No one is a better soldier than Pvt. Raymond Endore (John Saxon), at least in his own mind. Stationed in Korea as the conflict between the United States and the divided peninsula is coming to an end, Endore sleeps while his platoon works to gear up for his nightly patrols of the area. These patrols used to bring vital information, but now they have become a nightly ritual for Endore to slash the throats of suspected enemies tolerated by a Captain (Charles Aidman) who fears Endore's unstable nature. A Korean war orphan (Tommy Matsuda) befriends Endore as well as an idealistic soldier (Robert Redford) and these two soldiers must decide the fate of the child as the ceasefire is announced....

Madness in men during their tour of duty, a subject also at the heart of Hell Is For Heroes and Attack!, is the focus of this brutal 1961 war drama. Redford, in his film debut, offers a strong counterpart to the criminally underrated John Saxon (who would go on to a career of character work) who gives a stunning performance as a killer who only seems at peace after taking the life of another victim.