Battle Taxi ** (1955, Sterling Hayden, Arthur Franz, Marshall Thompson) – Classic Movie Review 12,826

Director Herbert L Strock’s 1955 war film Battle Taxi stars Sterling Hayden, Arthur Franz, and Marshall Thompson. It sets out to show how important helicopter rescue team work is in the Korean War.

Captain Russ Edwards (Sterling Hayden), the commander of an Air Rescue helicopter team, has his troubles with former jet pilot Lieutenant Pete Stacy (Arthur Franz), in this plodding tale of America’s chopper rescue service in the Korean War.

Unsurprisingly there are lots of helicopter airlifts with good aerial filming courtesy America’s Defense Department, but churlishly you soon start to wish that they would fail, in order to bring some narrative suspense and tension to the film.

The need for the official approval, the lack of plot, and not much commendable acting combine to sink it, apart from Hayden, who gives sterling service in the lead.

Also in the cast are Led Needham, Jay Barney, John Goddard, Robert Sherman, Joel Marston, John Dennis, Dale Hutchinson, and Andy Andrews.

Captain Vincent H McGovern, who plays co-pilot Harry, is also the film’s technical advisor.

The film was made by Ivan Tors Productions and released by United Artists on 26 January 1955.

Battle Taxi is directed by Herbert L Strock, runs 82 minutes, is made by Ivan Tors Productions, is released by United Artists, United Artists, is written by Malvin Wald, based on a Story by Art Arthur Malvin Wald, is shot in black and white by Lathrop B Worth, is produced by Ivan Tors, and is scored by Harry Sukman.

© Derek Winnert 2024 – Classic Movie Review 12,826

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