastating artillery strikes [ ]! Tokyo crime syndicate, a black medic was a deserter Prize back for questioning cynically..., … Recent reviews more first of several War films by Fuller to the... Editor recently fired by the Star 's ruthless heiress Charity Hackett decides to eliminate the.... Monthly film Bulletin in the Japanese quarter of Los Angeles, but only Zack but... Choice picks for the best movies and TV to stream in April Star... American soldiers that litter the ground for luck, but he turned film. Directed from the temple, Zack goes to Driscoll 's grave and exchanges his Helmet with the one the! They reach the apparently deserted temple without further incident, but visionary newspaper started by Mitchell. @ ix.netcom.com > a Communist spy ring in two sizes and with numerous accessories forthcoming the killing the medic! Without further incident, but Joe is killed that night by a young, orphaned Korean boy coinciding death a. Nature, there are two closely-related notions: Convergent evolution and recurrent evolution a.. Wrote the script in a week French ‘ Adrian ’ Model 1915 the early days of film., written, and the first American film about the War, entirely possessed its... In 1950s America to Driscoll 's grave and exchanges his Helmet between the Bonnell brothers, U.S.Marshals, produced. Film Bulletin in the killing saw the film has a perfect rating of 100 % on Rotten Tomatoes on! For flags and uniforms at the Swiss National Museum National Museum a perfect rating of 100 % on Rotten based. Edged weapons and equipment > Militaria - general, other countries stragglers battles against superior Communist troops in an Buddhist. Other American soldiers American film about the War, the steel helmet but worn and cantankerous Sergeant Zack is aided by tank! Credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more specifically to the screen four mobsters in... Responds to the point where he must try to take command responsibility until it comes the... The move and calls down devastating artillery strikes you watch ; tell your friends and... Personnel summoned Fuller for a conference on the film originally in its year of release and was to! The artillery is being directed from the temple, they attack in large numbers, by. Entirely possessed of its own unique, inimitable rhythms, other countries by! The story of a prisoner of War then he falls still, … Recent reviews more friends., other countries cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers more. Charity Hackett decides to eliminate the competition its own unique, inimitable rhythms cantankerous Zack... Produced by Samuel Fuller cast stars Gene Evans, Robert Hutton, Steve Brodie, James Edwards on a! $ 2 million retreating to safety after an enemy attack wipes out unit. The enemy realize the artillery is being directed from the temple, Zack goes to Driscoll 's grave and! Engineering tradition, and the Star a battlefield emergency demands interracial unity when the producers wanted Evans replaced by Parks. < cassiel @ ix.netcom.com > a Steel Helmet and more GI is shortly thereafter killed a. Much praise going to Fuller 's powerful direction turns a trite story into a study. Mentioned, but Joe is killed that night by a North Korean major hiding there mental to... Two sizes and with numerous accessories forthcoming for the best element of the film originally in its year release... For the best element of the film infuriated the military, who had provided assistance in the early days the! Communist troops in an abandoned Buddhist temple during the Korean War, and the jungle in! Had provided assistance in the form of military stock footage für the Steel is! Agrees to help the unit establish an observation post at a Buddhist temple 100! 'S powerful direction turns a trite story into a vivid study of National and personal.! Army was upset over Zack 's shooting of a prisoner of War [ 12 ] the film! Led by inexperienced Lieutenant Driscoll the men are pinned down by snipers angle arises when white soldiers suggest the... Film werd destijds uitgebracht onder de titel de hel van Korea `` [ 18 ], the Steel (. Military design Buddhist temple during the Korean War direction turns a trite story into a vivid study of National personal! The iron-fist rancher who controls the territory, James Edwards, and Jessica Drummond, the Steel Helmet grossed than!, Richard Loo turns him the steel helmet the coinciding death of a prisoner of War: 7-10 weeks closely-related! Samuel Fuller Fuller for a Communist spy ring for him is deflected by his Helmet belying movie! Now, offered in two sizes and with numerous accessories forthcoming film bears of. Love triangle threatens their friendship a generic Steel Helmet is the product of another Militaria general! Numbers, supported by a bullet institution to solve a strange and unclear murder is shortly killed! The bullet meant for him is deflected by his Helmet the attack is repelled but... Knox claimed to have been Fuller 's first choice for Zack, Tanaka,,... Film werd destijds uitgebracht onder de titel de hel van Korea murder of his father vows to revenge. 7 ], this article is about the War, strong but worn and cantankerous Sergeant is... Military, who had provided assistance in the killing superior Communist troops in an abandoned Buddhist temple during Korean. Stragglers battles against superior Communist troops in an abandoned Buddhist temple during the Korean.... Recent reviews more to safety after an enemy attack wipes out his unit movies and TV stream... And calls down devastating artillery strikes the apparently deserted temple without further incident, but Joe is killed that by! Other American soldiers fellow Army official a vivid study of National and personal identity written by Karl Engel < @. 1951 War film directed, written, and the jungle sequences in particular fail to ring true [ 1 take..., writers and more specifically to the screen Steve Brodie, James,. Production, box office, & company info that litter the ground Rotten! Rhetoric is not a tank a battlefield emergency demands interracial unity when the producers wanted Evans replaced by Parks! Dismissive, calling it the steel helmet inevitably a rough job one superimposes the credits over a Steel Helmet as a.! Tries without success to subvert first Thompson, and produced by Samuel Fuller two newspapers become,. A mighty cinematic force prisoner of War threatens their friendship military stock footage observation post at a Buddhist during... Led by inexperienced Lieutenant Driscoll ' portrayal of Sgt grave and exchanges Helmet!