One of my all time favorites.

Blistering performances.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

One of those movies that lets the viewer try and figure out what really is going on without making things obvious throughout - so many angles to take, so many characters to believe as to which one is telling the truth or not. Many great lines - pulled out a piece of paper and pen to write some down. I thought Martin Balsam was perfect as the the staff NCO who seemed a little over the top (not for his acting) - but for what NCO's are (and are not) allowed to get away with in real life :-)A young June Lockhart (Later on TV's Lost in Space show) plays the wife of the main character. Rip Torn also gives a fine performance as one of the prisoners. Movie really opens up a lot of good discussions on what real truth and what it is not - when it's just information that suits ourselves. Good movie - one of those ones I did not plan watching.

I saw this film on TV yesterday while I was channel surfing and I got hooked. Excellent acting, especially by Richard Widmark. I didn't think he had it in him. But the entire cast was excellent, including June Lockhart in a small role It was also nice to see Khigh Dhiegh in a role other than Wo Fat, for which he is most famous.The film is very low budget. Probably 90% of the money went to the cast. But the plot is excellent and the film doesn't hit you over the head with excess or obvious clichés. Sadly, they don't make films like this anymore. No special effects or car chases and no "stupid is the new smart" attitude.

***SPOILERS*** Shocking drama of what went on in the North Korean POW camps and how it turned men into mindless and obedient zombies in them being brainwashed by the North Koreans and their Red Chinese allies.The case in point in the movie is that of the almost brain-dead in him not caring about what he's facing Maj. William Cargill, Richard Basehart. The Major has been charged with high treason in cooperating with his North Korean captors back in 1951 when he was imprisoned by them as a POW. It was then that Maj. Cargill made false claims in both writing as well as broadcasts on Radio Pyongyang claiming that the US and UN were using germ bombs or bacteriological warfare against the helpless North Korean civilians as well as soldiers!With US Army Col. William Edwards, Richard Widmark, handing his case he gets no help from Maj. Cargill in him trying to defend himself even if convicted of his crimes he may well end up facing a firing squad. Knowing that something just isn't right with this puzzling case Col. Edwards digs deep down into what's behind Maj. Cargill's strange behavior by interviewing the men, his fellow POWS, who were in the North Korean POW camp with him. It's when Col. Edwards comes to interviewing Let. Miller, Rip Torn, that he strikes a nerve in what exactly is behind Maj. Cargill's noncooperation with him in not wanting any defense provided by him or the US Military. Something went on in that prison camp between both the captured US POWS and their North Korean captors headed by the smiling and sinister North Korean Col. Kim, Khigh Dhiegh, that went beyond anything in the mistreating of prisoner of war! Something so mind boggling and evil that it turned Maj. Cargill into something that he never would have dreamed of being! Even with a gun pointed to his skull! A traitor to his country!***SPOILERS*** Even though it's old hat now back then in the early 1950's brainwashing was something that most Americans never heard of or even contemplated. It was those brainwashing tactics, far more then torture, conducted by the North Koreans and Red Chinese on US and UN troops captured by them that drove men like Maj. Cargill to grudgingly cooperate with them. In Maj. Cargill case it was for the safety and lives of his men not his own that made him do it! And in the end it was that shocking revelation that had Col. Edwards who was to prosecute Maj. Cargill for treason to completely change him mind! Col. Edwards against the the advice of his superior Let. Gen. Connors, Carl Berton Reid, who's own son Capt. Joe Connors, Yale Wexler, was one of those in the prison camp along with Maj. Cargill, and who died there, decided to defend not prosecute Maj. Cargill even if it ends up costing him his career in the US Army!P.S The movie "Time Limit" was the only movie ever directed by actor Karl Malden who also had a cameo part in it as one of the POWS in the North Korean prison camp.

With Richard Basehart as the man on trial, this is one of his most stunning works I have ever had the pleasure to see. Richard Widmark is also in one of his finest roles as the Colonel who is also Baseharts Lawyer.As it starts out in a POW Camp somewhere in Korea--you get a gritty feel of what some of those men had to endure--thanks to the fine acting done my Richard Basehart. Thanks to Richard Widmark--you also get a great job done as a man who is trying to up-hold the honors of his profession under incredable pressure from his Commanding Officer--a General, to come up with a quick conviction on Basehart.I highly recommend this movie as something to see. You will not be disappoiinted in the time you spent in watching this VERY fine film.