“Battle Circus” is a Korean War movie released in
1953. It was written and directed by
Richard Brooks (“Take the High Ground”).
The movie is about a MASH unit and was originally entitled “MASH
66”. The studio worried people would
think it was about potatoes. Instead a
title was developed that reflected the circus atmosphere and tents of a Mobile
Hospital. The technical adviser had
operated a MASH unit in Korea so the operation was accurate. Humphrey Bogart was paid $250,000, but that
princely sum did not keep him from regretting making the film. The fact that he burned his thumb during a
scene where he destroys papers before a retreat did not increase his
enthusiasm. The scene was left in the
film. At least he got decent reviews. His co-star June Allyson was lambasted by the
press. So much for broadening her resume
beyond “the girl next door”.
“Battle Circus” is a “story about the indominable
human spirit…” It is set in an
unspecified part of the Korean War, but based on the constant bugging out it
would seem to be the first year. The set
looks like a MASH unit. In other words,
you’ll recognize “MASH” the movie and TV show.
There are the iconic tents and the helicopters bringing in the wounded
(the movie was partly filmed at Camp Pickett, Virginia where the MASH units
were trained). We are introduced to the
dangers of military medical care through a ridiculous strafing attack on the
unit. Using actual footage – of a USAF
F-86! Apparently the director did not give a crap about our intelligence
level. By the way, I would be surprised
if there were any MIG strafings of hospitals in the entire war.
 |
| June finds out her make-up kit was left behind |
A cherry nurse arrives named Ruth (Allyson). The hard drinking surgeon Maj. Webbe (Bogart)
takes an immediate lusting for her. They
immediately begin the Hollywood process of hooking up. This involves embarrassing pick-up lines by
Webbe that would have Hawkeye Pierce gagging.
Plus Webbe is about as subtle as a kick in the stomach. Ruth is very protective of her female virtue
– for about five minutes. That’s how
long it takes the wolf in scrubs to get her to lower her surgical mask. Soon she is the aggressor and madly (as in
insanely) in love with him.
It’s not all love in war. Webbe saves a little Korean boys life by
performing open heart surgery. He is an
ace surgeon and an ace drunk. His
drinking gets him in trouble with his superior.
In the obligatory carpet calling confrontation, Webbe makes a bizarrely
contemporary comment about the “three world wars in our lifetime”. How did I miss one? I assume the screenwriters are referring to the Cold War as WWIII, but I thought that was only a recent bit of historical revisionism.
 |
| looks just like a real war photo, doesn't it? |
Allyson gets to show off her serious acting chops (or
lack thereof) in a silly scene where she talks down an enemy prisoner welding a
grenade during an operation. There are
no subtitles but I’m pretty sure he is upset with the romance. It appears that this naïve newbie has
developed into a battle-hardened caregiver.
The movie closes with one last bug-out as the unit has to escape through
enemy lines under artillery fire. The
nurses get separated from the doctors. I
mean Bogart gets separated from Allyson.
Will they have a loving reunion?
You’ll have to watch the movie.
 |
| listen kid, I can get my make-up guy to make you look like you're in a war,too |
This is a strange movie. It is part sappy romance and part realistic
depiction of the workings of a MASH unit.
The look of the unit is real and the activities seem authentic. The bug-outs are appropriate for that stage
of the war. The use of helicopters is
well done. All this effort is diluted by
the romance half. It would be like MASH
bombing in the comedy sphere. The two
leads have little chemistry. Bogart
looks too old for the role. Their
dialogue is cringe-worthy. No couple
talks like that in real life. Plus the
arc of the romance defies reality. Ruth
goes from skeptical to stalking in the bat of an eyelash. Of course, the actors are not helped by the
script. There is a painful scene where
they wallow in a mud puddle. Hilarious
not. This is the only time in the film
that Allyson is not well-dressed, well-made up, amd well-coiffed. At least the doctors sweat a little in the
operating room.
In spite of my carping, the movie is not that
bad. Aside from the elephantine cliché
of a romance, the movie has some interesting twists. The enemy is not demonized. The movie is nurse-centric as oppsed to concentrating
on the male doctors. The film does a
good job commemorating the role of the MASH units.
Classic or antique?
Neither.
grade =
C
