What is a filmmaker’s responsibility to the truth when making a glossy Hollywood adaptation of a real-life event? Does the need to entertain outweigh the importance of getting the truth out? The answer will be different from creative figure to creative figure, but director Douglas Sirk (All That Heaven Allows) had strong feelings on the topic. In his eyes, the entertainment value of the film was of paramount importance when constructing his narrative. This makes him something of an odd fit for the 1957 war melodrama Battle Hymn based on the life of United States Air Force fighter pilot Colonel Dean E. Hess. His stature as a hero is complicated, but the real-life Hess was a technical advisor on the film to ensure the adaptation did not stray too far from his autobiography. He won many battles with the studio and director, but even Hess could not prevent a classic Hollywood shine being applied to his story. Sirk was a man who knew what made a good story, and he was not going to let a little thing like the truth get in his way. The resulting film is fitfully entertaining, but it leaves you questioning what you are watching at every turn.
Colonel Hess (Rock Hudson, Giant) is a man with a heavy conscience. He has been living in Ohio as a small town minister for two years with his wife, Mary (Martha Hyer, Some Came Running). He is a pious man who attempts to inject some good into the world, partly because of his inherently virtuous nature and partly as an act of atonement. When he was a fighter pilot in Germany during World War II, Hess inadvertently perpetrated a terrible tragedy when one of his bombs jammed and released late only to connect with an orphanage killing 37 children. The military praises him for what they believe to be his killer instincts, but Hess will never look at himself the same way again. This is one of the most terrible experiences any one person can be connected to, but can a person such as Hess still continue on to a life that has meaning? When called to serve his country once more during the invasion of South Korea, he leaves Ohio behind to serve as an instructor to a new crop of pilots. The Air Force believes they are getting a real “fighter” to teach their men, but Hess was never that person.
It is in South Korea where Hess has a chance to strive for some form of redemption. As one of the top authority figures on the base, Hess shows compassion for some of the young orphaned Korean refugees that gather near the base. Rather than turn them away like many of his comrades wish, he orders them to be cared for and fed. Hudson exudes a gentle goodness as the troubled Hess. With the combination of Sirk in the director’s chair and Hess working on the film, there is not much room for the character to really wallow into the darkness of his guilt. There is a way for the character to have a more compelling redemptive arc, but the movie feels very concerned with providing Hess with one of the greatest “hero edits” that has been committed to film. At every turn, Hess is brushing up against forces that want him to indulge in his ferociousness, such as the wildcard Captain Skidmore (Don DeFore, It Happened on 5th Avenue), but he is resolute in his choice to be a good person to the point in which he is put in a position to save hundred of Korean children from encroaching North Korean forces. This film is being made to showcase the “Father of the Korean War Orphans.”
Sirk has done a fine job of crafting a classic Hollywood melodramatic war picture complete with thrilling battle sequences and a sweeping sense of scale. It just all feels a bit too manufactured to hit home as one of the greats. There is the inclusion of a young aid worker, En Soon Yang (Anna Kashfi), who develops unrequited feelings for Hess that enhances the drama of learning that Mary is expecting his child. The storyline is quite superfluous in the end, and it is made even more so by the fact that the real life inspiration for this character was twenty years older than Hess and did not experience the same outcome as En Soon Yang. It is not that the film needs to be beholden to history to work, but the history that is manufactured for the story does nothing to enhance the film in a meaningful way. The movie functions best when it is centered on Hess trying to battle his past and do good in this world, whether that is helping out a fellow traumatized pilot or saving scores of children from an early fate. The film also earns points for featuring many of the real-life orphans in the film playing a version of themselves, which adds some emotional impact. The movie is a fairly entertaining venture, but it gets a little less special the more you learn about it.
Video Quality
Battle Hymn makes its Blu-Ray debut courtesy of Kino Classics with a digital AVC encoded 1080p transfer that appears to be derived from a really solid older master that is in good shape. Instances of print damage such as nicks and intrusive lines occasionally pop up, but overall clarity and detail is excellent. The presentation is enjoyable throughout most of the runtime with image stability and delineation being handled well. The film does suffer a bit from being inconsistent with certain shots seeming like they are in rougher shape than the typically gorgeous image. This transfer maintains the natural film grain of the presentation with only minor instances of it seeming a bit thick. The cinematography by Russell Metty is notable for having some highlights that verge on being blown out and some black levels that envelop fine details. The picture can run a bit soft in long shots and in the optical dissolves, but colors are well saturated with the bright hues coming through. Skin tones are natural and consistent with subtle facial features easily noticeable in closeup. Black levels hold up well with very little in the way of crush. This presentation could have looked a bit better with a new master, but fans of the film will be pleased to see how well it looks.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray comes with a stellar DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that serves this film really well. The first thing you will notice is the grandiosity of the Frank Skinner score and the power of the wartime sound effects. Despite the strength of these elements, nothing ever overpowers the dialogue or other important information. Dialogue and background noises are represented in perfect harmony with all competing elements. This track shows no discernible age related wear and tear such as hissing or popping. All of the sound effects and explosions appear to be faithful to the intent of the filmmaker. There are also optional English (SDH) subtitles included for the feature film. You could not ask for better from Kino Classics.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Film Critic Nick Pinkerton offers up an informative commentary track that covers the film from a cinematic standpoint as well as its factual accuracy to real life. The story behind the film is almost as interesting as the film itself. There are many great anecdotes that are worth hearing for fans of Douglas Sirk.
- Trailers: A trailer for Battle Hymn is provided here. There are also trailers provided for A Farewell To Arms, The Tarnished Angels, All I Desire and Thunder On The Hill.
Final Thoughts
Battle Hymn really leans into the melodrama that is a staple of director Douglas Sirk. Rock Hudson is the perfect representation of a righteous man who is trying to make up for his haunting past. The film is well crafted on a technical level, but the script is a bit inconsistent with a fine layer of Hollywood gloss to make the story go down smooth. Kino Classics has released a pretty solid Blu-Ray disc with a good A/V presentation and a worthwhile commentary track. If you are a Sirk fans or appreciate a sanitized Hollywood war film, this should be a fairly entertaining venture for you.
Battle Hymn will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray on April 27, 2021.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Kino Classics has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
