User reviews

The title refers to a "brush fire war," which is considered any battle or conflict that is not part of an official war. Just like brush fires can appear out of nowhere and then just burn out quickly, these types of conflicts can, as well. Jack Warner, Jr.'s BRUSHFIRE is unique in a couple of ways -- it is set during the onset of American involvement in the Vietnam War, and takes little advantage of that fact. In an unnamed Southeast Asian nation, two American World War II veterans, Jeff (John Ireland) and Chevern (Everett Sloane), work as planters. Their lives take a turn when they become involved in a conflict with a guerrilla group led by Martin (Carl Esmond) and Vlad (Howard Caine). The guerrillas have kidnapped a young American couple, Tony (Al Avalon) and Easter (Jo Morrow) Banford. Utilizing their expertise in jungle warfare and knowledge of the terrain, Jeff and Chevern embark on a mission to rescue the couple and defeat the guerrillas. After the successful rescue, Jeff reflects on the operation, deeming the high cost in lives justified as it prevented an uprising from escalating into a full-blown rebellion. Any relevance to the Vietnam war is kept muted by the ludicrous screenplay, which is more concerned with the cliched rivalries among the characters, as well as the rift between Easter and her husband, who is portrayed as ineffective in both love and war. The so-called rebels, Martin and Vlad, are more closely associated with World War II Nazis; notably, Martin stops the plot at times to reflect on his role as an SS officer. The Vietnamese characters are either kill fodder or beholden to the Americans, and are awkwardly inserted in the story. The whole enterprise is mostly filmed on studio sets, which amplifies the movie is a totally fake endeavor. The philosophical speeches by Jeff, delivered by a disinterested John Ireland, only adds to the WWII-inspired antics of the two groups, namely Americans versus Nazis in the disorienting Southeast Asia studio-bound sets. The exploitation elements, such as Martin's implied rape of Easter and some striking violence, were unusual for 1962. Of the cast, only Jo Morrow rises above the material.