The Red Badge of Courage (1951) - Turner Classic Movies

Brief Synopsis

A young Union soldier fights to atone for a moment of cowardice during the Civil War.

Cast & Crew

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John Huston

Andy Devine

"The Cheery Soldier"

Robert Easton Burke

Douglas Dick

"The Lieutenant"

Tim Durant

Arthur Hunnicutt

Photos & Videos

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Red Badge of Courage, The - (Original Trailer)

Film Details

Also Known As

Stephen Crane's The Red Badge of Courage

Genre

Drama

War

Western

Release Date

Sep 28, 1951

Premiere Information

not available

Production Company

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Corp.

Distribution Company

Loew's Inc.

Country

United States

Location

Calabasas--Clarence Brown Ranch, California, United States; Calabasas--John Huston Ranch, California, United States; Chico, California, United States

Screenplay Information

Based on the novel The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane (New York, 1895).

Technical Specs

Duration

1h 9m

Sound

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color

Black and White

Theatrical Aspect Ratio

1.37 : 1

Film Length

6,196ft (7 reels)

Synopsis

In the spring of 1862, volunteer soldiers in the Union army's 304th Regiment have become restless and bored with training and are anxious to see their first battle. As his comrades boast, The Youth, Henry Fleming, is troubled and unsure of his courage. He discusses courage with his tentmates, The Tall Soldier, Jim Conklin, and The Loud Soldier, Tom Wilson, but finds no solace. On guard duty that night, Henry hears the voice of a Confederate soldier from across the river. The friendly voice warns him to stay out of the moonlight and take care not to get a "little red badge" pinned on him. The next day, Tom goes through camp spreading a rumor he has heard that the regiment will be moving up river for a battle. Henry feels isolated from the other soldiers as they march toward the battlefield. When the men take positions in a trench at the edge of an open field, Tom rushes to Henry and asks him to give some letters to his parents if this is his first and last battle. In the first wave of the attack, few of the Union soldiers are wounded or killed before the Confederates retreat. During a brief ceasefire, the soldiers discuss their fears and the experience of seeing a man killed. Henry now feels that he has passed the test of courage and is a fine fellow of high ideals. When the Confederate soldiers begin a new charge, the fighting is more fierce, causing many Union soldiers to run away, including Henry. A few minutes later, in the woods, Henry overhears Union Cavalry officers proclaim victory. Now feeling that he has betrayed his comrades, Henry looks upon the wounded and wishes that he, too, had a red badge of courage. Henry is able to slip into the ranks without notice and shamefully says nothing when The Tattered Man asks him where he was shot. Among the marching soldiers is Jim, who is badly wounded and dazed. Jim begs Henry to move him out of the road if he falls, and as he stumbles, Henry and The Tattered Man grab his arm. Jim breaks free and runs up a hill, then falls dead as Henry and The Tattered Man catch up to him. A short time later, Henry is caught in the middle of some running soldiers and is knocked on the head by the butt of a rifle. The Cheerful Soldier finds Henry on the ground that night, helps him up and returns him to his regiment. At camp, Tom, who is happy to see Henry, thinks that he has been wounded. Henry says that his head wound was from a bullet, then asks if the Lieutenant has said anything about him being gone. Tom tells Henry that many of the soldiers were separated from their units during the battle and have been wandering into camp all night. The next morning the men walk toward the battlefield and Henry brags of his courage the previous day. When the battle starts, Henry suddenly jumps from his trench and advances against the enemy. The Lieutenant calls him back, then compliments Henry as the bravest of all. During a respite, Tom and Henry go for water for the men and overhear the officers say that the 304th will be sent to charge the enemy. When Henry and Tom report the news, the soldiers are elated at their importance. The men procede slowly at first, but as the pace quickens, Henry yells to his comrades to come along and leads the charge. When the standard bearer is killed, Henry grabs the flag and continues to lead the charge toward the Confederates. Upon seeing the Confederate flag, Henry chases after the standard bearer and when he falls, Henry grabs the Confederate flag as well. After the successful charge, the Union soldiers talk with their defeated counterparts, many of whom wish that they had died in the battle. Later, Thompson, one of the soldiers in Henry's unit, relates that the colonel was greatly impressed by the bravery of the man carrying the flag. As his comrades praise him, Henry, still ashamed of his earlier cowardice, quietly goes off from the group. When Tom joins him, Henry confesses having run from battle the previous day, and Tom reveals that he, too, had "skeedaddled," but the Lieutenant had caught him and made him stay. Now relieved, Henry and Tom join ranks with the others. Although they hear that the victory will be credited to a general other than their own, the men shrug off the news and talk about being home in time for spring planting.

Director

John Huston

Cast

Andy Devine

"The Cheery Soldier"

Robert Easton Burke

Douglas Dick

"The Lieutenant"

Tim Durant

Arthur Hunnicutt

Royal Dano

"The Tattered Man"

John Dierkes

"The Tall Soldier"

Bill Mauldin

"The Loud Soldier"

Audie Murphy

James Whitmore

Smith Ballew

Frank Mcgrath

Glenn Strange

Edwin J. Breen

Confederate flag bearer

Dick Haynes

Confederate soldier

Robert A. Fisher

Confederate soldier

Robert Davis

Confederate soldier

Obed Pickard Jr.

Confederate soldier

John Riffle

Confederate soldier

Frank Melton

Confederate soldier

Lynn Farr

Confederate soldier

Tennessee Jim

Confederate soldier

Bill Hale

Confederate soldier

Emmett Lynn

Stanford Jolley

William Phillips

House Peters Jr.

Frank Sully

Lou Nova

Fred Kohler Jr.

Dick Curtis

Guy Wilkerson

John Keating

Casey Macgregor

Norman Kent

Joe Schrapp

Mack Chandler

Mickey Simpson

Duke York

Buddy Roosevelt

George Offerman Jr.

Joel Marston

Robert Nichols

Benny Burt

Lyle Clark

Wilson Wood

Allen O'locklin

Bert Davidson

Lee Roberts

David Clarke

Strother Martin

Ed Hinton

Hurb Roy Latimer

Jim Hayward

Eugene Gericke

Joe Haworth

Robert Board

Hugh Thomas

John Cliff

Joe Brown Jr.

Norman Leavitt

William Grueneberg

William Schallert

Greg Barton

Ivan A. Parry

Bill Roberts

Billy Dix

Todd Karns

John Crawford

Jimmy Dobson

James H. Harrison

Gloria Eaton

Robert E. Nichols

Robert Cavendish

Wounded soldier

Robert Cherry

Soldier who sings

Whit Bissell

Wounded officer

Leldon Martin

Union flag bearer

Dennis Dengate

Dan White

William Phipps

Crew

Jack Aldwork

Screenplay clerk

Albert Band

Production Assistant

Albert Band

Margaret Booth

James Brock

Reggie Callow

Assistant Director

Col. Paul Davison

Technical Advisor

Howard Dietz

Cedric Gibbons

John Huston

John Huston

Bronislau Kaper

Lee Katz

Ben Lewis

Edwin B. Lewis

Fred Maclean

Andrew Marton

"Leapfrog" Director

Mike Mclaughlin

Warren Newcombe

Special Effects

Hans Peters

Gottfried Reinhardt

Harold Rosson

Director of Photography

Dore Schary

Executive Producer

Douglas Shearer

Recording Supervisor

William Steffe

Howard Strickling

Director of Publicist

William Tuttle

Makeup created by

Henry Clay Work

Photo Collections

Videos

Red Badge of Courage, The - (Original Trailer) A young Union soldier (Audie Murphy) struggles to atone for a moment of cowardice in The Red Badge of Courage (1951), directed by John Huston.

Film Details

Also Known As

Stephen Crane's The Red Badge of Courage

Genre

Drama

War

Western

Release Date

Sep 28, 1951

Premiere Information

not available

Production Company

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Corp.

Distribution Company

Loew's Inc.

Country

United States

Location

Calabasas--Clarence Brown Ranch, California, United States; Calabasas--John Huston Ranch, California, United States; Chico, California, United States

Screenplay Information

Based on the novel The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane (New York, 1895).

Technical Specs

Duration

1h 9m

Sound

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color

Black and White

Theatrical Aspect Ratio

1.37 : 1

Film Length

6,196ft (7 reels)

Articles

Pop Culture - THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE (1951)

September 15, 2004

Pop Culture 101 - THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE

The Red Badge of Courage was released during the Korean War and, with its questioning attitude about war and heroism, captured America's growing cynicism as that conflict was followed by a more ambiguous war (Viet Nam) that promised to produce no clear cut victory.

