Attack (1956)

Extremely talented Robert Aldrich manages yet another masterpiece with this "Attack," a very original war movie, as a story, as a way of approaching, directing, the way it is filmed and, in particular, the acting quality. Three of the actors are very dear to me, I mean Jack Palance, Lee Marvin and, in a smaller role, Peter van Eyck. An actor who is not exactly a favorite of mine, makes here a great role: Eddie Albert.

I found "attack" online and vaguely remembered seeing it back in the 90s on AMC (yes, they used to show commercial-free older films). I remembered it was a good psychological war movie that I needed to see it again and I'm glad I did. This movie is riveting from the first shot, it has an action sequence before the opening credits even roll that sets up the story. Every scene matters in this crackerjack of a film that has a master at the helm in Robert Aldrich and features knockout performances by Jack Palance as heroic Lt. Joe Costa and Eddie Albert as cowardly captain Cooney. The rest of the cast is great too,Lee Marvin, Buddy Ebsen as the reliable platoon sergeant, Robert Strauss and Richard Jeackel add some comic relief.The setting is the battle of the bulge (where's the snow?), but unlike other war films that play like a reenaction of events, the setting is not really relevant as this film explores themes of cowardice and treachery in battle. It could just as easy be set in WW1, or Vietnam. Reminiscent in these themes of Kubricks anti-war 'Paths of Glory', though that film explored cowardice at the lower ranks and treachery at the higher ranks, and 'attack' is somewhat the opposite in that the cowardice is clearly at the top of the company with Cooney, and the treachery seems to be all up and down the ranks. So maybe this too is an anti-war film, and maybe that is why the US military refused to give support in the filming...probably the reason that some of the sets and props lack authenticity, which is the only fault in this film.Captain Cooney is one of those officers that comes from a powerful family, and he is kept in place by a Colonel (Lee Marvin, solid as usual) who wants to use the connection for post-war political gain. So Cooney is entrenched but Costa has seen enough of Cooney's debacles in battle and is threatening to come back and "stick a grenade down your throat and pull the pin" if he is left twisting in the wind after Cooney's latest order of sending Costas platoon to occupy a farmhouse in a town that may or may not be a Nazi hotbed. Cooneys plan backfires and more men are dead, and when the platoon pulls back Costa ends up missing, but he won't be missing for long, for his searing anger toward Cooney and need for retribution are giving him all his reason for living.When you consider war movies like Aldrich's later 'The dirty dozen' or 'Saving private Ryan', though they contain many cynical lines and 3/4 of the cast end up killed, the thing that probably makes them acceptable to the US military is that you at least get the impression that the men at the top are noble, caring soldiers. Not so with 'attack', it seems the closer to the top you get the more cynical, cowardly or uncaring they get. Could this have been the problem the military had with this film? -probably. People are people, and this story goes beyond war when it shows the monumental effect of weak leadership on morale and sanity. Costa reaches a point where he has become almost as unglued as Cooney, and Palance's performance here is so powerful and intense that YES, it should have received Oscar attention, but again, it just isn't the message or the type of film on which the system likes to shine a light.That's a shame, but today it doesn't matter, it's a great film to enjoy and to watch this collection of fabulous actors who all became much better known in the 60s and 70s than they were at the time. I would guess they were all unknown (except maybe Palance, 'Shane','The big knife')to most people in 1956, as was Aldrich, though he had made 'Kiss me deadly' the year before. I think this may be his most engrossing film, it's tight, action-packed, extremely well acted...and it stuck with me afterward, made me think...high praise indeed.

