Old Dude, Old Movies - "Take the High Ground"

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046398/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

From 1953, this film starring Richard Widmark and Karl Malden is a classic.

I love military movies. I especially love the ones that focus on basic training. I get a kick out of seeing guys from different backgrounds undergo the rigor of training, eventually bonding together as a team. I also enjoy seeing the different types of drill instructors portrayed on-screen. The officer-enlisted working relationship is fascinating to watch. Furthermore, seeing how war changes each military member is a fascinating metamorphosis.

Widmark and Malden are two DIs at Fort Bliss, during the Korean War era. Widmark is the hard case, demanding more of the recruits than they can visualize. Malden is the level-headed professional, who sees the bigger picture of how training changes each man for the better. They've both seen combat, but have decidedly different views on how trainees should prepare for the horrors of war.

Elaine Stewart is the female lead/maybe love interest who has seen more than any lady her age should. The hurt shows on her face whenever she's in a scene.

Widmark is one of the most versatile actors ever seen on-screen, and he exercises his skill here. One minute, he is bitingly sarcastic. The next, informative and focused. He even shows a level of tenderness and compassion in his interactions with Stewart's character. His character fights through anger, personal frustration and maybe even self-loathing to deal with his current circumstance while taking a glimpse at his possible future.

Malden's character is in his wheel house. He made a great career playing this type of character - upstanding, wise, forthright and full of integrity. He is the balance in this film, the voice of reason in a sometimes unreasonable profession. Malden's character is the type of DI nearly any soldier would want, but Widmark's character is more like the DI nearly any soldier would need before fighting the enemy.

Look for Steve Forrest ("Flaming Star", "The Longest Day") as a trainee who has doubts about his purpose for being in the Army.

This movie is a keeper, at least to me. I love it.