Sam Fuller takes on the Vietnam War - not the American one but the French one (its set before 1954) only with American troops in the French Foreign Legion: Gene Barry and Nat King Cole. Barry is a tormented war lover whose racism is so powerful it means he rejects brave, smart Eurasian Angie Dickinson (whose legs get the Cinema Scope treatment) and their child. Which makes me not give a stuff about Barry as they go on a mission into enemy territory to exploit Dickinson's relationship with commie leader Lee Van Cleef... and downright annoyed as Dickinson dies and Barry lives. Barry should have sacrificed himself
Dickinson is doing it to get her son a new life in America - a clean, understandable emotion that helps the piece age well. It's anti Communist but Lee Van Cleef is given a strong character to play - it's quite chatty his scenes. I did feel it was a shame he and Barry never faced off.
Nat King Cole is a fellow legionnaire - there's a scene where he sings through a rubble strewn town. Some decent suspense on the trip, notably a night attack. It's not major Fuller but is always interesting. It's a strong chance for Dickinson who takes it.
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