Journalist Lillian Ross wrote a series of articles on the film's production for The New Yorker. Later collected in the 1952 book Picture: A Story About Hollywood, her work is considered one of the definitive treatments of the filmmaking process. In particular, it offers rare insight into the way Hollywood worked (and often didn't work) in the years when the emergence of television adversely affected the movie business and studios were hurt by the Justice Department's ruling that they had to sell their theatre chains. Although she was quite critical of director John Huston's part in making the film a box-office disaster, he personally attested to the accuracy of her work, and they remained friends for years.

One benefit of the drastic re-cutting: The film's shorter length made it perfect for screening in high school history classes, where it gradually built up a devoted cult following.

In 1974, the film was remade as a television movie. Richard Thomas, the star of The Waltons, played Henry Fleming, with Charles Aidman as the Tattered Man. The film did well with critics and in the ratings.

by Frank Miller

Pop Culture - The Red Badge Of Courage (1951)

Pop Culture - THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE (1951)

Pop Culture 101 - THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE The Red Badge of Courage was released during the Korean War and, with its questioning attitude about war and heroism, captured America's growing cynicism as that conflict was followed by a more ambiguous war (Viet Nam) that promised to produce no clear cut victory. Journalist Lillian Ross wrote a series of articles on the film's production for The New Yorker. Later collected in the 1952 book Picture: A Story About Hollywood, her work is considered one of the definitive treatments of the filmmaking process. In particular, it offers rare insight into the way Hollywood worked (and often didn't work) in the years when the emergence of television adversely affected the movie business and studios were hurt by the Justice Department's ruling that they had to sell their theatre chains. Although she was quite critical of director John Huston's part in making the film a box-office disaster, he personally attested to the accuracy of her work, and they remained friends for years. One benefit of the drastic re-cutting: The film's shorter length made it perfect for screening in high school history classes, where it gradually built up a devoted cult following. In 1974, the film was remade as a television movie. Richard Thomas, the star of The Waltons, played Henry Fleming, with Charles Aidman as the Tattered Man. The film did well with critics and in the ratings. by Frank Miller

Trivia - THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE (1951)

September 15, 2004

THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE - Trivia and Other Fun Stuff

The Red Badge of Courage was a box-office flop, failing to recover its $1.6 million investment.

Huston's preparations for the film were complicated by three major life events: his father Walter died; he took his fourth wife, Ricki Soma; and Soma delivered his second child (the first to survive), Walter Anthony Huston, later known as Tony (e would play a small role in his father's The List of Adrian Messenger (1963) and write the screenplay for his The Dead, 1987).

Huston started out directing the film on horseback, something he'd always dreamed of doing. He eventually had to abandon his dream when it proved too hard on the horse.

Huston appears in a crowd scene as one of the experienced Union soldiers jeering the Youth and other raw recruits.

Filming the battle scenes required 80,000 rounds of ammunition at a cost of $110 per thousand.

For the river-crossing scene, Douglas Dick (Lieutenant) wore a silver-sheathed sword Huston's great grandfather had carried in the Civil War. Unfortunately, Dick played around with the sword a bit too much. At one point he tried to stick it in the ground and ended up putting it through his foot. Huston worked his injury into the film.

During location filming, Murphy dated Sharon Quiggle, a student at Chico State College who worked as a window dresser in the town's leading department store. He even brought her up to Los Angeles with her family for a visit. Their relationship cooled off after she returned to Chico, where she eventually married another man.

John Dierkes (Tall Soldier), who had barely acted before, developed an oversized ego during filming and started demanding a private dressing room like the ones Murphy and Mauldin had. To shut him up, Huston put his name on one of the portable toilets set up on location.

During production Huston and Reinhardt played poker. At first Huston, who was a master at bluffing, had Reinhardt in debt to him. Then Mauldin took pity on Reinhardt and gave him a book on how to play poker. By the time the production was finished, Huston owed Reinhardt about $15,000.

When Royal Dano filmed his character's death scene, Huston was so impressed he told reporters Dano was the only actor he'd worked with who was as easy to direct as his father, Walter Huston. Later, when told his death scene had been cut because audiences had laughed at war hero Audie Murphy running away from a dying man, Dano commented, "They removed the turning point of the story. It was like removing the baby and leaving the afterbirth.".

Famous Quotes from THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE

"How do you know you won't run when the time comes?" -- Audie Murphy as Henry Fleming to Bill Mauldin as the Loud Soldier.

"He wished that he, too, had a wound, a red badge of courage." -- James Whitmore's narration, explaining the title.

"Always seems like more of you is getting killed than there are." -- Andy Devine as the Fat Soldier.

"Just turn your affairs over to the Lord, and go on and do your duty. Then if you get killed, it's his concern. Anyway, dying's only dying. Supposing you don't hear the birds sing tomorrow, or see the sun go down. It's going to happen anyway. And, you know, son, that thought gave me peace of mind." -- Devine.

"I got holes in my pants, holes in my shoes, but there ain't no holes in me other than the ones God intended." -- Arthur Hunnicutt as Bill Porter, on his good fortune in battle.

"By diddy, here we are! Everybody fightin'! Blood and dee-struction!" -- Hunnicutt.

"Lordy, what a fight! And I got shot!" -- John Dierkes as the Tall Soldier, rambling on in shock after the big battle.

"I ain't never seen no fella do like that afore. He were a dandy, weren't he?" -- Royal Dano as the Tattered Man, commenting on Dierkes' death.

"So it came to pass that as he trudged from the place of blood and wrath his soul changed. He had been to touch the Great Death and found that, after all, it was but the Great Death. Scars faded as flowers and the youth saw that the world was a world for him. He had rid himself of the red sickness of battle and the sultry nightmare was in the past. He turned now with a lover's thirst to images of tranquil skies, fresh meadows, cool brooks, an existence of soft and eternal peace." -- Whitmore, delivering the film's final narration.

Compiled by Frank Miller

Trivia - THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE (1951)

THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE - Trivia and Other Fun Stuff The Red Badge of Courage was a box-office flop, failing to recover its $1.6 million investment. Huston's preparations for the film were complicated by three major life events: his father Walter died; he took his fourth wife, Ricki Soma; and Soma delivered his second child (the first to survive), Walter Anthony Huston, later known as Tony (e would play a small role in his father's The List of Adrian Messenger (1963) and write the screenplay for his The Dead, 1987). Huston started out directing the film on horseback, something he'd always dreamed of doing. He eventually had to abandon his dream when it proved too hard on the horse. Huston appears in a crowd scene as one of the experienced Union soldiers jeering the Youth and other raw recruits. Filming the battle scenes required 80,000 rounds of ammunition at a cost of $110 per thousand. For the river-crossing scene, Douglas Dick (Lieutenant) wore a silver-sheathed sword Huston's great grandfather had carried in the Civil War. Unfortunately, Dick played around with the sword a bit too much. At one point he tried to stick it in the ground and ended up putting it through his foot. Huston worked his injury into the film. During location filming, Murphy dated Sharon Quiggle, a student at Chico State College who worked as a window dresser in the town's leading department store. He even brought her up to Los Angeles with her family for a visit. Their relationship cooled off after she returned to Chico, where she eventually married another man. John Dierkes (Tall Soldier), who had barely acted before, developed an oversized ego during filming and started demanding a private dressing room like the ones Murphy and Mauldin had. To shut him up, Huston put his name on one of the portable toilets set up on location. During production Huston and Reinhardt played poker. At first Huston, who was a master at bluffing, had Reinhardt in debt to him. Then Mauldin took pity on Reinhardt and gave him a book on how to play poker. By the time the production was finished, Huston owed Reinhardt about $15,000. When Royal Dano filmed his character's death scene, Huston was so impressed he told reporters Dano was the only actor he'd worked with who was as easy to direct as his father, Walter Huston. Later, when told his death scene had been cut because audiences had laughed at war hero Audie Murphy running away from a dying man, Dano commented, "They removed the turning point of the story. It was like removing the baby and leaving the afterbirth.". Famous Quotes from THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE "How do you know you won't run when the time comes?" -- Audie Murphy as Henry Fleming to Bill Mauldin as the Loud Soldier. "He wished that he, too, had a wound, a red badge of courage." -- James Whitmore's narration, explaining the title. "Always seems like more of you is getting killed than there are." -- Andy Devine as the Fat Soldier. "Just turn your affairs over to the Lord, and go on and do your duty. Then if you get killed, it's his concern. Anyway, dying's only dying. Supposing you don't hear the birds sing tomorrow, or see the sun go down. It's going to happen anyway. And, you know, son, that thought gave me peace of mind." -- Devine. "I got holes in my pants, holes in my shoes, but there ain't no holes in me other than the ones God intended." -- Arthur Hunnicutt as Bill Porter, on his good fortune in battle. "By diddy, here we are! Everybody fightin'! Blood and dee-struction!" -- Hunnicutt. "Lordy, what a fight! And I got shot!" -- John Dierkes as the Tall Soldier, rambling on in shock after the big battle. "I ain't never seen no fella do like that afore. He were a dandy, weren't he?" -- Royal Dano as the Tattered Man, commenting on Dierkes' death. "So it came to pass that as he trudged from the place of blood and wrath his soul changed. He had been to touch the Great Death and found that, after all, it was but the Great Death. Scars faded as flowers and the youth saw that the world was a world for him. He had rid himself of the red sickness of battle and the sultry nightmare was in the past. He turned now with a lover's thirst to images of tranquil skies, fresh meadows, cool brooks, an existence of soft and eternal peace." -- Whitmore, delivering the film's final narration. Compiled by Frank Miller

