"Fixed Bayonets!" - 1951 - (Korean Stuarts)

Discussion in 'Books, Films, TV, Radio' started by phylo_roadking, Sep 5, 2010.

  1. phylo_roadking

    phylo_roadking Very Senior Member

    Can anyone tell me, did the producers of this Korean War movie in 1951 mean to use a M5 Stuart tank in the last scenes, or was it just done because it wouldn't be TOO familiar to audiences...

    I'm asking, because JUST after watching it again recently, I became aware of the period Chinese TM-1 Stuart copy! 8O It's possible that the film became even MORE realistic than the makers ever intended!
     
  2. Groundhugger

    Groundhugger Senior Member

    Hi PR
    Probably because it was such an odd looking Machine and Available 'cheap' , I dont think there were many T34's lying around in the 50's , after all it's 'Entertainment' , so they left it to the audience to enjoy the plot . It's just one of the many 'howlers' that crop up in films now and again !
     
  3. phylo_roadking

    phylo_roadking Very Senior Member

    That's what I meant - strange how a "howler" might actually have come good in the end! ;)
     
  4. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    Just had a shufti on 'Tanks!', and that has a reference to 48 Lend-lease Stuarts (M3 & M5) going to China:
    China

    I'm sure the PLA had some 'inherited' from the nationalists? Don't know of those machine's service in Korea though, if any.

    The copying's interesting, as one could conceivably see certain regimes, while still establishing themselves, saying 'look at the glorious peoples tanks, made in the mighty factories of our beloved Chairman'... while in fact painting up some that were kindly sent over by those naughty capitalists a few years back.

    Pure speculation though, and I assume you have more on these Chinese copies? I'd certainly be interested.



    (What was the Stuart doing during it's appearance in the film by the way? Any clips on Youtube maybe?)
     
  5. phylo_roadking

    phylo_roadking Very Senior Member

    Just that there's a TM-1 "Exploit" in the People's Liberation Museum in Beijing, "Just up the road from the Forbidden City and Tiannamen Square".

    (What was the Stuart doing during it's appearance in the film by the way? Any clips on Youtube maybe?)


    At the end of the film, when the rearguard has held past its time limit and command has devolved upon Richard Basehart, the "big attack" goes in and the defenders blow an approaching one up in the narrow pass behind them, allowing them to retreat and rejoin the main force.
     

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