Suicide Battalion
- February 28, 1958 (1958-02-28) (US[1])
Suicide Battalion is a 1958 World War II film directed by Edward L. Cahn and starring Mike Connors and John Ashley, who made the film while on leave from the United States Army. In 1968, it was remade for television by Larry Buchanan as Hell Raiders, which was the film's original working title.[1][3]
American International Pictures originally released it as a double feature with Jet Attack.[4]
Plot
The story takes place during World War II in the Philippines. A group of American soldiers are recruited for a dangerous mission to destroy an enemy base and keep strategic documents out of the reach of the invading Imperial Japanese Army.
Cast
- Mike Connors as Major Matt McCormack
- John Ashley as Pvt. Tommy Novello
- Jewell Lain as Elizabeth Ann Mason
- Russ Bender as Sgt. Harry Donovan
- Bing Russell as Lt. Chet Hall
- Scott Peters as Pvt. Wally Zagorsky
- Walter Maslow as Pvt. Marty Green
- John McNamara as Colonel Craig
- Clifford Kawada as Colonel Hiosho
- Bob Tetrick as Pvt Bill
- Marjorie Stapp as Beverly
- Jan Englund as Annette
- Isabel Cooley as Julie
- Hilo Hattie as Mama Lily
- Sammee Tong as Papa Lily
- Art Gilmore as Captain Hendry
- Jackie Joseph as Cho-Cho
Production
The film was an original story by Lou Rusoff reportedly based on the capture of General William Dean during the Korean War. It was announced for production in November 1955 as Hell Raiders. It was to star Lance Fuller who had made Apache Woman for producer Alex Gordon and had signed a ten-film deal with AIP (or ARC as it was then known), to make two films a year for five years. Filming was to begin January 1956.[5]
Filming was pushed back and Fuller did not make the movie. In April 1956 AIP announced that Richard Denning would star and that Edward L. Cahn would direct.[6] Denning ended up not appearing in the film either, which was not made until late 1957.
Filming began on 12 November 1957.[7] Star John Ashley was doing a six-month stint in the army at the time. The producers got him an early release to make the movie.[8] Ashley later had a noted association with filmmaking in the Philippines.[9]
Reception
"A very poor man's half-Naked half-dead" wrote the Los Angeles Times. "The good basic idea is hopelessly messed up with tritisms."[10] Jackie Joseph called it "this B minus war movie."[11]
See also
References
- ^ a b c AIF Database: Suicide Battalion Linked 2014-06-24
- ^ Lamont, John (1990). "The John Ashley Filmography". Trash Compactor (Volume 2 No. 5 ed.). p. 26.
- ^ Scheuer, Philip K. (Nov 28, 1955). "Drama: Betta St. John Beguiles Tarzan; Hayden Bedded; Actor Set for Five Years". Los Angeles Times. p. A11.
- ^ "SUICIDE BATTALION". Monthly Film Bulletin. Vol. 25. 1958. p. 78. ProQuest 1305819789.
- ^ Scheuer, P. K. (Nov 28, 1955). "Drama". Los Angeles Times. ProQuest 166867337.
- ^ Schallert, E. (Apr 11, 1956). "Drama". Los Angeles Times. ProQuest 166927373.
- ^ Schallert, E. (Nov 6, 1957). "Unique shaw play slated". Los Angeles Times. ProQuest 167138746.
- ^ Schallert, Edwin (Oct 23, 1957). "George Pal to Delve Into Space Again; Akim Tamiroff Aids 'Colonel'". Los Angeles Times. p. B11.
- ^ Vagg, Stephen (December 2019). "A Hell of a Life: The Nine Lives of John Ashley". Diabolique Magazine.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Stinson, C. (Mar 20, 1958). "War films lacking realism". Los Angeles Times. ProQuest 167237389.
- ^ Weaver, Tom (2004). Science Fiction and Fantasy Film Flashbacks: Conversations with 24 Actors, Writers, Producers and Directors from the Golden Age. McFarland. p. 190. ISBN 9780786420704.
External links
- Suicide Battalion at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films
- Suicide Battalion at IMDb
- Suicide Battalion at the TCM Movie Database
- Suicide Battalion at BFI
- Suicide Battalion at Letterbox DVD
- Review of film at Harrison Reports
- Review of film at Variety
- v
- t
- e
- The Homicide Squad (1931)
- Law and Order (1932)
- Radio Patrol (1932)
- Afraid to Talk (1932)
- Emergency Call (1933)
- Laughter in Hell (1933)
- Death Drives Through (1935)
- Confidential (1935)
- Bad Guy (1937)
- Redhead (1941)
- The Omaha Trail (1942, uncredited)
- Main Street After Dark (1945)
- Dangerous Partners (1945)
- Born to Speed (1947)
- The Gas House Kids "in Hollywood" (1947)
- The Checkered Coat (1948)
- I Cheated the Law (1949)
- Prejudice (1949)
- The Great Plane Robbery (1950)
- Destination Murder (1950)
- Experiment Alcatraz (1950)
- Two-Dollar Bettor (1951)
- Creature with the Atom Brain (1955)
- Betrayed Women (1955)
- Silent Fear (1956)
- Girls in Prison (1956)
- The She Creature (1956)
- Shake, Rattle & Rock! (1956)
- Runaway Daughters (1956)
- Flesh and the Spur (1957)
- Voodoo Woman (1957)
- Zombies of Mora Tau (1957)
- Dragstrip Girl (1957)
- Motorcycle Gang (1957)
- Invasion of the Saucer Men (1957)
- Jet Attack (1958)
- Suicide Battalion (1958)
- Curse of the Faceless Man (1958)
- It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958)
- Hong Kong Confidential (1958)
- The Four Skulls of Jonathan Drake (1959)
- Guns, Girls and Gangsters (1959)
- Inside the Mafia (1959)
- Invisible Invaders (1959)
- Pier 5, Havana (1959)
- Riot in Juvenile Prison (1959)
- A Dog's Best Friend (1959)
- Vice Raid (1960)
- Cage of Evil (1960)
- Gunfighters of Abilene (1960)
- The Music Box Kid (1960)
- Noose for a Gunman (1960)
- Oklahoma Territory (1960)
- Three Came to Kill (1960)
- Twelve Hours to Kill (1960)
- The Walking Target (1960)
- Boy Who Caught a Crook (1961)
- Frontier Uprising (1961)
- Five Guns to Tombstone (1961)
- Police Dog Story (1961)
- Operation Bottleneck (1961)
- Gun Fight (1961)
- The Gambler Wore a Gun (1961)
- When the Clock Strikes (1961)
- You Have to Run Fast (1961)
- Secret of Deep Harbor (1961)
- Gun Street (1962)
- The Clown and the Kid (1962)
- Incident in an Alley (1962)
- Beauty and the Beast (1962)