The Big Idea - THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE (1951)

September 15, 2004

The Big Idea Behind THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE

Stephen Crane wrote The Red Badge of Courage in 1893.

Although he had never fought in the Civil War, Crane captured the atmosphere accurately by studying Matthew Brady's legendary photographs from that era. Director John Huston would instruct cameraman Harold Rosson to capture the same look for the film.

In 1950, Huston had just been pulled off MGM's big budget production of Quo Vadis? (1951) after a fight over the film's direction between production chief Dore Schary, who wanted to emphasize the picture's contemporary political parallels, and studio head Louis B. Mayer, who wanted a typical Hollywood spectacle. Mervyn LeRoy took over the film, which became a huge hit.

Huston was a friend of producer Wolfgang Reinhardt from their days together at Warner Bros. Reinhardt's younger brother, Gottfried, was producing at MGM and approached Huston, who had just made The Asphalt Jungle (1950) there, about working on a film version of Stephen Crane's classic novel.

MGM bought the rights to Stephen Crane's book for $10,000.

Originally Huston and Reinhardt wanted Norman Mailer, currently enjoying the success of his best-selling novel, The Naked and the Dead, to write the screenplay. When he wasn't available, Schary suggested that Huston write it himself.

The first draft script was written by Huston's production assistant, Albert Band, who would go on to become a prolific producer and director of low-budget films, particularly in the '70s and '80s. Band simply translated the book's dialogue and action into screenplay form. Huston then did the re-write during a trip to Mexico. He took great pride in the fact that two-thirds of the dialogue came directly from the novel.

Mayer hated the film's script and tried to have the production cancelled. He said, "I would rather shoot Huston than shoot the picture. We could then put the money into a defense in court. No jury would convict me." Finally he and Schary appealed to Nicholas Schenck -- head of MGM's parent company, Loew's Inc. -- to choose between them. Schenck sided with Schary.

Mayer then tried to talk Huston and Reinhardt out of making the film. "How can you make a picture of boys with funny caps and popguns, and make people think the war they are fighting is terrible?" he argued. When Huston gave in too easily, however, he lectured him: "John Huston, I'm ashamed of you! Do you believe in this picture? Have you any reason for wanting to make it other than the fact that you believe in it?...Stick by your guns! Never let me hear you talk like this again! I don't like this picture. I don't think it will make money. I don't want to make it, and I will continue to do everything in my power to keep you from making it. But you -- you should do everything in your power to make it!."

Mayer continued badmouthing the picture, most notably in his interview with Lillian Ross for her articles on the film's production in The New Yorker (later republished as Picture in 1952) and at the first preview. This unprecedented behavior for a studio executive would contribute to his ouster from MGM in 1951.

Casting Audie Murphy in the lead was director John Huston's idea. He was intrigued by the contrast between his war record and his physical appearance: "This little, gentle-eyed creature. Why, in the war he'd literally go out of his way to find Germans to kill. He's a gentle little killer."

Reinhardt and Schary wanted an established star like Montgomery Clift or Van Johnson in the leading role. They finally bowed to Huston's wishes when gossip columnist Hedda Hopper, who was a friend of Murphy's, put pressure on them. She later explained, "I called Dore and said it would be nice seeing a real soldier playing the part of a screen soldier for a change. With so many of our young men going to Korea, putting Audie in the picture would aid in boosting their morale. Audie got the part." Ironically, she had never read the original novel.

Murphy had been the most decorated U.S. soldier in World War II, a distinction that put him on the cover of Life magazine and brought him to Hollywood, where he made a series of low-budget Westerns at Universal Studios. After six movies there, the offer to star as the Young Soldier in The Red Badge of Courage was the first role he felt suited for.

Murphy wasn't the only actor in the film on whom Huston was taking a chance. He had met John Dierkes, cast as the Tall Soldier, in London during the war and thought he was right for the part. Dierkes took a leave from his job with the Treasury Department to make the film and never went back, spending the rest of his life as an actor. Bill Mauldin -- who made his name with his political cartoons for the U.S. military newspaper, Stars and Stripes -- had met Huston while the director was filming his documentary The Battle of San Pietro (1945). Huston told him his role as the Loud Soldier was typecasting.

Murphy's salary for the film was $2,500 a week with a ten week guarantee, relatively low for a leading man on a major studio production. Huston was paid $137,334 for directing and another $28,000 for writing the screenplay. Most of it had to be paid to him in advance so he could cover his gambling debts.

by Frank Miller

The Big Idea - THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE (1951)

The Big Idea Behind THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE Stephen Crane wrote The Red Badge of Courage in 1893. Although he had never fought in the Civil War, Crane captured the atmosphere accurately by studying Matthew Brady's legendary photographs from that era. Director John Huston would instruct cameraman Harold Rosson to capture the same look for the film. In 1950, Huston had just been pulled off MGM's big budget production of Quo Vadis? (1951) after a fight over the film's direction between production chief Dore Schary, who wanted to emphasize the picture's contemporary political parallels, and studio head Louis B. Mayer, who wanted a typical Hollywood spectacle. Mervyn LeRoy took over the film, which became a huge hit. Huston was a friend of producer Wolfgang Reinhardt from their days together at Warner Bros. Reinhardt's younger brother, Gottfried, was producing at MGM and approached Huston, who had just made The Asphalt Jungle (1950) there, about working on a film version of Stephen Crane's classic novel. MGM bought the rights to Stephen Crane's book for $10,000. Originally Huston and Reinhardt wanted Norman Mailer, currently enjoying the success of his best-selling novel, The Naked and the Dead, to write the screenplay. When he wasn't available, Schary suggested that Huston write it himself. The first draft script was written by Huston's production assistant, Albert Band, who would go on to become a prolific producer and director of low-budget films, particularly in the '70s and '80s. Band simply translated the book's dialogue and action into screenplay form. Huston then did the re-write during a trip to Mexico. He took great pride in the fact that two-thirds of the dialogue came directly from the novel. Mayer hated the film's script and tried to have the production cancelled. He said, "I would rather shoot Huston than shoot the picture. We could then put the money into a defense in court. No jury would convict me." Finally he and Schary appealed to Nicholas Schenck -- head of MGM's parent company, Loew's Inc. -- to choose between them. Schenck sided with Schary. Mayer then tried to talk Huston and Reinhardt out of making the film. "How can you make a picture of boys with funny caps and popguns, and make people think the war they are fighting is terrible?" he argued. When Huston gave in too easily, however, he lectured him: "John Huston, I'm ashamed of you! Do you believe in this picture? Have you any reason for wanting to make it other than the fact that you believe in it?...Stick by your guns! Never let me hear you talk like this again! I don't like this picture. I don't think it will make money. I don't want to make it, and I will continue to do everything in my power to keep you from making it. But you -- you should do everything in your power to make it!." Mayer continued badmouthing the picture, most notably in his interview with Lillian Ross for her articles on the film's production in The New Yorker (later republished as Picture in 1952) and at the first preview. This unprecedented behavior for a studio executive would contribute to his ouster from MGM in 1951. Casting Audie Murphy in the lead was director John Huston's idea. He was intrigued by the contrast between his war record and his physical appearance: "This little, gentle-eyed creature. Why, in the war he'd literally go out of his way to find Germans to kill. He's a gentle little killer." Reinhardt and Schary wanted an established star like Montgomery Clift or Van Johnson in the leading role. They finally bowed to Huston's wishes when gossip columnist Hedda Hopper, who was a friend of Murphy's, put pressure on them. She later explained, "I called Dore and said it would be nice seeing a real soldier playing the part of a screen soldier for a change. With so many of our young men going to Korea, putting Audie in the picture would aid in boosting their morale. Audie got the part." Ironically, she had never read the original novel. Murphy had been the most decorated U.S. soldier in World War II, a distinction that put him on the cover of Life magazine and brought him to Hollywood, where he made a series of low-budget Westerns at Universal Studios. After six movies there, the offer to star as the Young Soldier in The Red Badge of Courage was the first role he felt suited for. Murphy wasn't the only actor in the film on whom Huston was taking a chance. He had met John Dierkes, cast as the Tall Soldier, in London during the war and thought he was right for the part. Dierkes took a leave from his job with the Treasury Department to make the film and never went back, spending the rest of his life as an actor. Bill Mauldin -- who made his name with his political cartoons for the U.S. military newspaper, Stars and Stripes -- had met Huston while the director was filming his documentary The Battle of San Pietro (1945). Huston told him his role as the Loud Soldier was typecasting. Murphy's salary for the film was $2,500 a week with a ten week guarantee, relatively low for a leading man on a major studio production. Huston was paid $137,334 for directing and another $28,000 for writing the screenplay. Most of it had to be paid to him in advance so he could cover his gambling debts. by Frank Miller

