One Minute To Zero (1952)

At the onset of the invasion of South Korea by North Korea, an Army Colonel (Robert Mitchum) and a U.N. worker (Ann Blyth) clash. But when the Colonel is wounded in battle and sent to Japan to recuperate, he and she renew their relationship but this time romantically rather than hostile. Surprisingly, Mitchum and Blyth have a very nice on screen chemistry. While the film itself is decent enough, it's really not more than a WWII propaganda war film but this time with the "Commies" substituting for the Nazis. The aerial sequences are quite good (which is no surprise since aerial enthusiast Howard Hughes was a co-producer) but where the film is really strong is in its almost throwaway portrait of the waiting wives and the emotional stress they go through. The film utilizes documentary footage interspersed with filmed footage without much effect. Directed by Tay Garnett (THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE). The score is by Victor Young and his love theme for the film became a hit song once words were added, When I Fall In Love became a pop standard. With Richard Egan, William Talman, Margaret Sheridan (THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD), Roy Roberts, Eduard Franz and Charles McGraw.