At the outset the film appears to be about the typical effects of war and its effects upon the soldiers and population surrounded by it. A closer look though reveals the questioning of the purpose of the Korean War. Besides the negative psychological effects upon the soldiers; they constantly seem to ask themselves, through the eyes of Robert Redford, what the purpose behind the killing is. We are constantly reminded that this was a war fought by the politicians and bankers to the detriment of the soldiers and the Korean people who suffered. This is ironically depicted when we see a group of soldiers being driven to the front while one of them is looking at the price of Wall Street stock prices. Redford in this, one of his early film debuts, dramatically questions the senseless violence. This is emphasised at the end of the film by the senseless killing of a fellow American soldier who looses control over his ability to distinguish between killing as a soldier and for no reason at all.