Behind the Camera - THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE (1951)

September 15, 2004

Behind the Camera on THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE

Filming started on August 25, 1950.

Originally, director John Huston had wanted to shoot The Red Badge of Courage in Virginia. When that proved too expensive, he moved the location to his farm in Calabasas, Calif.

Originally Huston tried to save time by having his assistant director, Andrew Marton, line up one shot while he was finishing another. But Huston had trouble making up his mind about what he really wanted. When he spent more time rearranging the shots Marton had lined up than he might have spent doing it all himself, he abandoned the idea.

To cast extras for the crowd scenes, Huston sent his assistants into the pool halls of nearby Chico, Calif., to find what he described as "grizzled SOBs" to avoid giving the film a Hollywood look.

Although Audie Murphy usually went through life with a detached languor, he erupted twice during filming. At one point one of the assistant directors yelled at him the wrong way, and Murphy left the crowd scene he was in, grabbed the man by the shirt and told him, "Don't you ever talk to me like that again!" In another incident he stopped two men in a car from harassing some teens on motor scooters. When the men tried to start a fight with him, he attacked both with his riding crop. They had to go to the hospital, never knowing that they'd been beaten up by World War II's most decorated soldier.

Huston got around Murphy's insecurities by maintaining a cheerful air at all times. Observers thought he had developed almost a paternal relationship with the young man who, at 26, was still haunted by the horrors he had witnessed during World War II.

At one point in the original script, the Loud Soldier (Bill Mauldin) accused Murphy's character of cowardice. During repeated re-takes, the accusation got to Murphy, who finally accused Mauldin of trying to get at him with the line. Murphy also had trouble admitting that he was a coward in the scene. Finally, Mauldin suggested, "I think Audie is having trouble confessing to a Stars and Stripes cartoonist that he ran from battle." Huston did a hurried re-write so that Mauldin would confess his fear first, prompting Murphy's character to admit to his own feelings.

Huston never looked at the film's rushes. When Reinhardt told him one scene needed to be re-shot, Huston looked at it, then re-shot it in exactly the same way.

Huston finished principal photography in 49 days.

When filming was completed, Huston held a special screening for the cast and crew and invited directors and producers. They were overwhelmed, and he declared it the best film he had ever made. Murphy couldn't believe he had turned in such an impressive performance, and his mentor, Hedda Hopper, declared it the best war film ever made.

Unfortunately, the film's public previews in February 1951 were disastrous. Although some people loved the film, more hated it, and many walked out during the screening. Some of the most serious scenes evoked laughter. Huston ran off to London the day after the first preview. In a panic, studio executives added a narration by James Whitmore, including an explanatory introduction written by studio production chief Dore Schary to explain that the novel had been universally hailed as a classic. It didn't help. Audiences at the third preview still hated the film.

By this point, Huston was already in Africa doing extensive location shooting for his next film, The African Queen (1951). In his absence, Schary re-edited the film. He cut whole scenes, including the Tattered Man's (Royal Dano) death scene, which had drawn laughs at previews. Many on the production considered it the finest scene in the film and thought it would win Dano an Oscar®. Schary also cut an entire cavalry charge and many of the small touches that had deepened and humanized the film. Putting together the now-mangled footage produced continuity errors. Huston's best film ever was reduced from two hours and 15 minutes to a mere 69 minutes.

After seeing what MGM had done to the film, Huston instructed his agent to include a clause in all future contracts guaranteeing that he would receive a copy of his director's cut on all of his films.

The film's final cost was $1,642,017.33.

With continued poor results from test screenings, MGM sneaked the film out as a second feature on double bills with an Esther Williams picture (Texas Carnival, 1951) and then only in smaller theatres.

When the film played on the second half of a double bill in London, a local critic caught it and was so impressed he arranged a press screening for his colleagues. They all wrote columns demanding the film be given a proper release. Finally, MGM gave in and booked the film into a West End theatre, where it flopped.

Four years later, with the success of Murphy's film autobiography, To Hell and Back (1955), he and some Texas friends tried to buy The Red Badge of Courage from MGM so they could shoot new footage to replace what had been cut. The studio turned him down.

In 1957, Huston and Reinhardt tried to get a copy of the original negative only to learn that the studio had destroyed it. Almost 20 years later, when he was directing The Man Who Would Be King (1975), Huston received a cable from MGM management asking if he had a copy of his original cut. He had struck a 16mm print, but by that time it had been lost.

by Frank Miller

Behind the Camera - THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE (1951)

Behind the Camera on THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE Filming started on August 25, 1950. Originally, director John Huston had wanted to shoot The Red Badge of Courage in Virginia. When that proved too expensive, he moved the location to his farm in Calabasas, Calif. Originally Huston tried to save time by having his assistant director, Andrew Marton, line up one shot while he was finishing another. But Huston had trouble making up his mind about what he really wanted. When he spent more time rearranging the shots Marton had lined up than he might have spent doing it all himself, he abandoned the idea. To cast extras for the crowd scenes, Huston sent his assistants into the pool halls of nearby Chico, Calif., to find what he described as "grizzled SOBs" to avoid giving the film a Hollywood look. Although Audie Murphy usually went through life with a detached languor, he erupted twice during filming. At one point one of the assistant directors yelled at him the wrong way, and Murphy left the crowd scene he was in, grabbed the man by the shirt and told him, "Don't you ever talk to me like that again!" In another incident he stopped two men in a car from harassing some teens on motor scooters. When the men tried to start a fight with him, he attacked both with his riding crop. They had to go to the hospital, never knowing that they'd been beaten up by World War II's most decorated soldier. Huston got around Murphy's insecurities by maintaining a cheerful air at all times. Observers thought he had developed almost a paternal relationship with the young man who, at 26, was still haunted by the horrors he had witnessed during World War II. At one point in the original script, the Loud Soldier (Bill Mauldin) accused Murphy's character of cowardice. During repeated re-takes, the accusation got to Murphy, who finally accused Mauldin of trying to get at him with the line. Murphy also had trouble admitting that he was a coward in the scene. Finally, Mauldin suggested, "I think Audie is having trouble confessing to a Stars and Stripes cartoonist that he ran from battle." Huston did a hurried re-write so that Mauldin would confess his fear first, prompting Murphy's character to admit to his own feelings. Huston never looked at the film's rushes. When Reinhardt told him one scene needed to be re-shot, Huston looked at it, then re-shot it in exactly the same way. Huston finished principal photography in 49 days. When filming was completed, Huston held a special screening for the cast and crew and invited directors and producers. They were overwhelmed, and he declared it the best film he had ever made. Murphy couldn't believe he had turned in such an impressive performance, and his mentor, Hedda Hopper, declared it the best war film ever made. Unfortunately, the film's public previews in February 1951 were disastrous. Although some people loved the film, more hated it, and many walked out during the screening. Some of the most serious scenes evoked laughter. Huston ran off to London the day after the first preview. In a panic, studio executives added a narration by James Whitmore, including an explanatory introduction written by studio production chief Dore Schary to explain that the novel had been universally hailed as a classic. It didn't help. Audiences at the third preview still hated the film. By this point, Huston was already in Africa doing extensive location shooting for his next film, The African Queen (1951). In his absence, Schary re-edited the film. He cut whole scenes, including the Tattered Man's (Royal Dano) death scene, which had drawn laughs at previews. Many on the production considered it the finest scene in the film and thought it would win Dano an Oscar®. Schary also cut an entire cavalry charge and many of the small touches that had deepened and humanized the film. Putting together the now-mangled footage produced continuity errors. Huston's best film ever was reduced from two hours and 15 minutes to a mere 69 minutes. After seeing what MGM had done to the film, Huston instructed his agent to include a clause in all future contracts guaranteeing that he would receive a copy of his director's cut on all of his films. The film's final cost was $1,642,017.33. With continued poor results from test screenings, MGM sneaked the film out as a second feature on double bills with an Esther Williams picture (Texas Carnival, 1951) and then only in smaller theatres. When the film played on the second half of a double bill in London, a local critic caught it and was so impressed he arranged a press screening for his colleagues. They all wrote columns demanding the film be given a proper release. Finally, MGM gave in and booked the film into a West End theatre, where it flopped. Four years later, with the success of Murphy's film autobiography, To Hell and Back (1955), he and some Texas friends tried to buy The Red Badge of Courage from MGM so they could shoot new footage to replace what had been cut. The studio turned him down. In 1957, Huston and Reinhardt tried to get a copy of the original negative only to learn that the studio had destroyed it. Almost 20 years later, when he was directing The Man Who Would Be King (1975), Huston received a cable from MGM management asking if he had a copy of his original cut. He had struck a 16mm print, but by that time it had been lost. by Frank Miller

