Hold Back the Night is one of Allied Artists' down-and-dirty World War II dramas of the 1950s and 1960s. John Payne stars as a tough commanding officer, guiding the fighting retreat of an Allied platoon in the snowy hills of Korea. Payne always carries with him an unopened bottle of whiskey, which he regards as a good-luck charm. A series of World War II flashbacks explains the riddle of the unconsumed liquor. Director Allan Dwan is careful to slide past the cornier elements of Hold Back the Night, and the result is a solid wartime saga. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi