War Hunt
Encyclopedia
War Hunt is a 1962
war film
starring John Saxon
, Charles Aidman
, and Robert Redford
. The film was directed by Denis Sanders
, produced by his brother, Terry Sanders
for T-D Enterprises, and released by United Artists
.
The movie features the film debuts of Sydney Pollack
, and Tom Skerritt
. Redford and Pollack met on the set of this film as actors. The two would later form a prolific working relationship, with Pollack eventually directing Redford in seven films.
The National Board of Review
named the film as one of the ten best films of 1962
. It won the Silver Sail best feature film award at the 1962 Locarno International Film Festival
and was nominated for a UN BAFTA award in 1964.
a new replacement, Private Loomis (Robert Redford
) is assigned to an infantry company in the front line. He notices a quiet Private Endore (John Saxon
) and is warned by others in the company not to speak to him. Once night falls, Loomis notices Endore in black face and dark clothing infiltrating enemy lines to gather information and spread terror amongst the enemy by killing enemy soldiers with his knife. Endore's odd ritual of drawing a circle around the body with his knife may indicate that he is, in fact, a serial killer. Company Commander Captain Pratt (Charles Aidman
) lets Endore act independently.
Endore's only friend is a Korean orphan whom Loomis wishes to place in an orphanage
that brings him into conflict with Endore. Tension increases when the armistice
occurs and the others in the unit wish to return home to the United States, but Endore doesn't.
drove a truck in the film and associate producer Noel Black
worked as an electrician. The Sanders brothers, who started in Hollywood as second unit directors of the river sequences in The Night of the Hunter
, shot most of the film at night to hide their low budget.
Producer Terry Sanders sent the script to the Pentagon in the chance that the military might provide assistance. The Army replied that it objected to many portions of the script such as a private soldier being an independent professional killer with his commanding officer's approval, a scene of the captain calling a sergeant an "idiot", and scenes the Army thought "too gruesome to be in good taste".
of The New York Times
called the film "one of the most original and haunting war movies in years" and said "most of this picture is pure unvarnished gold".
1962 in film
The year 1962 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*May - The Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards are officially founded by the Taiwanese government....
war film
War film
War films are a film genre concerned with warfare, usually about naval, air or land battles, sometimes focusing instead on prisoners of war, covert operations, military training or other related subjects. At times war films focus on daily military or civilian life in wartime without depicting battles...
starring John Saxon
John Saxon (actor)
John Saxon is an American actor who has worked on over 200 projects during the span of sixty years. Saxon is most known for his work in horror films such as A Nightmare on Elm Street and Black Christmas, both of which feature Saxon as a policeman in search of the killer...
, Charles Aidman
Charles Aidman
Charles Aidman was an American film scenarist and television actor.-Career:Among his many television credits include appearances on NBC's western series The Road West in the 1966 episode "The Lean Years"...
, and Robert Redford
Robert Redford
Charles Robert Redford, Jr. , better known as Robert Redford, is an American actor, film director, producer, businessman, environmentalist, philanthropist, and founder of the Sundance Film Festival. He has received two Oscars: one in 1981 for directing Ordinary People, and one for Lifetime...
. The film was directed by Denis Sanders
Denis Sanders
Denis Sanders was an American film director, screenwriter and producer who directed the debut performances of Robert Redford, George Hamilton, Sydney Pollack and Tom Skerritt in the critically acclaimed 1962 film War Hunt...
, produced by his brother, Terry Sanders
Terry Sanders
Terry Sanders is an American filmmaker having produced and/or directed more than 70 dramatic features, televisions specials, documentaries and portrait films. He co-heads the American Film Foundation and has produced and photographed the Oscar-winning dramatic short "A Time Out of War"...
for T-D Enterprises, and released by United Artists
United Artists
United Artists Corporation is an American film studio. The original studio of that name was founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charles Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks....
.
The movie features the film debuts of Sydney Pollack
Sydney Pollack
Sydney Irwin Pollack was an American film director, producer and actor. Pollack studied with Sanford Meisner at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City, where he later taught acting...
, and Tom Skerritt
Tom Skerritt
Thomas Roy "Tom" Skerritt is an American actor who has appeared in over 40 films and more than 200 television episodes since 1962.-Early life:...
. Redford and Pollack met on the set of this film as actors. The two would later form a prolific working relationship, with Pollack eventually directing Redford in seven films.
The National Board of Review
National Board of Review of Motion Pictures
The National Board of Review of Motion Pictures was founded in 1909 in New York City, just 13 years after the birth of cinema, to protest New York City Mayor George B. McClellan, Jr.'s revocation of moving-picture exhibition licenses on Christmas Eve 1908. The mayor believed that the new medium...
named the film as one of the ten best films of 1962
National Board of Review: Top Ten Films
The following is a list of the Top-10 films chosen annually by the National Board of Review, beginning in 1929. From 1968 till 2005, 29 times the NBR chose the film that would eventually win the Academy Award for Best Picture as Best Film...
. It won the Silver Sail best feature film award at the 1962 Locarno International Film Festival
Locarno International Film Festival
The Film Festival Locarno is an international film festival held annually in the city of Locarno, Switzerland since 1946. After Cannes and Venice and together with Karlovy Vary, Locarno is the Film Festival with the longest history...
and was nominated for a UN BAFTA award in 1964.
Plot
Near the end of the Korean WarKorean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
a new replacement, Private Loomis (Robert Redford
Robert Redford
Charles Robert Redford, Jr. , better known as Robert Redford, is an American actor, film director, producer, businessman, environmentalist, philanthropist, and founder of the Sundance Film Festival. He has received two Oscars: one in 1981 for directing Ordinary People, and one for Lifetime...
) is assigned to an infantry company in the front line. He notices a quiet Private Endore (John Saxon
John Saxon (actor)
John Saxon is an American actor who has worked on over 200 projects during the span of sixty years. Saxon is most known for his work in horror films such as A Nightmare on Elm Street and Black Christmas, both of which feature Saxon as a policeman in search of the killer...
) and is warned by others in the company not to speak to him. Once night falls, Loomis notices Endore in black face and dark clothing infiltrating enemy lines to gather information and spread terror amongst the enemy by killing enemy soldiers with his knife. Endore's odd ritual of drawing a circle around the body with his knife may indicate that he is, in fact, a serial killer. Company Commander Captain Pratt (Charles Aidman
Charles Aidman
Charles Aidman was an American film scenarist and television actor.-Career:Among his many television credits include appearances on NBC's western series The Road West in the 1966 episode "The Lean Years"...
) lets Endore act independently.
Endore's only friend is a Korean orphan whom Loomis wishes to place in an orphanage
Orphanage
An orphanage is a residential institution devoted to the care of orphans – children whose parents are deceased or otherwise unable or unwilling to care for them...
that brings him into conflict with Endore. Tension increases when the armistice
Armistice
An armistice is a situation in a war where the warring parties agree to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, but may be just a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace...
occurs and the others in the unit wish to return home to the United States, but Endore doesn't.
Production
The film was shot in 15 days for US$250,000. Francis Ford CoppolaFrancis Ford Coppola
Francis Ford Coppola is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. He is widely acclaimed as one of Hollywood's most innovative and influential film directors...
drove a truck in the film and associate producer Noel Black
Noel Black
Noel Black is an American film and television director, screenwriter, and producer.Black was born in Chicago, Illinois. He won awards at the 1966 Cannes Film Festival for an 18-minute short subject filmed in 1965 called Skaterdater. It had no dialogue, but used music and sound effects to advance...
worked as an electrician. The Sanders brothers, who started in Hollywood as second unit directors of the river sequences in The Night of the Hunter
The Night of the Hunter (film)
The Night of the Hunter is a 1955 American thriller film directed by Charles Laughton and starring Robert Mitchum and Shelley Winters. The film is based on the 1953 novel of the same name by Davis Grubb, adapted for the screen by James Agee and Laughton...
, shot most of the film at night to hide their low budget.
Producer Terry Sanders sent the script to the Pentagon in the chance that the military might provide assistance. The Army replied that it objected to many portions of the script such as a private soldier being an independent professional killer with his commanding officer's approval, a scene of the captain calling a sergeant an "idiot", and scenes the Army thought "too gruesome to be in good taste".
Reception
Bosley CrowtherBosley Crowther
Bosley Crowther was a journalist and author who was film critic for The New York Times for 27 years. His reviews and articles helped shape the careers of actors, directors and screenwriters, though his reviews, at times, were unnecessarily mean...
of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
called the film "one of the most original and haunting war movies in years" and said "most of this picture is pure unvarnished gold".