An interesting new site has declassified information on blackmail and Korean POWs and discusses this film: http://www.koreanconfidential.com/koreanpowfilmnoir.htmlDirector John Frankenheimer's The Manchurian Candidate was the best but not the first to explore the issue of U.S. POWs in the 1950-3 Korean War. During the war, Americans had been stunned when many U.S. prisoners collaborated with their communist captors; issued false confessions to germ warfare; and even, in 21 cases, chose to stay behind in China rather than return home. What happened during the war and when the prisoners returned inspired its own sub-genre of Cold War Noir. How realistic were The Manchurian Candidate and these other firms -- and today's hit show Homeland? Click the poster to the right to find out.Check out some of the best, or at least most interesting, Korean War POW movies below. Click on the posters below for more info and view the trailers (you need flash).Don't miss the Bill Dumas documentary on unreturned Korean War POWs.And for perhaps the best actors in Korean War POW movies, see the bottom of this page.One last thing: if you like modern espionage and spy movies, see the films Shiri and JSA in the left column. ...intense noirish thrillers from the new wave of Korean film.

Time Limit (1957)*** 1/2 (out of 4) Hard-hitting drama about Maj. Harry Cagill (Richard Basehart) who is brought up on charges of treason after being in a Korean War camp and giving information to the enemy. Once back in the states Col. Edwards (Richard Widmark) tries to understand what made him crack but he refuses to talk and all of his men give the same strange story, which doesn't make enough sense to Edwards. This film isn't very well known today, which is a shame but I'm going to guess that part of the reason is that it was released in the same year as both 12 ANGRY MEN and WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION. All three films deal with twists and turns within a court setting, although this film here just deals with an investigation as we don't get to actually step inside the courtroom. With that said, all three films share a lot in common but this film manages to ask some pretty hard questions and it doesn't pull any punches with the answer. The film is brutally frank in its subject matter and even though we don't find the answers we're looking for until the final ten-minutes, the film still manages to pack one major punch after another. I think a lot of credit must go to Malden, in his only adventure as a director, and I do wonder how much influence Elia Kazan had on him. The film has a certain look and feel of ON THE WATERFRONT, which Malden of course made with Kazan. It appears that both films ask a lot of the same questions about bravery, talking and how much one person should take. Seeing as how this one takes place in the military it's clear that there is a political slant going on here as I'm sure many people would have to ask themselves how much torture, sickness and threats of death they could take without talking or trying to save their own skin. The "time limit" of bravery is an interesting question and we get many different answers as to how one person should be. The final ten-minutes is when things really start to break down as we finally get some answers and the twist here has been debated by quite a few reviewers. I personally didn't mind the twist and I think it worked well for what the film was going for. There were several directions that the film could have went for but the one they selected worked well enough for me. Another major benefit are the performances with Widmark leading the way in a rather laid back performance by the actor who was often shown as being a demanding, strong character. I thought Widmark was very believable playing it so laid back and I think that quiet nature here actually helped the film as it seems he was the only one who didn't want revenge for what had happened but instead just wanted the truth. Basehart is terrific as well in showing the hell that his character is going through. Dolores Michaels is good as Widmark's aide, June Lockhart is very strong in her one scene and Martin Balsam is on hand for some needed comedy relief. This is certainly an emotionally draining picture as the subject matter is rather ugly and the picture doesn't pull any punches. Malden handles the material extremely well and it's a shame we didn't get to see what else he could do behind the camera.

When you see this film's first scene, you think you are going to see "The Manchurian Candidate." The first scene deals with apparent brain-washing. Richard Widmark is cast in his usual role as an attorney. Apparently, he got good experience in this part for several years later he was absolutely mesmerizing in "Judgment At Nuremberg." This film deals with moral conflict. Widmark refuses to accept the fact that Richard Basehart, who is accused of consorting with the North Koreans while held in a prisoner camp during the Korean War, can't wait to get the entire situation over by pleading guilty and not justifying his actions one bit.There is an excellent supporting cast led by Carl Benton Reid, and a young Rip Torn is also terrific as a powerful witness to what has occurred.The film adequately captures the dilemma faced by prisoners of war during their capture. The problem with this film that as the truth begins to unfold, it becomes very preachy in nature. This is a usual flaw of such films.The ending will come as a surprise to many but you will not be surprised by the stoic beliefs of Carl B. Reid.Interesting, but we've heard this story before somewhere.

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.