Battle Hymn (1957)

TOMATOMETER

Tomatometer Not Available...

——

Tomatometer Not Available...

——

Critic Consensus: No consensus yet.

AUDIENCE SCORE

20%

liked it

Average Rating: 2.9/5

User Ratings: 1,098

ADD YOUR RATING

Want to See

Not Interested

My Rating

Movie Info

Battle Hymn was inspired by the true story of American minister Dean Hess, played here with rare sensitivity by Rock Hudson. A bomber pilot during World War II, Hess inadvertently releases a bomb which destroys a German orphanage. Tortured by guilt, Hess relocates in Korea after the war to offer his services as a missionary. Combining the best elements of Christianity and Eastern spiritualism, Hess establishes a large home for orphans. The preacher's efforts are threatened when the Korean "police action" breaks out in 1950. Battle Hymn was one of several collaborations between Rock Hudson and director Douglas Sirk--though Sirk felt that Robert Stack would have been better suited to the role of Rev. Hess.

Rating:

NR
Genre:

Action & Adventure, Classics, Drama
Directed By:

Douglas Sirk
Written By:

Captain Vincent B. Evans, Charles Grayson
In Theaters:

Feb 14, 1957 wide
On Disc/Streaming:

May 18, 2004
Runtime:

108 minutes
Studio:

Universal

Cast

Rock Hudson
as Col. Dean Hess

Martha Hyer
as Mary Hess

Anna Kashfi
as En Soon Yang

Don DeFore
as Capt. Dan Skidmore

Dan Duryea
as Sgt. Herman

Jock Mahoney
as Maj. Moore

Alan Hale Jr.
as Mess Sergeant

James Edwards
as Lt. Maples

Carl Benton Reid
as Deacon Edwards

Richard Loo
as Gen. Kim

Philip Ahn
as Old Man

Bartlett Robinson
as Gen. Timberidge

Simon Scott
as Lt. Hollis

Teru Shimada
as Korean Official

Carleton Young
as Maj. Harrison

Art Millan
as Capt. Reardon

William Hudson
as Navy Lieutenant

Paul Sorenson
as Sentry

View All

Critic Reviews for Battle Hymn

All Critics (4) | Top Critics (1) | Fresh (1) | Rotten (3)

...doesn't miss a single cliché as it makes a calculated circuit of the old militant sky-pilot plot.

Jan 4, 2007 | Rating: 2/5 | Full Review…

Bosley Crowther

New York Times

Top Critic

Douglas Sirk's sentimental Korean War tale of guilt and redemption is a weak, uncharacteristic film of the famed director, but it's worth seeing as a panel in his many collaborations with star Rock Hudson.

Jul 6, 2009 | Rating: C+ | Full Review…