The Critics Corner - THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE (1951)

September 15, 2004

The Critics' Corner on THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE

"Stephen Crane's "The Red Badge of Courage" has been transformed by John Huston into a striking screen close-up of a young man's introduction to battle...The dialogue is sparing but acute, and the camera work is a procession of visual effects detailing most vividly the progress of a Civil War battle. Except for a redundant narration that clutters up the sound track from time to time explaining facts already clear in the images, there are no concessions made to movie conventions in this film." - The New York Tribune.

"A brilliant emotional drama, a memorable war saga...It's a wonderful example of modern film art." - The New York Mirror.

"The picture does not become a fully realized experience, nor is it deeply moving. It is as if, somewhere between shooting and final version, the light of inspiration had died." - The New York Post.

"The Red Badge of Courage bids fair to become one of the classic American motion pictures." - Newsweek.

"If Stephen Crane's "The Red Badge of Courage" is considered a classic of American nineteenth-century literature, John Huston's adaptation of it for the screen may well become a classic of American twentieth-century film-making." - Saturday Review of Literature.

"Audie Murphy plays the youth as if he were living every moment of the role, suffering every step as he advances against the enemy, wondering if he will stay to fight like a man or if he will run in cowardice. (I met Mr. Murphy recently, and I was surprised to find that he has in real life the same boyish face and fresh, polite attitude that he displays in the movies. It is almost incredible that this youthful, untroubled face belongs to the man who won so many medals in World War II.)" - Commonweal.

"Audie Murphy, who plays the Young Soldier, does as well as anyone could expect as a virtual photographer's model upon whom the camera is mostly turned. And his stupefied facial expression and erratic attitudes when grim experiences crowd him suggest what goes on in his mind. These, coupled with the visual evidence of all that surrounds him and all he sees, plus the help of an occasional narration that sketchily tells us what he feels, do all that can be expected to give us the inner sight of Mr. Crane's book." - Bosley Crowther, The New York Times.

"Huston's direction -- with its sparse narrative, unusual camera angles and shadowy black and white imagery -- shows the influence of film noir, a genre he helped create. He augments this with a mobile camera -- lots of panning, tracking, and dolly shots -- to mirror the pace of the war scenes. The fall and redemption of the protagonist, while clearly predictable, is still intelligently and effectively executed." - Dan Jardine, All Movie Guide.

"Despite the mutilation...some 70 minutes remain of John Huston's film version....and much of it is breathtaking." - Pauline Kael, 5001 Nights at the Movies.

"Red Badge remains as a series of gracious battle scenes, a noble aspiration, but a folly and a mess." - David Thomson, The New Biographical Dictionary of Film.

"This is not a lyrically pessimistic film; its conclusion is rather a positive stoicism, an active scepticism that is not devoid of humor. Its emphasis is on interior development. This is not psychological but romanesque; not a spectacle but a narrative wedded to a critical intelligence." - Andre Bazin.

Awards & Honors

The National Board of Review ranked The Red Badge of Courage second on its list of the ten best films of 1951.

The film was nominated for Best Film From Any Source by the British Film Academy.

Compiled by Frank Miller & Jeff Stafford

The Critics Corner - THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE (1951)

The Critics' Corner on THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE "Stephen Crane's "The Red Badge of Courage" has been transformed by John Huston into a striking screen close-up of a young man's introduction to battle...The dialogue is sparing but acute, and the camera work is a procession of visual effects detailing most vividly the progress of a Civil War battle. Except for a redundant narration that clutters up the sound track from time to time explaining facts already clear in the images, there are no concessions made to movie conventions in this film." - The New York Tribune. "A brilliant emotional drama, a memorable war saga...It's a wonderful example of modern film art." - The New York Mirror. "The picture does not become a fully realized experience, nor is it deeply moving. It is as if, somewhere between shooting and final version, the light of inspiration had died." - The New York Post. "The Red Badge of Courage bids fair to become one of the classic American motion pictures." - Newsweek. "If Stephen Crane's "The Red Badge of Courage" is considered a classic of American nineteenth-century literature, John Huston's adaptation of it for the screen may well become a classic of American twentieth-century film-making." - Saturday Review of Literature. "Audie Murphy plays the youth as if he were living every moment of the role, suffering every step as he advances against the enemy, wondering if he will stay to fight like a man or if he will run in cowardice. (I met Mr. Murphy recently, and I was surprised to find that he has in real life the same boyish face and fresh, polite attitude that he displays in the movies. It is almost incredible that this youthful, untroubled face belongs to the man who won so many medals in World War II.)" - Commonweal. "Audie Murphy, who plays the Young Soldier, does as well as anyone could expect as a virtual photographer's model upon whom the camera is mostly turned. And his stupefied facial expression and erratic attitudes when grim experiences crowd him suggest what goes on in his mind. These, coupled with the visual evidence of all that surrounds him and all he sees, plus the help of an occasional narration that sketchily tells us what he feels, do all that can be expected to give us the inner sight of Mr. Crane's book." - Bosley Crowther, The New York Times. "Huston's direction -- with its sparse narrative, unusual camera angles and shadowy black and white imagery -- shows the influence of film noir, a genre he helped create. He augments this with a mobile camera -- lots of panning, tracking, and dolly shots -- to mirror the pace of the war scenes. The fall and redemption of the protagonist, while clearly predictable, is still intelligently and effectively executed." - Dan Jardine, All Movie Guide. "Despite the mutilation...some 70 minutes remain of John Huston's film version....and much of it is breathtaking." - Pauline Kael, 5001 Nights at the Movies. "Red Badge remains as a series of gracious battle scenes, a noble aspiration, but a folly and a mess." - David Thomson, The New Biographical Dictionary of Film. "This is not a lyrically pessimistic film; its conclusion is rather a positive stoicism, an active scepticism that is not devoid of humor. Its emphasis is on interior development. This is not psychological but romanesque; not a spectacle but a narrative wedded to a critical intelligence." - Andre Bazin. Awards & Honors The National Board of Review ranked The Red Badge of Courage second on its list of the ten best films of 1951. The film was nominated for Best Film From Any Source by the British Film Academy. Compiled by Frank Miller & Jeff Stafford

The Red Badge of Courage

April 28, 2006

Even after boasting at training camp of becoming a hero in battle, Henry Fleming, a Union soldier played by Audie Murphy in The Red Badge of Courage (1951), soon panics from the explosions of both friendly and enemy fire in his first conflict and runs frantically towards the rear as others fall wounded and dying around him. The legendary director, John Huston, inspired by the realism of Matthew Brady's Civil War photographs, utilizes truck shots, camera pans and dollies as Henry wanders away from "the field of honor" and into disgrace, earning his so-called blood stain or red badge of courage not in the heat of battle but by being hit by a frightened soldier on the run, knocking him unconscious. Finally, bolstered by a sense of shame and anger he finds his old unit again, this time with a chance for redemption, straddling that fine line between cowardice and bravery.

