Synopsis for
Fear and Desire (1953) More at IMDbPro »

In some abstract war, a military patrol consisting of four men: Lieutenant Corby (Kenneth Harp), Sergeant Mac (Frank Silvera), and Privates Sidney (Paul Mazursky) and Fletcher (Steve Colt) find themselves six miles behind enemy lines after their plane has crashed.

They advance into a forest, take a small group of enemy soldiers by surprise while they are eating and kill them all. The quartet then encounter a local, young girl (Virginia Leith) and, afraid that she will inform on them, tie her to a tree. Sidney stands guard over her while his three comrades proceed to the river to build a raft using parts of their crashed airplane which they hope will take them home. In order to seduce her, Sidney unties the young girl and then shoots her dead when she attempts to escape.

Meanwhile, Corby, Mac and Fletcher discover an enemy command post held by a general (also Kenneth Harp in a dual role) and his aide-de-camp (also Steve Colt). Mac persuades them to turn back, kill them and steal their war plans so they can get back to their own force. At night, while Mac takes the raft downstream to pick up Sidney, Corby and Fletcher approach the post in the dark and kill the general and his aide.

The four men are at last reunited at the riverbank where they board their makeshift raft and sail downstream to find help and safety.