Time Limit (1957)

Some things I liked some I did not.

Beautiful, moving film.

An absolute waste of money

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

An interesting new site has declassified information on blackmail and Korean POWs and discusses this film: http://www.koreanconfidential.com/koreanpowfilmnoir.htmlDirector John Frankenheimer's The Manchurian Candidate was the best but not the first to explore the issue of U.S. POWs in the 1950-3 Korean War. During the war, Americans had been stunned when many U.S. prisoners collaborated with their communist captors; issued false confessions to germ warfare; and even, in 21 cases, chose to stay behind in China rather than return home. What happened during the war and when the prisoners returned inspired its own sub-genre of Cold War Noir. How realistic were The Manchurian Candidate and these other firms -- and today's hit show Homeland? Click the poster to the right to find out.Check out some of the best, or at least most interesting, Korean War POW movies below. Click on the posters below for more info and view the trailers (you need flash).Don't miss the Bill Dumas documentary on unreturned Korean War POWs.And for perhaps the best actors in Korean War POW movies, see the bottom of this page.One last thing: if you like modern espionage and spy movies, see the films Shiri and JSA in the left column. ...intense noirish thrillers from the new wave of Korean film.

Richard Widmark, Richard Basehart, Rip Torn and Carl Benton Reid star in "Time Limit," a 1957 drama directed by Karl Malden. It's a small drama, based on a play, and very well done. During the Korean War, a military investigator, Colonel Edwards (Widmark) is assigned the case of Major Cargill (Basehart), who was a POW and is accused of treason. Edwards believes Cargill to be innocent of the charges, even though Cargill admits that the charges are correct.This story is really about making a humane decision rather than following military rules. Since as I write this we are still at war in Iraq, this film remains relevant. The scenes at the prisoner of war camp are excellent and really give one the feel for what these soldiers suffered.Widmark, Torn and Basehart are especially good - Widmark is a man looking for the answer and striving to be both humane and fair, and Torn is a witness to what occurred - both give terrific performances. Basehart is effective as the accused, who just wants to plead guilty and not explain his actions.A very thought-provoking drama, certainly a topic that's been covered in bigger films, but still worth seeing.

This gentleman has written my thoughts on "A Time Limit" exactly. I had a heck-of-a-time finding it in IMDb. I had to type-in "Richard Widmark movies" to find it. As the viewer stated, it is the only movie Carl Malden directed. It makes one wonder about the power-game in Hollywood and other places where movies are made. Yet, directing a movie must create a commsumate stress. The body of work Mr. Malden did as an actor speaks for itself, ditto for Widmark. His role in this film must have been a very important consideration for his role in "Judgment at Nuremberg".The war in Iraq has caused us to question "the code" for branches of the military. Who can speak for any member of them, or give reasons for their actions? Everything is different during wartime, especially if you are an officer who must take the responsibility for other men's lives. I always notice that highly commissioned officers who are interviewed on television are almost always "retired" - otherwise, they could not have taken the risk of breaking "the code". There are no personal, civil rights in the military - you are a part of a dictatorial branch of The Pentagon. I think "the code" creates inhumane situations.Another film on this subject includes "A Few Good Men", which graphically demonstrates the abuse by high-commissioned officers, whether it is blatant abuse of an officer's authority or to cover criminal offenses, as is demonstrated by the movie "......" does."A Time Limit" - apparently not seen by too many people except on TCM, where I saw it - exposes "the code" must treat even military-personnel as humans. Otherwise, there is no excuse for "the code"........all of the cast of this movie were excellent.

With Richard Basehart as the man on trial, this is one of his most stunning works I have ever had the pleasure to see. Richard Widmark is also in one of his finest roles as the Colonel who is also Baseharts Lawyer.As it starts out in a POW Camp somewhere in Korea--you get a gritty feel of what some of those men had to endure--thanks to the fine acting done my Richard Basehart. Thanks to Richard Widmark--you also get a great job done as a man who is trying to up-hold the honors of his profession under incredable pressure from his Commanding Officer--a General, to come up with a quick conviction on Basehart.I highly recommend this movie as something to see. You will not be disappoiinted in the time you spent in watching this VERY fine film.