How The Red Badge of Courage got made has become a well known battle of its own. Well documented in Lillian Ross's book of collected New Yorker articles on the making of the movie, entitled Picture, Huston found himself trapped in the midst of a takeover of MGM's management (under the rule of Louis B. Mayer) by studio executive Dore Schary and his rebellious followers. While Huston liked what Stephan Crane's classic 1893 novel The Red Badge of Courage had to say about war, the futility of it all and the coming of age through crisis, the two executive combatants saw it only as a chance to fight over valuable turf, with Mayer hating the new trend towards realism (including Huston's earlier heist thriller, The Asphalt Jungle, 1950) and Schary giving the go ahead to this relatively small, but suddenly important film that now pitted one side against the other.

All John Huston wanted to do, aside from being faithful to Crane's original story, was, according to Lillian Ross, "to direct a picture on horseback." However, this was a short lived fantasy that only lasted a day because the horse couldn't take the constant activity. But direct he did, getting the most from his actors and extras (some of them selected from nearby bars and poolrooms for that drawn and war-like look). Even though Huston had so many distractions, both from the studio side and of a personal nature during the making of this film (including his getting married, having a child and losing his father, the great actor, Walter Huston, who died unexpectedly), he still felt as though the film may have been the best he'd ever done. That is, until he was pulled away in post production to film The African Queen (1951) and Schary, wanting to control more and more of the filmmaking process, went ahead and made severe cuts in the film anyway. Schary's headstrong, often impulsive behavior emerged later as well; actor James Mason witnessed the mogul belting William Saroyan after the writer refused to stop talking at Schary's screening of The Red Badge of Courage. As for Schary's version of the film, we now see Audie Murphy leading a charge with a bandanna wrapped about his head, then rushing forward without a bandanna and then firing his rifle with the bandanna once more around his head. Yet, even after adding James Whitmore as a narrator for "clarity" and shortening the movie to a mere 69 minutes, The Red Badge of Courage remains a minor classic, notable for its sensitive depiction of a young man's struggle to come to terms with his own identity. Although we do have the existing 69 minute print, Huston's original cut was lost, which made the director insist in all future contracts that he be granted a copy of the first cut of any film he made.

Seen today, The Red Badge of Courage is particularly interesting for its ensemble acting, performances that were shaped by Huston. Among the cast members are first timer political cartoonist Bill Mauldin as "The Loud Soldier," John Dierkes as "The Tall Soldier" and Royal Dano as "The Tattered Soldier." But it is Audie Murphy who pulls this film together in arguably his finest role. As the review in Commonweal put it, "Audie Murphy plays the Youth as if he were living every moment of the role, suffering every step as he advances against the enemy, wondering if he will stay to fight like a man or if he will run in cowardice." A hero of the second World War Murphy was not a fan of war movies because as he said in his biography No Name on the Bullet by Don Graham, he felt most of those films were, "glamorized too darn much!" and the humor in them was, "phony." Yet, he liked the Crane novel because of its essential truth, "Psychologically, wars don't change, you're all alone in a battle." And even though it was the time of the Korean War and many felt the subtleties of Huston's version of The Red Badge of Courage did not meet the public's demand for clear cut definitions of war and victory, Audie decided to take on the role anyway, because, as Graham explains it, "if the film could capture the honesty of the book, it would be a fine piece of work." Convinced that Huston was the man to accomplish this, Audie signed up for the role, lending it and the film a sense of authenticity and compassion.

However, not all were convinced that he could do the job. The producers wanted someone like Montgomery Clift or Van Johnson, who had starred in Schary's earlier war film, Battleground (1949). So, staunch patriot and powerful gossip columnist, Hedda Hopper, a strong supporter of Murphy, went to bat for him. As she said in Murphy's biography, "I called Dore and said it would be nice seeing a real soldier playing the part of a screen soldier for a change. With so many of our young men going to Korea, putting Audie in the picture would aid in boosting their morale. Audie got the part."

As with most men trained to kill in war, it was difficult for Murphy to adjust to civilian life, even though he became a successful actor and businessman. Still, he constantly struggled with anger and violence and eventually his film career and business dealings suffered setbacks in the late sixties. In 1968 he was declared bankrupt and in 1970 he was cleared of attempted murder after beating up a man in a barroom brawl. He was killed the following year along with five others in a small plane crash. Having experienced the peaks and valleys of Hollywood, with reviews that ran from the nearly vitriolic to high praise, The Red Badge of Courage was certainly his brightest moment, one that is thankfully preserved for all of us to see.

Producer: Gottfried Reinhardt
Director: John Huston
Screenplay: Albert Band, John Huston, based on the novel by Stephen Crane
Production Design: Lee Katz Cinematography: Harold Rosson
Film Editing: Ben Lewis
Original Music: Bronistau Kaper
Principal Cast: Audie Murphy (Henry Fleming "the Youth"), Bill Mauldin (Tom Wilson "the Loud Soldier"), John Dierkes (Jim Conklin "the Tall Soldier"), Andy Devine ("The Cheerful Soldier"), Arthur Hunnicutt (Bill Porter), Royal Dano ("The Tattered Soldier"), Robert Easton (Thompson), Douglas Dick (The Lieutenant), Tim Durant (The General).
BW-69m. Closed captioning.

