Hold Back the Night
Encyclopedia
Hold Back the Night is a 1956
Korean War
war film
based on the 1951 novel by Pat Frank, who had been a war correspondent
in Korea. The film was directed by Allan Dwan
; his third film with John Payne
.
s of a bottle of Scotch
carried by a World War II and Korean War Marine, Captain Sam MacKenzie.
at the Mountain Warfare Training Center
at Pickel Meadows, California that recreated the events of the Battle of Chosin Reservoir
.
Allied Artists originally approached the Marine Corps for assistance after the book's initial release. The Corps turned down cooperation with the producers as they felt the film was too close to the recently filmed Retreat, Hell!
. Though Allied Artists contemplated rewriting the film to involve the US Army, they shelved the film for a few years with the Corps cooperating. Sequences of the film were also shot at Bronson Canyon
with artificial snow.
1956 in film
The year 1956 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* October 5 - The Ten Commandments opens in cinemas and becomes one of the most successful and popular movies of all time, currently ranking 5th on the list of all time moneymakers * February 5 - First showing of documentary films by...
Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
war film
War film
War films are a film genre concerned with warfare, usually about naval, air or land battles, sometimes focusing instead on prisoners of war, covert operations, military training or other related subjects. At times war films focus on daily military or civilian life in wartime without depicting battles...
based on the 1951 novel by Pat Frank, who had been a war correspondent
War correspondent
A war correspondent is a journalist who covers stories firsthand from a war zone. In the 19th century they were also called Special Correspondents.-Methods:...
in Korea. The film was directed by Allan Dwan
Allan Dwan
Allan Dwan was a pioneering Canadian-born American motion picture director, producer and screenwriter.-Early life:...
; his third film with John Payne
John Payne (actor)
John Payne was an American film actor who is mainly remembered as a singer in 20th Century Fox musical films, and for his leading roles in Miracle on 34th Street and the NBC western television series The Restless Gun.-Background:Payne was born in Roanoke, Virginia...
.
Plot
The film tells the story in flashbackFlashback (narrative)
Flashback is an interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current point the story has reached. Flashbacks are often used to recount events that happened before the story’s primary sequence of events or to fill in crucial backstory...
s of a bottle of Scotch
Scotch whisky
Scotch whisky is whisky made in Scotland.Scotch whisky is divided into five distinct categories: Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Single Grain Scotch Whisky, Blended Malt Scotch Whisky , Blended Grain Scotch Whisky, and Blended Scotch Whisky.All Scotch whisky must be aged in oak barrels for at least three...
carried by a World War II and Korean War Marine, Captain Sam MacKenzie.
Production
The film was shot with the cooperation of the United States Marine CorpsUnited States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
at the Mountain Warfare Training Center
Mountain Warfare Training Center
The Mountain Warfare Training Center is a United States Marine Corps installation located in Pickel Meadows on California State Route 108 in the Toiyabe National Forest, 21 miles northwest of Bridgeport, California...
at Pickel Meadows, California that recreated the events of the Battle of Chosin Reservoir
Battle of Chosin Reservoir
The Battle of Chosin Reservoir, also known as the Chosin Reservoir Campaign or the Changjin Lake Campaign ,Official Chinese sources refer to this battle as the Second Phase Campaign Eastern Sector . The Western Sector is the Battle of the Ch'ongch'on River. was a decisive battle in the Korean War...
.
Allied Artists originally approached the Marine Corps for assistance after the book's initial release. The Corps turned down cooperation with the producers as they felt the film was too close to the recently filmed Retreat, Hell!
Retreat, Hell!
Retreat, Hell! is a 1952 American film about the 1st Marine Division in the Korean War directed by Joseph H. Lewis.-Plot:The film is the story of the putting together of a Marine Battalion sent to Korea who are gathered from various sources...
. Though Allied Artists contemplated rewriting the film to involve the US Army, they shelved the film for a few years with the Corps cooperating. Sequences of the film were also shot at Bronson Canyon
Bronson Canyon
Bronson Canyon, or Bronson Caves, is a section of Griffith Park in Los Angeles, California that has become famous as a filming location for a very large number of movies and TV shows, especially westerns and science fiction, from the early days of motion pictures to the present...
with artificial snow.