Above average war film with Jack Palance's snarling ferocity as a revengeful officer along with Eddie Albert as a coward captain ,both of whom give excellent performances along with the remaining cast . 1944 , Belgium , Battle of Bugle , during the closing days of WWII, a National Guard Infantry Company is assigned the task of setting up artillery observation posts in a strategic area . Lieutenant Costa (splendid Jack Palance as platoon leader) knows that Cooney (Eddie Albert ,in real life he served in WW II, was a war hero, in one engagement having braved heavy enemy fire to rescue 70 wounded Marines) is in command only because of his friendship to a colonel (Lee Marvin) and other connections he had made with High-command . As captain Cooney is ordered to move one of his platoons into a forward position . They , then are slowly surrounded by a Nazi army . As Costa has serious doubts concerning Cooneys' ability to lead the group . Lt. Costa calls headquarters for reinforcements but Cooney won't commit his reserves even as the platoon is decimated , then Costa swears vendetta .This is a bitter war drama that packs thrills , chills , intense battle of wits among two officials and many other things . This has an anti-war argument , though not the usual 'war is hell,' but the terribly corrupting influence that war can have on the most normal, average human beings , and the terrible things it makes them capable of that they wouldn't be capable of otherwise . Interesting picture with excellent screenplay by James Poe based on a play titled "Fragile Fox" by Norman Brooks , dealing with an expert portrayal of men in war under pressure . It is a war movie as frankly good that when it was shown as the Venice Festival a U.S. ambassador walked in protest for its un-Americanism and anti-patriotism , in fact , US Department of Defense and the US Army refused to assist with the production of this movie based on its film script . After reading the script, the military flatly refused to allow any co-operation with the production , that meant no tanks, no uniforms, no troops ; they didn't even allow director to view any Signal Corps footage . However Aldrich managed to rent two tanks ; by careful staging and ingenuity, he was able to convey the impression that many more were being used . Very good acting from Jack Palance who dominates the picture with a tremendously acting , though sometimes overacting , and Eddie Albert as cowardly captain Cooney who refuses to re-enforce him . Two of the lead cast in this Robert Aldrich war film of the Second World War, Richard Jaeckel and Lee Marvin, would go onto appear in the same director's later hugely successful World War II war movie, ¨Dirty Dozen¨ . Actors Jack Palance and Lee Marvin were veterans of World War II as were Peter van Eyck and Eddie Albert . Feature film movie debut for actor William Smithers portraying Lieutenant Harold 'Harry' Woodruff , Smithers prior to this role had only worked in television. Spectacular combats and fights , battle sequences were filmed on the back-lot of two studios: The RKO-Pathé Studios back-lot and the Universal Studios back-lot. Appropriate and evocative musical score by Frank De Vol , Aldrich's usual . Adequate and atmospheric cinematography in black and white by Joseph Biroc . Well made on the RKO lot in only 35 days for a minimal budget of $750,000 . The motion picture was stunningly realized by Robert Aldrich who gave a tense and brilliant direction . Aldrich began writing and directing for TV series in the early 1950s, and directed his first feature in 1953 (Big Leaguer ,1953). Soon thereafter he established his own production company and produced most of his own films , collaborating in the writing of many of them . Directed a considerable plethora of genres but almost all of his films contained a subversive undertone . He was an expert on warlike genre (Dirty Dozen , The Angry Hills , Ten seconds to hell) and Western (The Frisko kid , Ulzana's raid, Apache , Veracruz , The last sunset) . Rating : Above average , it's a must see and a standout in its genre .

Attack is directed by Robert Aldrich and adapted to screenplay by James Poe from the play, Fragile Fox, written by Norman Brooks. It stars Jack Palance, Eddie Albert, Lee Marvin, William Smithers, Robert Strauss and Buddy Ebsen. Music is by Frank De Voll and cinematography by Joseph F. Biroc.Europe 1944, Battle of the Bulge, and an American G.I. company not only have to contend with the German forces, but also with their own cowardly Captain.Tough as nails and dripping with cynicism, Robert Aldrich's Attack falls into a small group of excellent war movies that exude a grim realism. The material to hand doesn't pull it's punches as it features heroic men captained by a coward (Albert as Erskine Cooney), whose cowardice is ignored by their superiors on account of his father's political pull. That it dared to suggest such a scenario ticked off the military to the degree they refused to give any aid to the production, meaning Aldrich had to make his movie on a minimal budget and with only a handful of military equipment he was able to rent or buy himself. This fact makes the finished product all the more remarkable, with Aldrich crafting a film of narrative potency that's punctured with periods of violence.Starkly shot in black and white by ace cinematographer Biroc, film always feels claustrophobic, suitably edgy and bleak. Yet there is big heroic characters within the story, real men front and centre to the horrors of war. The military's refusal to aid the film seems daft, men such as Lt. Costa (Palance) and Lt. Woodruf (Smithers) are men to be proud of, that they stand against cowardice and the political manipulations of Lt. Col. Clyde Bartlett (Marvin) is note worthy and to be applauded. Would the might of the military rather the public be ignorant to the corruption of power? Attack depicts men of war as human beings reacting to said war, no soft soaping, differing responses are portrayed. This is no perfect world where thousands of personal are driven by a collective will, Attack calls it that there are bad eggs in every organisation, and it makes for a riveting viewing experience.Packed with powerful performances and directed with a keen and clinical eye, Attack is a bold and brilliant movie that still packs a punch even today. 9/10