by Joe D'Onofrio

The Red Badge of Courage

Even after boasting at training camp of becoming a hero in battle, Henry Fleming, a Union soldier played by Audie Murphy in The Red Badge of Courage (1951), soon panics from the explosions of both friendly and enemy fire in his first conflict and runs frantically towards the rear as others fall wounded and dying around him. The legendary director, John Huston, inspired by the realism of Matthew Brady's Civil War photographs, utilizes truck shots, camera pans and dollies as Henry wanders away from "the field of honor" and into disgrace, earning his so-called blood stain or red badge of courage not in the heat of battle but by being hit by a frightened soldier on the run, knocking him unconscious. Finally, bolstered by a sense of shame and anger he finds his old unit again, this time with a chance for redemption, straddling that fine line between cowardice and bravery. How The Red Badge of Courage got made has become a well known battle of its own. Well documented in Lillian Ross's book of collected New Yorker articles on the making of the movie, entitled Picture, Huston found himself trapped in the midst of a takeover of MGM's management (under the rule of Louis B. Mayer) by studio executive Dore Schary and his rebellious followers. While Huston liked what Stephan Crane's classic 1893 novel The Red Badge of Courage had to say about war, the futility of it all and the coming of age through crisis, the two executive combatants saw it only as a chance to fight over valuable turf, with Mayer hating the new trend towards realism (including Huston's earlier heist thriller, The Asphalt Jungle, 1950) and Schary giving the go ahead to this relatively small, but suddenly important film that now pitted one side against the other. All John Huston wanted to do, aside from being faithful to Crane's original story, was, according to Lillian Ross, "to direct a picture on horseback." However, this was a short lived fantasy that only lasted a day because the horse couldn't take the constant activity. But direct he did, getting the most from his actors and extras (some of them selected from nearby bars and poolrooms for that drawn and war-like look). Even though Huston had so many distractions, both from the studio side and of a personal nature during the making of this film (including his getting married, having a child and losing his father, the great actor, Walter Huston, who died unexpectedly), he still felt as though the film may have been the best he'd ever done. That is, until he was pulled away in post production to film The African Queen (1951) and Schary, wanting to control more and more of the filmmaking process, went ahead and made severe cuts in the film anyway. Schary's headstrong, often impulsive behavior emerged later as well; actor James Mason witnessed the mogul belting William Saroyan after the writer refused to stop talking at Schary's screening of The Red Badge of Courage. As for Schary's version of the film, we now see Audie Murphy leading a charge with a bandanna wrapped about his head, then rushing forward without a bandanna and then firing his rifle with the bandanna once more around his head. Yet, even after adding James Whitmore as a narrator for "clarity" and shortening the movie to a mere 69 minutes, The Red Badge of Courage remains a minor classic, notable for its sensitive depiction of a young man's struggle to come to terms with his own identity. Although we do have the existing 69 minute print, Huston's original cut was lost, which made the director insist in all future contracts that he be granted a copy of the first cut of any film he made. Seen today, The Red Badge of Courage is particularly interesting for its ensemble acting, performances that were shaped by Huston. Among the cast members are first timer political cartoonist Bill Mauldin as "The Loud Soldier," John Dierkes as "The Tall Soldier" and Royal Dano as "The Tattered Soldier." But it is Audie Murphy who pulls this film together in arguably his finest role. As the review in Commonweal put it, "Audie Murphy plays the Youth as if he were living every moment of the role, suffering every step as he advances against the enemy, wondering if he will stay to fight like a man or if he will run in cowardice." A hero of the second World War Murphy was not a fan of war movies because as he said in his biography No Name on the Bullet by Don Graham, he felt most of those films were, "glamorized too darn much!" and the humor in them was, "phony." Yet, he liked the Crane novel because of its essential truth, "Psychologically, wars don't change, you're all alone in a battle." And even though it was the time of the Korean War and many felt the subtleties of Huston's version of The Red Badge of Courage did not meet the public's demand for clear cut definitions of war and victory, Audie decided to take on the role anyway, because, as Graham explains it, "if the film could capture the honesty of the book, it would be a fine piece of work." Convinced that Huston was the man to accomplish this, Audie signed up for the role, lending it and the film a sense of authenticity and compassion. However, not all were convinced that he could do the job. The producers wanted someone like Montgomery Clift or Van Johnson, who had starred in Schary's earlier war film, Battleground (1949). So, staunch patriot and powerful gossip columnist, Hedda Hopper, a strong supporter of Murphy, went to bat for him. As she said in Murphy's biography, "I called Dore and said it would be nice seeing a real soldier playing the part of a screen soldier for a change. With so many of our young men going to Korea, putting Audie in the picture would aid in boosting their morale. Audie got the part." As with most men trained to kill in war, it was difficult for Murphy to adjust to civilian life, even though he became a successful actor and businessman. Still, he constantly struggled with anger and violence and eventually his film career and business dealings suffered setbacks in the late sixties. In 1968 he was declared bankrupt and in 1970 he was cleared of attempted murder after beating up a man in a barroom brawl. He was killed the following year along with five others in a small plane crash. Having experienced the peaks and valleys of Hollywood, with reviews that ran from the nearly vitriolic to high praise, The Red Badge of Courage was certainly his brightest moment, one that is thankfully preserved for all of us to see. Producer: Gottfried Reinhardt Director: John Huston Screenplay: Albert Band, John Huston, based on the novel by Stephen Crane Production Design: Lee Katz Cinematography: Harold Rosson Film Editing: Ben Lewis Original Music: Bronistau Kaper Principal Cast: Audie Murphy (Henry Fleming "the Youth"), Bill Mauldin (Tom Wilson "the Loud Soldier"), John Dierkes (Jim Conklin "the Tall Soldier"), Andy Devine ("The Cheerful Soldier"), Arthur Hunnicutt (Bill Porter), Royal Dano ("The Tattered Soldier"), Robert Easton (Thompson), Douglas Dick (The Lieutenant), Tim Durant (The General). BW-69m. Closed captioning. by Joe D'Onofrio

The Red Badge of Courage (version two) - The Red Badge of Courage

May 4, 2009

Throughout his long and illustrious career, John Huston always maintained that this Civil War picture examining the fine line between cowardice and bravery, "could have been" his greatest film, and clearly it is among the director's best, despite the altering by studio executives. Audie Murphy, the most decorated hero of World War II, plays Henry Fleming, a youth who joins the Union army and waits impatiently for the orders that will take him into battle. When the time finally comes to fight, the once boastful Henry flees in terror instead of facing the enemy. Eventually, he must confront his fear and return to his unit for another battle.

What's striking about The Red Badge of Courage (1951) is that it doesn't have a traditional story line. Instead, it covers a few, brief hours of war and the effect it has on a handful of characters. Director John Huston skillfully presents Stephen Crane's famous story as an allegory of all wars and his direction is lucid in every scene, from the film's sweeping battle sequences to isolated moments of terror and panic when Henry Fleming is confronted with death all around him. Cinematographer Harold Rosson gives the film a rough, granular texture, beautifully evoking the period and the photographs of Civil War cameraman Matthew Brady. Yet most of all, it is Murphy and the cast of charismatic near-unknowns that give the film its soul, especially Andy Devine as a cheery soldier who lets "God do his worrying."

One of the unanswered questions about The Red Badge of Courage is how much more effective it might have been in its original form. Huston left the production immediately after its completion to fly across the world to make The African Queen (1951), leaving his film in the hands of studio chiefs who cut it after the film failed miserably with preview audiences. They removed much of the director's questioning of the need for warfare (which they found objectionable during the then-current Cold War), added narration by James Whitmore, and reduced the running time to a paltry 69 minutes. Still embarrassed by the negative audience reaction, MGM sent the film out without fanfare, offering it as a second feature on double bills, hardly a way to recoup its $1.6 million production costs. Without the studio's support, the film became a commercial bomb. Audiences failed to identify with the film's grim realism and the classic Crane story wasn't enough of a draw to insure box-office success. It also didn't help that the film featured no big name stars in leading roles. And despite positive reviews by the critics (specifically for Murphy, who received the best notices of his career), American audiences in 1951 were simply not ready to examine the fine line between cowardice and bravery, especially in lieu of their victories during World War II and their current involvement in the Korean War.

A sad footnote for those who have ever hoped for a fully restored version of this classic film: Huston received a cable from MGM in 1975 which asked if he had a print of the original cut of The Red Badge of Courage. Unfortunately, it didn't exist, as it was destroyed years earlier. From that point on, Huston stipulated in all his future contracts that he would receive a sixteen-millimeter print of the first cut of any film he made in an effort to avoid the terrible lessons learned on The Red Badge of Courage. For those so inclined, full details of the frustrating events and ego clashes that occurred during the making of this film are strikingly captured in Lillian Ross's book Picture: A Story About Hollywood.

Producer: Gottfried Reinhardt
Director: John Huston
Screenplay: Stephen Crane (novel), Albert Band (adaptation), John Huston
Production Design: Lee Katz Cinematography: Harold Rosson
Film Editing: Ben Lewis
Original Music: Bronislau Kaper
Principal Cast: Andy Devine (The Cheerful Soldier), Robert Easton (Thompson), Douglas Dick (The Lieutenant), Tim Durant (The General), Arthur Hunnicutt (Bill Porter).
BW-70m. Closed captioning.

By Michael Toole

The Red Badge of Courage (version two) - The Red Badge of Courage

Throughout his long and illustrious career, John Huston always maintained that this Civil War picture examining the fine line between cowardice and bravery, "could have been" his greatest film, and clearly it is among the director's best, despite the altering by studio executives. Audie Murphy, the most decorated hero of World War II, plays Henry Fleming, a youth who joins the Union army and waits impatiently for the orders that will take him into battle. When the time finally comes to fight, the once boastful Henry flees in terror instead of facing the enemy. Eventually, he must confront his fear and return to his unit for another battle. What's striking about The Red Badge of Courage (1951) is that it doesn't have a traditional story line. Instead, it covers a few, brief hours of war and the effect it has on a handful of characters. Director John Huston skillfully presents Stephen Crane's famous story as an allegory of all wars and his direction is lucid in every scene, from the film's sweeping battle sequences to isolated moments of terror and panic when Henry Fleming is confronted with death all around him. Cinematographer Harold Rosson gives the film a rough, granular texture, beautifully evoking the period and the photographs of Civil War cameraman Matthew Brady. Yet most of all, it is Murphy and the cast of charismatic near-unknowns that give the film its soul, especially Andy Devine as a cheery soldier who lets "God do his worrying." One of the unanswered questions about The Red Badge of Courage is how much more effective it might have been in its original form. Huston left the production immediately after its completion to fly across the world to make The African Queen (1951), leaving his film in the hands of studio chiefs who cut it after the film failed miserably with preview audiences. They removed much of the director's questioning of the need for warfare (which they found objectionable during the then-current Cold War), added narration by James Whitmore, and reduced the running time to a paltry 69 minutes. Still embarrassed by the negative audience reaction, MGM sent the film out without fanfare, offering it as a second feature on double bills, hardly a way to recoup its $1.6 million production costs. Without the studio's support, the film became a commercial bomb. Audiences failed to identify with the film's grim realism and the classic Crane story wasn't enough of a draw to insure box-office success. It also didn't help that the film featured no big name stars in leading roles. And despite positive reviews by the critics (specifically for Murphy, who received the best notices of his career), American audiences in 1951 were simply not ready to examine the fine line between cowardice and bravery, especially in lieu of their victories during World War II and their current involvement in the Korean War. A sad footnote for those who have ever hoped for a fully restored version of this classic film: Huston received a cable from MGM in 1975 which asked if he had a print of the original cut of The Red Badge of Courage. Unfortunately, it didn't exist, as it was destroyed years earlier. From that point on, Huston stipulated in all his future contracts that he would receive a sixteen-millimeter print of the first cut of any film he made in an effort to avoid the terrible lessons learned on The Red Badge of Courage. For those so inclined, full details of the frustrating events and ego clashes that occurred during the making of this film are strikingly captured in Lillian Ross's book Picture: A Story About Hollywood. Producer: Gottfried Reinhardt Director: John Huston Screenplay: Stephen Crane (novel), Albert Band (adaptation), John Huston Production Design: Lee Katz Cinematography: Harold Rosson Film Editing: Ben Lewis Original Music: Bronislau Kaper Principal Cast: Andy Devine (The Cheerful Soldier), Robert Easton (Thompson), Douglas Dick (The Lieutenant), Tim Durant (The General), Arthur Hunnicutt (Bill Porter). BW-70m. Closed captioning. By Michael Toole

