Take the High Ground! backdrop
COMEDY . 1953 . 1h 41m . 5.9/10

Take the High Ground!_

"From its rowdy, ribald horse-play, to its rousing marching song... from its hard-boiled hates and slugging feuds to its tough-but tender love story... this is a drama of our times... exciting, exalting, young, brave and alive!"

Sgt. Thorne Ryan, who once fought bravely in Korea, now serves as a hard-nosed drill instructor to new Army recruits at Fort Bliss, Texas. But is he really the man he is often described as? His fellow instructor, and friend helps him to face the ghosts of his past experiences in Korea. One night in a bar across the border in Juarez, Mexico, Sgt. Ryan meets a lady who begins to turn his life around. Will this be enough to help him deal with the past? Or will he continue to be so hard on his troops?

Starring Richard Widmark, Karl Malden, Elaine Stewart
5.9/10
Rating
1h 41m
Runtime
1953
Year
Updated Feb 16, 2026
Take the High Ground! poster
From its rowdy, ribald horse-play, to its rousing marching song... from its hard-boiled hates and slugging feuds to its tough-but tender love story... this is a drama of our times... exciting, exalting, young, brave and alive!

Sgt. Thorne Ryan, who once fought bravely in Korea, now serves as a hard-nosed drill instructor to new Army recruits at Fort Bliss, Texas. But is he really the man he is often described as? His fellow instructor, and friend helps him to face the ghosts of his past experiences in Korea. One night in a bar across the border in Juarez, Mexico, Sgt. Ryan meets a lady who begins to turn his life around. Will this be enough to help him deal with the past? Or will he continue to be so hard on his troops?

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DROPTHE_ GOSSIP

Cast
Richard Widmark stars as Sgt. Thorne Ryan in Take the High Ground!.
Richard Widmark →
Year context
Take the High Ground! was released 73 years ago in 1953.
Overview
Sgt. Thorne Ryan, who once fought bravely in Korea, now serves as a hard-nosed drill instructor to new Army recruits at Fort Bliss, Texas. But is he really t...
Take the High Ground! is a Comedy, Drama, War film with a runtime of 1h 41m.

DETAILS

Release
Status
Released
Runtime
101 min (1h 41m)
Country
Rating
5.9/10 (12 votes)

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is Take the High Ground! about?
Sgt. Thorne Ryan, who once fought bravely in Korea, now serves as a hard-nosed drill instructor to new Army recruits at Fort Bliss, Texas. But is he really the man he is often described as? His fellow instructor, and friend helps him to face the ghosts of his past experiences in Korea. One night in a bar across the border in Juarez, Mexico, Sgt. Ryan meets a lady who begins to turn his life around. Will this be enough to help him deal with the past? Or will he continue to be so hard on his troops?
How long is Take the High Ground!?
Take the High Ground! has a runtime of 101 minutes (1h 41m).
Who stars in Take the High Ground!?
The cast of Take the High Ground! includes Richard Widmark, Karl Malden, Elaine Stewart, Carleton Carpenter, Russ Tamblyn.
What is the rating of Take the High Ground!?
Take the High Ground! has a rating of 5.9 out of 10 based on 12 votes on TMDB.

GENRES (3)

Comedy Drama War
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