This movie is beyond criticism. Within its celluloid record there clambers cold history. The tanks are real. The planes are real. The people are real. This was a contemporary war movie to the actual war, without the layers of myth laquered by years of failing memory.

Unlike recent high budget over-the-top productions and the copious blood spattering within, this little epic tends to mute the violence into the pathos of the moment of death. That being the death of heroes. And the emphasis appears to hinge on the suddenness, the randomness, and the tragedy of men dying hard. It is a stark memorial to the courage and sacrifice of the World War II soldier.

Amazingly, and very much in contrast to most other war films of the period which demonized the enemy, this film provides a neutral texture to the foe. Here the German soldiers are but shadows on the cave wall. The stray Italian soldiers appear as comic sidekicks in the maelstrom of a nation at peril from two sides. The enemy appears to escape the moral condemnation that other films embraced. This is war and this is what it is by those who fought it.

The film describes the landings of an infantry platoon on the Salerno beaches in Italy. All of a sudden they are left leaderless as two of the senior officers meets a soldier's fate. The beach scene remains a descriptive detail of what a soldiers paradox in modern warfare was. They bring the war but they do not know where it is, where they are, whether the war will visit them, or what lies in front of them. Without the need for special effects the director garnishes the film with the fog of war skillfully.

A startling moment is when the third ranking leader, a noncom sargeant succumbs to panic and shell shock. It is perhaps the kindest treatment of the condition ever presented cinematically during that period. The rest of the platoon appears to be supportive to the fallen insane sargeant. But the war goes on. They move on.

Rallied by a solid sargeant the platoon moves onto its objectives, a bridge and a farmhouse at a cost. The objectives are difficult and the angst of leadership and follower play the scene well. And unlike most war movies where heroism goes beyond definition, these heroes are all very much afraid.

The film has a solid core of young actors of the period. Dana Andrews, a very young Lloyd Bridges appear to anchor the cast. The black and white format suits this tiny epic. The cinematography, stunts are solid and consistently well done. It is a darkish film very much worth seeing.

September 1943 WWII,during the Italian campaign against the Germans, an infantrymen platoon of US army washes ashore on the coast near of Salerno and for the fighting are dieing all officials and the sergeants command to execute the mission assigned,they must capture a farmhouse occupied by the Nazis.The group is trying to take an enemy location by themselves,it's shot with an excellent action sequences.

The picture is a based about novel of same title by journalist Harry Brown who fought on the front since 1941 until 1943 and narrated his experiences as soldier in European Allied army. The first which bought the license was Samuel Bronston but the public was bored of the warlike genre and he wanted the making a super-production and then he gave the rights to Lewis Milestone.This director contacted with Daryl F. Zanuck -the magnate of 2oth Century Fox- who financed the post-production.The film realizes a magnificent reunion actors showing the numerous personages and explores their circumstances,apprehension,fears and cowardice. Lewis Milestone incorporated an off-voice of the actor Burguess Meredith who the same year starred ¨The story of G.I.Joe¨filmed by William A.Wellman and would be its more direct rival.Good storyline by Robert Rossen,turned director with important films as ¨The hustler¨and¨Alexander Magno¨ .Productor and director Lewis Milestone also made others classics as ¨All quiet on the western front¨ masterpiece WWI and the Korean set ¨Pork Chop Hill¨ which along with ¨Men in war¨(Anthony Mann) are the two best films about Korea war. Rating : Awesome and worthwhile effort.

This war drama ranks among the best in its genre. An outstanding ensemble cast and intense story makes for an interesting look at the realism of war. This film follows a platoon of American soldiers from the time they land in Europe until they complete their mission...capturing a German occupied farmhouse in World War Two Italy. The talented and diverse cast includes:Dana Andrews, John Ireland, Lloyd Bridges, George Tyne, Huntz Hall and Richard Conte. Kudos also to director Lewis Milestone.