BATTLE HYMN

US, 1958, 108 minutes, Colour.
Rock Hudson, Martha Hyer, Anna Kashfi, Dan Duryea, Don Defore, James Edwards, Jock Mahoney, Alan Hale Jr.
Directed by Douglas Sirk.

One of many films made by Douglas Sirk with Rock Hudson in the mid-fifties, Magnificent Obsession, All that Heaven Allows, Written on the Wind. This is a Korean war film - with a difference because it treats of Dean Hess, a World War II pilot who became a preacher and re-enlisted for service in the Korean war.

The film has a religious background. It also has strong sentimental value because it presents a noble man, his relationship with his wife, his decisions about training Koreans and the clashes with his "worldly" friends, and his interest in helping Korean orphans.

Douglas Sirk has a strong reputation in America and France for his straightforward emotional storytelling especially in so many soap operas of the fifties. Battle Hymn would typify so many of the American conventions of heroism, American patriotism, sentiment and feeling and values. The score is of this nature as well and reinforces the feelings.

1. How enjoyable a film? American sentiment and feeling, the experience of war, the Korean war and American heroism and involvement? The criticism of war?

2. The use of Cinemascope and colour, the Korean atmosphere, the presentation of the battles? The air attacks? The score and its sentiment? The working in of American songs and patriotic music? (The significance of the title and the Battle Hymn of the Republic?) The film as a Rock Hudson vehicle and his style and appeal?

3. Korea and the view of the war in the fifties, American involvement, motives, the conduct of the war, patriotism, fighting, deaths? The introduction to the film and the explanation of Dean Hess's impact on his fellows? The dedication at the end?

4. Dean Hess and his memories of World War II, the stuck bomb and its dropping on the orphanage, his visiting the orphanage and the comments made about the orphan's death, his sense of failure as a preacher? his decision to re-enlist, the moment of decision on the hill, before going out to the service, his explanation to his wife? How credible an experience of such a man to make such decisions?

5. His arrival in Korea, his tough attitude and takeover, a man getting on with the job, Skidmore and the preparations for Hess's reputation and his shock, the skill in training the Korean pilots, his involvement in the war but not wanting to fight, his having to fight and kill in order to save?

6. The background of the orphans and their presence around the camp, their being in danger of being killed, their need for food, the Thanksgiving meal? Miss Yano, and her care for the children, the old man and his wisdom? The setting up of the temple area for the orphans? The humour of Herman's robbing supplies for the children? The happiness in the temple, the singing and dancing of the children? Hess's reparation for his killing of the orphans? Maples and his experience of strafing the children and his making reparation? The need for the orphans to be on the move, Miss Yang's death, Hess's saving so many children and getting them to safety? The orphanage at the end and the dedication?

7. Herman as Hess's assistant, roustabout, the ironical military touch to the proceedings? Skidmore and his criticisms, his jibes at Hess's being a preacher, his being guided in by Hess and the final prayer? The other men and their reaction to Hess, collaboration, the officials and their support?

8. The action in the air, the destruction of the convoy, Maples and his killing of the children? His grief, his talk to Hess and its effect on Hess's attitude?

9. Mary, her pregnancy, the letters, the phone call and Hess's reassuring her that he had understood why he was in Korea? Her presence at the end?

10. Miss Yang, her presence and her beauty, care for the children, her background, her story about the pines, her death for the child?

11. Themes of war and anti-war?

12. The presentation of human relationships - sentiment and feeling? A film of American sentiment and conventions? The fifties, now?