bkoganbing
A rather trashy early account of the Vietnam War when it was the French still
fighting it is Five Gates To Hell. It's as if someone got all those yellow peril warnings out to create this film.If you believe this the Vietminh were really interested in our women folk for sex.
Well proportioned females weren't all that prevalent among their own women.Neville Brand plays a Vietminh guerrilla leader who kidnaps a hospital staff to
treat a local Vietminh leader, doctors and nurses. The patient dies and the
hospital staff effects an escape, the doctors die but the women wind up defending French colonialism and the virtue of white womanhood with the
exception of nurse Nobu McCarthy.A number of reviewers have already commented on Nancy Kulp, better known
as Ms. Jane Hathaway of the Beverly Hillbillies lobbing handgrenades like she
Nolan Ryan on the pitcher's mound.As if this oriental depravity isn't enough these people are even raping nuns among the nurses.Pure unadulterated trash.
cchristi2
I haven't seen this film since the early seventies, and I can remember it being a shocker to my teenage sensibilities. ( I think I had just been allowed to wear white lipstick, shades of Yardley!) But it held my attention, and I can remember seeing Nancy Culp (Yikes, Miss Jane, what are you doing with a grenade?) in a role 180 degrees from the office of the Commerce Bank and Mr. Drysdale. I remember the role of the nun being virtuous, but stoic in the face of war, and that Neville Brand was riveting as the main character. I wish this were available on DVD. The writing and the story were gripping, and Clavell never disappoints...
byoung6429
I saw this movie long ago and I remember being riveted to the story. I thought Neville Brand was a great bad guy and the Five Gates to Hell were where he ruled. It was a very different war theme. I would like to purchase this in video if I could find a copy. I have looked about everywhere on the internet.
Gar-8
I believe Clavell was a great historical novelist, and when he tried out the silver screen, with all its limitations, he maintained his integrity. The sheer quality of this flick shines through. It's set in Vietnam in 1950, and, as usual, if it's Eastern society, he can teach it.
