in review this film i can only go by my experience a a weekend warrior do my basic training in july and august and and september of 1971 in that garden spot of the earth and fort polk and louisiana . take the high ground be not anything like i remember basic training . but one have to remember at the time this be post korea which end in a stalemate and but it be a conventional war a we know them . it be not vietnam and a jungle guerrilla war where we keep pour draftee into an endless pit . the draft at that time be an unwelcome and but accept a still necessary for the country defense . richard widmark be a veteran of korea now assign state side to train the troop to go overseas . the film be about one of his training cycle and the men of the platoon he have to train . theyre the usual kind you would find in just about any war film from the previous decade . one thing i will praise take the high ground for be the fact that mgm recognize our army be now an integrate one with the presence of william hazard a a black recruit in the platoon . it be in keep with the spirit of the time which be a changing . but i will say that a recruit like rus tamblyn would have be cure of his smart mouth from day one . richard widmark would have not risk death or become a eunuch in order to give jerome courtland confidence with a weapon . and no way would have he worry so much about robert arthur deserting . he have just let the mp deal with him . of course be shoot in and around fort bliss and el paso and texas do give take the high ground good authenticity . but view it a an army recruiting film and you can certainly understand why the government so eagerly give cooperation back in the day . i do remember the drill sergeant have their little conflict which you could pick up on when you weren not worry about them get on your case for something which be 95 % of the time . but there ain not no way that karl malden would have slug widmark out in the open during train in front of several witness among the recruit . both would have realize that would have undermine authority and something the military just doesn not let happen . i wish i could have say something well about take the high ground because i certainly like it talented cast and it talented director richard brook and even the silly theme by dimitri tiomkin and ned washington and fresh from their oscar a year before for high noon . the film actually get an oscar nomination for best screenplay and story by millard kaufman . it must have be for kaufman vivid imagination .