best movie i've ever seen.

Admirable film.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Just as the book conveyed a theme of joining the war as a boy and leaving as a man, the movie did the same. I believe the main point of the movie was emphasized enough and the acting was convincing.How did the actor for Henry Fleming seem so comparable to a normal soldier? The movie had a great source to work from. The Red Badge of Courage book laid out the foundation for the movie to take place on. It was the genius in the author's descriptions which made the most memorable scenes of the movie possible. It is very unfortunate that the movie had little success on its initial release for it was very well done.One major flaw of the movie would be how irregularly short the film was, perhaps it was due to the to-the-point nature of the film. A minor acting flaw would be that some of the seemingly unconscious soldiers being carried were moving their legs as if they were still conscious.

The Red Badge of Courage is directed by John Huston who also co-adapts to screenplay with Albert Band from the novel of the same name written by Stephen Crane. It stars Audie Murphy, Bill Mauldin, Andy Devine, Robert Easton, Douglas Dick, Royal Dano, Arthur Hunnicutt and Tim Durant. Music is by Bronislau Kaper and cinematography by Harold Rosson. The American Civil War and Union soldiers head South to confront the Confederate army. Young Henry Fleming (Murphy) is ill prepared for the horrors of war, so when the crunch comes he retreats from the first battle he's faced with and has a life choice of either being known as a coward, or find something from within to make him strong enough to return to the front line. Nutshell History Of The Production. John Huston believed that this could have been his masterpiece, but an MGM power struggle saw the film butchered. A narration was insisted upon after poor test screenings, Huston washed his hands off the picture, while Lillian Ross produced a critically acclaimed book about the production. With no fanfare or bunting put out by the studio to promote the picture, the eventual 70 minute cut of the movie flopped as audiences didn't quite like the tonal flows of the piece. Over time, even in its truncated form of just under 70 minutes, pic has garnered praise to become something of a classic as it stands, while also being considered as a lost masterpiece due to the cut material apparently being lost forever. Beautifully photographed by Rosson, it's a film that has often been tagged as some sort of arty exercise. Yet it never once feels like it has ideas above its station, it quite simply is a very intimate and touching portrayal of Americans fighting Americans. It doesn't soft soap anything, deftly imbuing the narrative with the awfulness of the war and the effect on those wearing the uniforms. The period design is superb, the battle sequences crafted with great skill by Huston, and in Murphy the pic has a great fulcrum for youthful confusion acted with a skill that many still think he didn't have. Up close and personal, with raw emotional seeping from its pores, The Red Badge of Courage is a potent exercise in war film making. As Audie stands there at culmination of battle charge, holding in his hands the battered flags of both the Union and the Confederacy, the impact is quite something to behold. 8.5/10

MGM's Civil War epic THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE is a minor masterpiece! Unfortunately however the picture has a chequered history and had little success when it was first released in 1951. Based on the best selling novel by Stephen Crane it was beautifully written for the screen by John Huston who also directed with considerable flair and expertise. But the finished film suffered greatly in the editing stages. In Huston's absence ( he was in South Africa filming "The African Queen" ) the studio cut some 25 minutes from the movie resulting in a very truncated 69 minute version being released. Louis B.Mayer disliked the picture intensely because it didn't have a female in the cast and it was without any marquee names. Top billed was a young Audie Murphy, a minor player at the time who was just finding his way in pictures over at Universal International in the B western genre. That said there is still much to admire in the finished film. Particularly noteworthy is the stunning Monochrome cinematography of Harold Rossen and the splendid atmospheric and rousing score by Polish composer Bronislau Kaper.Stephen Crane referred to his novel as a 'psychological portrayal of fear' and that fear is clearly established almost immediately the film opens as we see the enlisted men of the Union army mustered in camp waiting for their marching orders to go into battle. One youthful private in particular Henry Fleming (Audie Murphy) is almost sick with fear and trepidation. Tears fill his eyes as he writes home what he thinks could be his last letter. Finally, the moment he dreaded arrives as the order comes for the division to move out up to the battlefield. Before long they are in the trenches holding back the advancing Confederate enemy. Then during one enemy charge Henry is so overcome with fear he throws down his rifle and runs in retreat. Alone in the woods he is beside himself with despair and shame. But later when he is knocked unconscious with a rifle butt from another retreating soldier he awakens with a whole different attitude to the war. His head wound becomes his 'Red Badge of Courage' and he returns to the trenches but this time with a new found gallantry. He suddenly finds himself leading his men against the enemy and even taking up the flag from a fallen comrade and carrying it to victory.Performances are superb from all concerned even down to the smallest role. Murphy is surprisingly dynamic! His role as the fearful young soldier who finds redemption is totally believable and engaging. It is the actor's best performance. Good too is non-actor and cartoonist Bill Mauldin as Henry's friend and comrade and also the always likable Arthur Hunnicutt ("I got holes in my cap, I got holes in my pants but I ain't got any holes in me except those that were intended").Huston's film is an arresting evocation of the American Civil War! He lavished great care and attention to the film's look and design which is evident throughout. Together with Rossen's deep focus and stark black and white cinematography the scenes on the battlefield and in the trenches become bracingly authentic with an all encompassing and extraordinary realism. We will probably never learn what was in the missing 25 minutes of lost footage but as it stands THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE remains a minor cinematic masterpiece.Closing line from Stephen Crane's THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE as the troop, victorious, march from the battlefield and on the soundtrack the voice of James Whitmore is heard behind a close up tracking shot of Audie Murphy.........."He turned now with a lover's thirst to images of tranquil skies, fresh meadows and cool brooks - an existence of soft and eternal peace".

Red Badge of Courage, The (1951) *** 1/2 (out of 4) Adaptation of Stephen Crane's novel has a Civil War soldier (Audie Murphy) running away from battle because he's scared but after wondering around for a bit he begins to become a man and prepares for his next battle. It's rather amazing to read about the history of this movie, which was pretty much a huge battle between director Huston and the studio. MGM would eventually take the film away from the director and cut a two-hour movie down to 69-minutes and with that in mind it's amazing at how well the film still holds up. I'm not sure what all was cut out but I'd love to see that version, which is apparently missing. That's a real shame considering both Huston and Murphy tried to buy the uncut version of the film back from the studio only to learn the additional footage had been thrown out. As for what's left, this is a very impressive little movie that I'm guessing was meant to show the fine line between being a hero and a coward and how circumstance can change a person. I thought the movie was extremely powerful in its message even though it never preaches or being over dramatic. The movie contains some wonderful battle scenes, which are among some of the best on ground footage since THE BIRTH OF A NATION. The battle scenes are certainly masterfully directed but so are the quieter scenes with the men marching and talking. Hearing them talk about various subjects including death was perfectly handled by the director. There's some terrific cinematography including a couple wonderful scenes showing the sun shining through some trees. Murphy gives a very strong performance as does the rest of the cast. Andy Devine has a small but important role in the film as well.