Veterans say Korean War unlikely Hollywood topic

Friday, June 23, 2000 | 11:26 a.m.

At the end of the highly acclaimed 1998 movie "Saving Private Ryan," the title character stands in a European cemetery and looks at the gravesite of one of the men who saved his life.

It is a heart-wrenching moment -- one befitting the loyalty and patriotism that World War II inspired in Americans.

Since the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II was celebrated five years ago, there has been heightened interest in that conflict. But Korean War veterans and other observers on the 50th anniversary of the start of that conflict say don't expect Hollywood to make big films honoring that fray.

"You won't see those kind of movies about the Korean War or Vietnam War because Korea was a tie and Vietnam was a loss -- there was no glory of ultimate victory, which is something that is needed for such movies," said Jack Porrino, a Vietnam veteran and director of the Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Boulder City.

Porrino is in charge of a facility that is the final resting place for nearly 10,000 veterans. Not surprisingly, most of them are World War II vets -- about 4,500. What is somewhat surprising is that there are more younger Vietnam veterans than older Korean veterans buried there -- 2,385 to 2,240.

The numbers of World War II, Korean and Vietnam veterans are dying off at much faster rates and will continue reaching peak numbers until about 2008, Porrino said. With such a shrinkage in numbers, one has to question whether there also is a shrinking interest in movies and television shows about those veterans.

"I definitely don't see any movies coming out about the Korean War," said Las Vegas Korean War veteran Jim Childress. "It's forgotten and over with."

Hollywood has made some Korean War movies. Two that were highly acclaimed were "Pork Chop Hill," a 1959 drama about the final hours of the war staring Gregory Peck, and "M*A*S*H," a 1971 Robert Altman-directed classic comedy about Army surgeons that spawned the successful television sitcom of the same name.

And there are topics that would make excellent movies such as the gallant escape from the Chosin Reservoir after hordes of Chinese descended upon American troops.

And there were battles over sites remembered as much for their colorful names as they were for the carnage that took place, including Bloody Ridge and Heartbreak Ridge.

"I think Hollywood will downplay the Korean War," said Las Vegas Korean War veteran Jim Parry. "I really enjoyed 'M*A*S*H' because it was a great comedy and had human interest, but I just doubt we will see that type of movie about Korea in the future."

Young Oak Kim, also a Las Vegas Korean War veteran, says if there is money to be made, Hollywood may take a stab at a Korean War movie.

"Making a Hollywood film today is a big crapshoot," he said. "If the right story were to come along about the Korean War someone might put up the money if he felt he could make lots of money."