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The opening title cards reads: "Stephen Crane's Great Novel of the Civil War The Red Badge of Courage." The end credits differ from the opening cast credits, which are listed as follows: Audie Murphy, Bill Mauldin, Douglas Dick, Royal Dano, Arthur Hunnicutt and Tim Durant. The end credits, which are in a different order and include added cast names, are presented with moving images of the principle cast, with their names and roles superimposed. The actor billed onscreen as Robert Easton Burke was more commonly known as Robert Easton. This was the only feature film in which he was used the name Burke.
       Prior to the start of the action, a picture of author Stephen Crane, with his name printed below, is shown. After the photograph appears, the following words are spoken by the narrator, actor James Whitmore: "The Red Badge of Courage was written by Stephen Crane in 1894. From the moment it was published, it was accepted by critics and public alike, as a classic story of war,..." Whitmore provides intermittent narration throughout the film. The text of the narration was taken directly from Crane's novel, as was much of the film's dialogue. When the film ends, the book's final page is shown and Whitman recites the penultimate line of the novel, "tranquil skies, fresh meadows, cool brooks-an existence of soft and eternal peace-".
       Crane's novel, which was serialized in the Philadelphia Press (3 December-8 December 1894), was his second, and was written when the author was twenty-four years old. As noted in the film's narration, it was highly praised by contemporary critics. Its reputation as one of the greatest American novels has continued and it is often cited as the first modern war novel. The released film is close to the novel in style and content. Some critics have speculated that the novel's central battle is based on Chancellorsville (1863), but no specific battle is named, either in the book or the film.
       News items, feature articles, reviews and press releases reveal the following information about the production: On August 29, 1947, a news item in Los Angeles Times reported that Michael Kraike and Monte Brice were going to produce a film adaptation of Crane's novel, with a script by Robert D. Andrews, but that production apparently did not advance beyond initial planning. Audie Murphy, who portrayed "The Youth," the central character of the story, was the most decorated soldier of World War II prior to becoming an actor. Although Murphy had appeared in several earlier films, The Red Badge of Courage was his most important film to date, and considered by some modern critics to have been his best. Some contemporary reviewers pointed out the irony of the famous war hero portraying a young man grappling with worries of personal courage. Murphy received good notices for the film, including the Time magazine review, which praised his "boyishly eloquent" performance. Although some modern sources indicate that Montgomery Cliff was considered for the film's lead, in his autobiography, director John Huston indicated that Murphy was his only serious candidate, partially because of a rapport that existed between the two men, who both had been greatly affected by their own experiences during the war. Bill Mauldin, "The Loud Soldier," was a Pulitzer Prize-winning World War II cartoonist for the U.S. Army magazine Stars and Stripes. Mauldin, who had made his motion picture debut in M-G-M's Teresa, released a few weeks prior to The Red Badge of Courage, provided cartoon sketches of the production to accompany a feature article on the film in Life.
       Portions of the film, which had no interior scenes, were shot in Chico, CA. Additional location shooting took place in Southern California on Huston's Calabasas ranch and on an adjacent ranch that belonged to director Clarence Brown. Various news items recounted that the production was utilizing a new technique called "leapfrog" directing. According to reports, the method required director Andrew Marton to set up a scene until Huston was ready to take over. As soon as Huston began direction of one scene, Marton would then immediately go on to set up the next. Although the process was intended to reduce a proposed eighty-day shoot to forty, thus saving money, the production ultimately ran about $50,000 over its proposed $1,500,000 budget.
       Writer Lillian Ross wrote a series of four lengthy articles on the film's production. Ross, who became a lifelong friend of Huston's, wrote what was considered to be the most significant production history of any film to that time. Her articles, which appeared in The New Yorker from 24 May to June 14, 1952, were published in book form later in 1952, and was reprinted in book form with a foreword by Huston's daughter Anjelica in 1993. Much of the information that has been included in modern sources about the production was based on the essays written by Ross. In her articles, which included extensive interviews with the filmmakers, Ross offers a detailed history of the troubled production: After producer Gottfried Reinhardt proposed a screen adaptation of Crane's novel to Huston, they were given enthusiastic support by M-G-M production chief Dore Schary. At the same time, M-G-M studio head Louis B. Mayer opposed the project, feeling that it was not an interesting story and would not be successful. In Huston's autobiography, and in documentaries on his career, he stated that he offered to drop the project when Mayer voiced strong reservations, but Mayer told him to "fight for it" if he really wanted to make it. Throughout the pre-production and filming of The Red Badge of Courage, relations between Mayer and Schary, which had been strained since Schary assumed his position at the studio in 1948, became increasingly hostile. Ultimately, Nicholas Schenck, chairman of M-G-M's parent company, Loew's Inc., sided with Schary, and Mayer was forced to resign from the studio in June 1951.
       Both Huston and Reinhardt, as reported by Ross and in Huston's autobiography, wanted to maintain the lyricism of Crane's book and stay as close as possible to the original text. According to modern sources, Huston had originally wanted author Norman Mailer to write the screenplay. Huston and Albert Band, credited onscreen with "Adaptation," but acknowledged in several contemporary sources as Huston's production assistant, both wanted the film to emulate the look of actual photographs taken by Civil War photographer Mathew Brady. In modern interviews, Band has claimed that both he and Huston wrote versions of the screenplay but that Huston preferred, and used, most of what Band had written.
       The completed film ran more than 130 minutes and received numerous highly negative response cards from audiences members at previews held in February 1951. Huston stated in his autobiography and elsewhere that the audiences started leaving one hour after the picture began. As recounted in Ross's articles, Schary, Reinhardt and Huston were shocked by the reaction. Prior to the public previews, a private screening of the film was held and the filmmakers had been told by industry friends that the film was excellent. Huston was quoted in the Ross articles as saying that director William Wyler, who was usually highly critical, told Huston that the picture was "wonderful," and one of the greatest pictures he had ever seen.
       Shortly after the public preview, Huston left to begin pre-production in Europe on his next film, The African Queen, and left final editing of The Red Badge of Courage to Reinhardt and Schary. Although Schary initially maintained that the film did not need significant changes, eventually, with the assistance of veteran M-G-M film editor Margaret Booth, Schary cut the picture to 69 minutes by removing several sequences, including the death of "The Tattered Man." In addition to removing considerable footage, Schary decided to add the narration that was spoken by Whitmore and to use an actual copy of the book as a framing device in the opening and ending credits.
       Although the film had some excellent notices, it did not do well at the box office. When Ross's articles ran in The New Yorker, the studio hoped to capitalize on them by re-releasing the film in spring 1952, but it still failed to garner the public's attention. According to a September 23, 1952 news item in Hollywood Reporter, the film became the basis of a motion picture analysis course at New York University, for which Huston himself was a guest lecturer. Many modern sources have called the film one of Huston's best and Huston himself stated that it was his personal favorite among his own films. A television adaptation of Crane's novel was made in 1974, starring Richard Thomas.

Miscellaneous Notes

Released in United States Fall September 28, 1951

Released in United States March 1976

Released in United States March 1976 (Shown at FILMEX: Los Angeles International Film Exposition (Special Programs - The Americas: A National Portrait) March 18-31, 1976.)

Released in United States Fall September 28, 1951

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