Beachhead Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		3.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.0

Beachhead Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf February 17, 2016

1954’s “Beachhead” is perhaps the quietest war film I’ve seen in recently memory. The picture makes extensive use of sneak attacks and stealth, with dialogue exchanges largely whispered, providing an unusual acting challenge for stars Tony Curtis and Frank Lovejoy, who are asked to dig into meaty WWII lines while dialing back on intensity. Thankfully, performances are alert enough to carry the movie, which follows military formula without hesitation, looking to provide viewers with the basics in combat pressure and Men on a Mission heroics, only without the thespian volume this type of production often demands.

Stuart Heisler directs the jungle adventure, which pits a small battalion of U.S. Marines against Japanese forces and native concerns as a critical Allied message is targeted. The majority of “Beachhead” remains on the battlefield, watching the Americans deal with enemy encounters that take lives, and the surroundings also test resolve, finding critters and weather working to unnerve the men. Philosophical exchanges are supplied to retain soulfulness and identify fatigue, and Curtis is awarded a love interest in Mary Murphy, portraying the daughter of a local farmer who plays a key role in the mission. Passions aren’t exactly blistering in “Beachhead,” but Curtis and Murphy have their moments, organically fitting in some intimacies before gunfire and death resume.

Beachhead Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.66:1 aspect ratio) presentation finds the limitations of the original cinematography, leaving day-for-night scenes perhaps the most problematic of the movie, reducing shadows and darkness to solid blacks. Fully illuminated, and the viewing experience fares better, with encouraging detail on actors and locations, bringing out the sweatbox environment and textures on costumes. Colors are pleasing, with a nice boost of greenery to celebrate jungle adventures, and skintones are accurate. Source encounters speckling, but avoids major points of damage.

Beachhead Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix starts off strangely, encountering a slightly warped quality during the main titles, which continues on through the movie, varying in intensity. Dialogue exchanges, largely dubbed, aren't troubling, preserving dramatic intent with a lean toward whispered encounters. Sound effects are pleasingly loud, delivering some bang to explosions and gunfire. Scoring is on the shrill side, but supports as intended.

Beachhead Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• A Theatrical Trailer (2:08, HD) is included.

Beachhead Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Beachhead" isn't an especially intense feature, but it has moments that convey the pressurized environment quite well, and performances are respectful to broad acts of brawn and internalized passages of doubt, maintaining dimension to the conflict and the men. It goes overboard at times, and special effects are alarmingly crude, but as WWII stories go, Heisler keeps the effort low to the ground and on the move.