Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Brutal
- grim
- rugged
- austere
- classic war cinema night
- military history viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film's grim, rugged combat realism and its portrayal of soldiers' resentment and the obsolescence of ground warfare.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The hill has little strategic value, while negotiations continue and soldiers are ordered to fight to demonstrate resolve.
Headquarters mistakenly orders a withdrawal while the isolated men urgently need reinforcements and supplies.
The black-and-white photography and grim battlefield emphasis reinforce the film's harsh, unsentimental style.
Panmunjom negotiators pursue a settlement while Lt. Clemons's soldiers are ordered to retake a hill of limited military importance.
Films like Pork Chop Hill, and why
The Steel Helmet
grim Korean War combat drama emphasizing infantry exhaustion, command decisions, and the futility of strategically marginal ground warfare
Men in War
realistic Korean War battlefield tension, ensemble soldiers, and anti-war skepticism beneath conventional military storytelling
All Quiet on the Western Front
rugged black-and-white war filmmaking focused on exhausted troops, contested terrain, and institutional disregard for soldiers' lives
Movie Details
- Director
- Lewis Milestone
- Release Date
- 1959-05-29
- Runtime
- 98 min
- Rating
- 6.7 / 10 (79)
Cast
- Gregory Peck
- Harry Guardino
- Rip Torn
- George Peppard
- Carl Benton Reid
- James Edwards
- Bob Steele
- Woody Strode
- George Shibata
- Norman Fell
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- ScreenPix Apple TV channel, ScreenPix Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Pork Chop Hill about?
- An exhausted American unit fights to reclaim a strategically worthless Korean hill while peace talks make its sacrifice feel increasingly futile.
- What is Pork Chop Hill like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Pork Chop Hill as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Pork Chop Hill violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Pork Chop Hill as brutal.
- What did critics think of Pork Chop Hill?
- Critics broadly praised the film's grim, rugged combat realism and its portrayal of soldiers' resentment and the obsolescence of ground warfare.
- Which films are like Pork Chop Hill?
- Films with a similar feel include The Steel Helmet, Men in War, and All Quiet on the Western Front.
- How long is Pork Chop Hill?
- Pork Chop Hill runs 98 minutes.
- Where can I watch Pork Chop Hill?
- In United States, Pork Chop Hill streams on ScreenPix Apple TV channel, ScreenPix Amazon Channel .
