Fixed Bayonets!

1/13/2017

There's nothing dirtier than a rearguard action! Fixed bayonets! is directed by Sam Fuller and Fuller writes the screenplay which is based around a novel by John Brophy. It stars Richard Basehart, Gene Evans, Michael O'Shea, Richard Hylton, Craig Hill and Skip Homeier. Music is by Roy Webb and cinematography by Lucien Ballard. The Korean War, and a platoon of GIs are tasked with diverting the enemy to allow the command units time to regroup and prepare for a counter attack. "Somebody's got to get left behind, get their bayonets wet. It's tough picking out an outfit, but it's got to be picked" Samuel Fuller was a real life infantryman combat veteran of WWII, so any time he chose to direct a war film it was time to sit up and take notice, Fixed bayonets! finds him in prime fo

3/9/2026

“Denno” (Richard Basehart) is no coward as he and his platoon navigate the perils of the Korean War, but he has no desire to rise above his current rank and take command. With plenty of stripes above him as they embark on their latest mission, that ought not to be a problem but when they are asked to provide a rearguard action defending a narrow pass from an exposed overlooking cave high amidst the snowy hills, he and his four dozen colleagues face quite a challenge against an overwhelmingly superior advancing force. Now, perhaps Samuel Fuller had just a little bit of the propagandist at the back of his mind as he framed this, for ultimate jeopardy there simply isn’t. What there are, though, are a series of very personable characterisations from Basehart, Gene Evans as his boss “Sgt. Rock”