The Korean War Movies & TV

The Korean War Movies & TV

M*A*S*H (1970–1983)

An antiwar movie directed by Robert Altman at the height of late-'60s anti-Vietnam protests, M*A*S*H centered on a Korean War field hospital and depicted the comedic tactics employed by the characters as a means of retaining their sanity amidst the atrocities of war. M*A*S*H went on to become a long-running television sitcom, one of the most successful and beloved television programs of all time. Though nominally set in Korea, M*A*S*H reflected more of the sensibility of the Vietnam era.

The Manchurian Candidate (1962)

This film's a legendary political thriller about an elaborate communist plot to infiltrate the highest levels of the United States government, beginning with the brainwashing of an American POW in the Korean War. The heinous conspiracy, first imagined by author Richard Condon, haunted plenty of American moviegoers in the early 1960s, during the height of the Cold War era.

Pork Chop Hill (1959)

A favorite of war film buffs, Pork Chop Hill depicts one of the most brutal battles fought between the U.S. Army and communist forces during the final stages of the Korean War. The film launched the careers of several young actors, including Rip Torn, Martin Landau, and Norman Fell.

The Bridges at Toko-Ri (1954)

William Holden, Mickey Rooney, and Grace Kelly star in this war drama based on a novel by James Michener. When a World War II fighter pilot is called to serve again during the Korean War, the U.S. war veteran worries that his dangerous new mission could be his last.

Retreat, Hell! (1952)

Released in 1952, Retreat, Hell! was one of the few films about the Korean War that appeared in theaters while the conflict continued to rage abroad. Its cast featured few Hollywood heavy-hitters but boasted the work of actor and real-life war hero Peter Ornitz.