The Glory Brigade

Plot

US Army Engineer Lt. Pryor's (Victor Mature) detachment is assigned to work with Greek troops during the Korean War. He himself is of Greek heritage. The Greek forces are led by Captain Charos (John Verros) and Lieutenant Niklas (Alexander Scourby).

Cast

Production

The film was shot at the US Army Engineer training post Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. Holocaust survivor Dario Gabbai also acted in the film. Franklin Coen wrote the script. William Bloom produced the feature while Mario Mora was the editor. Robert D. Webb directed the film with assistance from Eli Dunn.

An alternate title for the film was Baptism Of Fire. Victor Mature was meant to star in Split Second for RKO but did this film instead. Filming started 15 September 1952.

It was the only film in which Lee Marvin wore glasses in all of his scenes. While filming of one of the scenes at Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri, a demolition charge exploded underneath a boat, killing the boatman and injuring two other people. This was the first time Mature played a combat soldier in a film. Real soldiers were cast as extras. All Greek characters were portrayed by actors of Greek parentage. However, in the screen credits none of them were listed.

Reception

Lillian Blackstone of St. Petersburg Times called the film a "realistic chapter of Korean War". Film critic Leonard Maltin termed it "passable". In his review for DVD Talk, Paul Mavis called it "[Disposable] entertainment posing as something important". In his review for The New York Times, critic Howard Thompson called Webb's direction "sensible" but noted that the film "[felt] short in general impact and conviction". Robert J. Lentz wrote that it was a "routine war film with an agreeable premise". However, he praised Mature's performance. Richard Egan won the Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer – Male in 1953. A DVD was released by 20th Century-Fox's Cinema Archives.