MovieChat Forums > Pork Chop Hill (1959) Discussion > Good story, but actors too old to be inf...

Good story, but actors too old to be infantrymen...

posted 14 years ago by alexisdetroit
9 replies | jump to latest

I've seen Pork Chop Hill many times and I have read the S.L.A. Marshall book that the movie is based on. The is a great story and a fine treatment of the battle by the movie.

But if you look at the faces and the bios of the actors, they are far too old to have been infantrymen in Korea. I give Gregory Peck some slack as he was fine, as always, in his role. But at age 43 in 1959 when the film was released, he would be too old to be 1st lieutenant. (Was his character Joe Clemons serving as "acting company commander" in the story? Even so, an infantry company commander, a captain, would not likely be over age 30 unless he was a so-called "mustang officer."

Most of the junior enlisted men were also too old in the movie face and bio wise. I base this take from having been a Marine infantryman in Vietnam in 1968, and also from extensive reading on WWII, Korea, Vietnam, and other wars.

I am not one to let a few details or errors ruin a good story, be it in print or on film. I give Pork Chop Hill a B minus, which is a good movie grade on my scorecard.

Compare the faces and bios of the actors in Oliver Stone's "Platoon" and how much more realistic they appear age wise as compared to Pork Chop Hill. I suspect that the producers in 1959 did not want to go with a cast of largely unknown actors as "Platoon" did.

[–] jgroub 14 years ago

I made the same comment about Kelly's Heroes and got stomped on. I agree with you. But then again, 50 years later, it is fun to watch this and go, "Hey, I know that guy!"

I asked the doctor to take your picture so I can look at you from inside as well.

[–] bradford-1 14 years ago

At the time of its release, how well known were Bradford Dillman, Harry Guardino and George Peppard? Also, it's Martin Landau's movie debut. I guess some viewers would've recognized him from TV, but this predates "Mission:Impossible."

[–] georgegauthier 14 years ago

You are definitely right that the actors are much too old. Gregory Peck was 43 year old lieutenant. Ten years earlier, in Twelve O'clock High, released in 1949, he had played a brigadier general. Then in 1959 he played a lowly lieutenant. Almost all the other actors were much too old for their roles.
I too am a combat veteran, having fought in Vietnam and Cambodia. Only our two first sergeants were as old as the actors in the movie.

[–] nickm2 14 years ago

The only guy who seemed young enough to be the right age was Robert Blake; he LOOKED like he was 15 years old in this film-according to his bio he was born 1933 so he was 25-ish;

NM

[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] mdonln 9 years ago

alexis detroit says But if you look at the faces and the bios of the actors, they are far too old to have been infantrymen in Korea.

1. What you're saying is good Trivia info but I don't really think the actors' ages made any difference in the movie.

2. This is a movie. What you're saying is similar to saying their weapons didn't shoot live ammo. Good to know but that wasn't the point of the movie. If you're noticing their ages, you were focusing on the wrong thing.

3. Clemons kept saying his men were tired, hungry, etc. Hiring a bunch of fresh-faced actors would have required some extra makeup to make them look like they had been through an ordeal and not just arriving fresh off the boat.

4. The actors in the movie, whatever their ages, were, at this point in their career, young, up and coming actors. The movie industry is a business. To make the most of their investment, actors had to be versatile enough to play a range of ages and characters. They didn't necessarily run out and hire new actors for each new project.

5. War movies are not necessarily my favorite genre but I watched this one because I heard it was a true story. I thought it was a good movie. I could understand the criticism if the movie had failed to tell the story but I think it turned out well. I felt I understood what they went through and got a glimpse of the 'bureaucratic' side of war.

Woman, man! That's the way it should be Tarzan. [Tarzan and his mate]

[–] oldgoatee 8 years ago

All I could find on Joseph Clemons was that he was a graduate of West Point class of 1951. You have to be between 17 and 22 to enroll at the USMA, it's a four year college but you are allowed an additional year for medical or academic reasons. So Clemons was between 22 and 29 in 1953. That being said, and if I were a 30 something career soldier when they made this movie, I would be happy to have someone of the stature and integrity of Gregory Peck playing my part. Not that my military service was noteworthy but if it were and Hollywood wanted George Clooney in my role I would acquiesce even though our politics are diametrically opposite, because I think Clooney brings integrity to his roles

[–] Bruce7 7 years ago

It would be interesting to know, how many Combat Veterans of any War, knew of or had a Lt who was in his 40's.

Can you fly this plane?
Surely u cant be serious
I am serious,and dont call me Shirley

[–] [deleted] 2 years ago

i thought the age thing was off as well.