The Bridges at Toko-Ri

William Holden, Grace Kelly (oh so briefly), Frederic March and Mickey Rooney star in this James Michener-adapted Korean War drama about a Navy jet fighter (Holden) who flies in the face of his doubts and fears on a dangerous behind-the-lines bombing mission. While credit is due to Paramount for mounting this 'maybe war is hell after all' flick in the not so distant wake of the Korean War, despite voiced reservations throughout, the film still plays more like one of John Ford's wartime call-to-arms efforts than any "Johnny Got His [Rear Machine] Gun." Those seeking a wartime actioner will be doubly disappointed, for the orchestrated raids on those eponymous bridges, despite the film's 1956 Best Special Effects Oscar, take up scant screen time. An optional purchase, if only for the dearth of Korean War-based films. (S. C. Sickles)