Hell's Horizon

For the novel by Darren Shan, see Hell's Horizon (novel).

Hell's Horizon is a 1955 American war film written and directed by Tom Gries. The film stars John Ireland and Marla English. Hell's Horizon recounts the story of a bomber crew in the Korean War.

Hell's Horizon
Theatrical poster
Directed by	Tom Gries
Written by	Tom Gries
Produced by	Wray Davis
Starring	John Ireland
Cinematography	Floyd Crosby
Edited by	Aaron Stell
Music by	Heinz Roemheld
Production companies	Columbia Pictures Corporation Gravis Productions
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures
Release date	1955 (1955) [Note 1]
Running time	80 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Plot

During the Korean War, United States Air Force Captain John Merrill (John Ireland) is the pilot of a Boeing B-29 Superfortress bomber. Merrill is based in Okinawa and is ordered to destroy a Yalu River bridge in Korea. The mission is continually delayed due to bad weather. His co-pilot (Bill Williams) has to step in when the bored and frustrated crew members begin to fight over Sammi (Marla English), a local woman who is employed as a laundress at their base.

When the weather finally clears over the target, Merrill is ordered to attack the strategic bridge, but with only cloud cover as his protection. The North Koreans are prepared, and anti-aircraft guns hit the bomber as it descends out of the clouds. The attack is a success, but some crew members are killed, including "Jockey" (Chet Baker), the popular trumpeter of the base. Others on board are wounded. Merrill has to contend not only with the damaged bomber, but also flying through a deadly storm.

The bomber returns to base with extensive damage and only one engine still working, so Merrill has to make a "pancake" landing.^{[Note 2]} The survivors make it back in time to hear the announcement of Sammi's engagement to one of the crew, Sgt. "Buddy" Lewis (Larry Pennell).

Cast

• John Ireland as Capt. John Merrill
• Marla English as Sammi
• Bill Williams as Paul Jenkins
• Hugh Beaumont as Sgt. Al Trask
• Larry Pennell as Sgt. "Buddy" Lewis
• Chet Baker as "Jockey"^{[Note 3]}

Production

Hell's Horizon relied on a large amount of stock footage.^[4]

Reception

Despite its release only a few years after the end of the Korean War, Hell's Horizon was no more than a typical B war film. Reviewer Alun Evans summed it up as a "standard action drama of a single bomber raid in the Korean conflict with no redeeming features."^[5] In Leonard Maltin's review, he merely noted, "Interaction among men of bombing squad in the Korean War."^[6]

See also

• List of American films of 1955

Notes

1. Hell's Horizon has been variously listed as a 1955 release with two different release dates.^[1]
2. A pancake landing is an emergency landing with the landing gear retracted.^[2]
3. The opening film credits list him as "... and introducing Chet Baker and his trumpet."^[3]