Memorable, crazy movie

Good concept, poorly executed.

A Masterpiece!

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

I watched this movie on commercial late-night TV when I was 17 (in 1969). I am sure I then missed most of what was there to be gleaned, however, the soundtrack was compelling.The movie is something of a preview of coming events (not unlike "The Sand Pebbles") with respect to our involvement in Vietnam. I cannot understand how intelligent people could overlook the problems occasioned by fighting a war in a culture so different from our own.The grist of the movie is how power impacts people and that it is not likely that the first time it is granted, the recipient will be ready. I thought Stewart did an excellent job of articulating his conflict, and regrets, over his use of power, and the female lead's character seemed a little unsympathetic to a man who was genuinely conflicted.The movie leaves me with a trace of melancholy. In 1960, when it was released, there was still time to avoid the all but unfathomable foreign policy blunders of the late '60s. Vietnam impacted the thinking of much of the baby boom generation, and not for the better. It leaves me thinking that the war was fought mostly to satisfy the Joint Chiefs (after Cuba was off limits) and to generate huge amounts of cash for the defense industry.

Major Baldwin (Stewart) has his first command in East China when he is put in charge of a demolition squad with orders to evacuate once a base has been destroyed to prevent its capture by the advancing Japanese. Along the way he discovers the power associated with command and the abuse temptation offers along with such power. He also encounters some unexpected romance when the widow of a Chinese general in need of evacuation joins his squad.Unfortunately, as the group never comes into contact with the Japanese and is never in serious danger, we don't feel a lot of tension. Whatever threat there is comes from the Chinese themselves, from mobs of starving peasants to bands of wayward deserting marauders.The most interesting feature of the film deals with the difference of customs. The pomp and ceremony important to Chinese is alien to the Americans just wanting to get down to the business at hand. Looking from different points of view, each side views the other as somewhat barbarous and inhumane and as a result never quite reach the level of friendship each would have.Although Jerome Morass provides a spirited music score, it doesn't quite fit in with the action, or rather the lack of it. With an exception or two, the events on the screen just never generate much pathos, resulting in a not so poignant anti-war film.Stewart, as always, is worth watching, Lisa Lu has charm, and Harry Morgan gives a preview of what would become his Colonel Potter M*A*S*H* character.

Enjoyed this film which was shown on TCM and I was very surprised to see that James Stewart, (Major Baldwin) starred in this film which is about a unit of American Engineers who were a demolition crew out to destroy a Chinese stockpile of weapons. These men had to travel on one mountain road which had plenty of these stockpiles to destroy in order to make certain the Japanese did not obtain any of these weapons. Major Baldwin runs into all kinds of problems, like a young Chinese woman named, Madame Sue-Mei Hung, (Lisa Lu) who was the wife of a Chinese General and he wanted her to travel with these American soldiers in order to secure her safety. Men get sick and there are many Chinese people who do not want the Americans blowing up this stockpile of weapons, as they can use them as a bargaining tool in order to secure food and shelter. There is even some romance going on between Madame Sue and Major Baldwin as he finds out her general husband was killed. Harry Morgan, (Sgt. Michaelson) gave a great supporting role along with Lisa Lu as the only woman in the picture. This film clearly points out the difficult problems that existed between American and Chinese relations during World War II. Great film to view, it is rather long and draw out, but we have to consider this film is from 1960.

The Mountain Road is the story of an American Enginers destroying military stockpile ahead of a Japanese advance in late World War II. The corrupted Chinese Warlords refused to equip their men for the fight against the Japaneses and wanted to hoard so they could profit from the sale of gasoline and military supplies. One of the themes of the movie is the cultural clash between Americans and Chineses. One of the major difference between the two was the value of human life. I wish that this movie was available on DVD or VHS tape as I would like to have it for my collection. It is well worth while seeing to see one aspect of World War II in China.