Allied Artists On Korea Mission

Inmate Wanger Gets a Credit For Battle Zone (1952)

An Allied Artists Korea war movie credited to producer Walter Wanger, who was actually serving an Honor Farm stretch at the time (for shooting wife Joan Bennett's lover), and had nothing to do with Battle Zone other than name among main titles and % of profit. This foregoing I learned from Matthew Bernstein's Wanger bio, one of the best books on a Hollywood independent that's out there. Battle Zone was made for in vicinity of 2-300K and directed by expert-in-his-sleep Lesley Selander, who'd always turn in a good job given at least a rudimentary script and players who could stand straight to recite dialogue. This was about combat photographers, the "Motion Picture Unit" of our Marine Corps, John Hodiak and Stephen McNally being rivals for vivid shots as much as mobile nurse Linda Christian. She got Battle Zone instead of co-starring berth with husband Tyrone Power in U-I's The Mississippi Gambler, a stairway to stardom she desperately wanted and nagged Ty incessant to get. Didn't work out, to her permanent distress (being focus in memoir account of their doomed union). Battle Zone relies heavily on fight footage matched with co-op tanks, artillery, etc. loaned by Camp Pendleton. Korea was hot enough topic for cheapies to eek by and get bookings better than maybe they deserved, Battle Zone OK for such an economy model. If nothing else, it kept Allied Artists on the climb toward "A" status within a doubting industry, but exhibs were thankful for their product to fill bottom-of-bills or top humbler ones.