This is the film that was shown as a double bill with Cry of Battle (1963) at the Texas Theater in Dallas where Lee Harvey Oswald was apprehended for the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and the murder of Dallas police officer J.D. Tippit on November 22, 1963. Coincidentally, Kennedy and Baynes Barron (Sgt. Garth) were both born on May 29, 1917.
As of 2017, is considered to be a *lost film.*
Tony Russel said the film was held from US release for almost three years because of its controversial and what was claimed by some to be anti-American content. It was finally released in the US after Audie Murphy filmed a prologue explaining that the film told the story of one soldier and one platoon. The film won an "out of competition" award at Cannes in May of 1961.
Formerly offered in 8mm and Super 8 home movie versions.
Lee Harvey Oswald went into a movie theater showing this movie after he shot JFK.