The Steel Helmet

How does this 1951 film set during the contemporaneous Korean War explore racially connected issues in the U.S.? How does it go against type for so called “B” movies in its exploration of these issues? How does it reflect the communist world’s awareness of America’s faults and attempts to exploit the existence of racial bigotry? How does the director, Samuel Fuller’s, military experience lend credence to his portrayal of small unit climate and dynamics? How does the relationship of the relatively green Lt. Driscoll and experienced Sgt. Zack reflect the realities of these dynamics? Why did the Army react negatively to this film’s portrayal of the shooting of a POW? Why is there a relative dearth of films dealing with the Korean War, as compared with WWII and the Vietnam War? Does the ambiguous outcome of that conflict account for this?