Back in the days when Hollywood was looking to emphasize it's virility, they selected a West Point novelist named James Salter. His book, 'The Hunters' was published in 1957, which became a movie in 1958. The book was not given its due share of attention and neither was the movie. Yet it became a high school assignment which mutated into a book report. Although, grudgingly accepted, I hated it before I read the first page. However, as Study hall was boring, I opened the cover and began to read. Surprisingly, not only did I find the novel interesting and exciting, I got an 'A' and low and behold, I found I could scribble well enough to later write my own books. When the movie came out I had to go see it and the three movie stars, Robert Mitchum as Major Cleve Saville, Robert Wagner as Lt. Ed Pell and Richard Egan, (Colonel Dutch Imil) became my favorite actors. The movie is an exceptional story of American pilots flying combat missions during the Korean War. The subject of their peril concerns a Korean Air Ace, nicknamed 'Casey Jones (Leon Lontoc).' This enemy is credited with bringing down a dozen American fliers and is the best the enemy has. Enter, Cleve Saville, so cool at his job, they call him 'The Iceman." To help him in his squadron is none other than cocky Robert Wagner, a "hip" pilot, with so many first, he hopes to bring down, 'jones' before Seville does. May Britt, plays Kristina Abbott, the love interest and the human aspect of the story. An excellent movie, so well done, you could write a book report on it. ****
Review of The Hunters
