Hell Is For Heroes
Young stars Steve McQueen, Bobby Darin, Fess Parker, Harry Guardino, James Coburn, Nick Adams and Bob Newhart (in his film debut) play a hopelessly outnumbered army squad in this taut, explosive war film directed by Don Siegel (Dirty Harry, Escape From Alcatraz).
It's autumn 1944, and Nazi forces along the Siegfried Line have the numbers, the fortifications and the firepower to break through. And a handful of GIs have little more than a dogged determination and the ingenuity to fool the Germans into thinking they represent a great Allied Task Force. But can they make the ruse last until reinforcements finally arrive?
Member Reviews
Hell on the Western Front - MovieProf
Set sometime after the D-Day landings of Normandy, "Hell is for Heroes" is a hard-nosed, gripping war film...with one of the worst endings I've ever seen.
To be more precise, this film takes us on a non-stop tour-de-force of action as a small squad tries to outsmart a heavily-defended German pillbox. The action is palpable as the Americans try to outsmart the Germans into thinking there are more of them than there really are (Bob Newhart provides some unexpected comic relief in this attempt). All is well done, but at about the 88 minute mark, you suddenly realise the film is about to end. Right in the middle of the final battle. Hard to believe? Trust me.
It's too bad, because this is one of the more realistic war films from the early 1960s I've seen. I say that after I read how the budget was apparently trimmed for the film, and the producers had to make use of poor props to complete filming. Regardless, the action scenes are intense: there is far more blood than one normally sees from older war films; in particular, the death of Corporal Henshaw (James Cobrun) is completely highly intense.
On a side note, Steve McQueen plays Private Reese, a stern, unflinching, brooding soldier who seems either incapable or unwilling to follow orders. Apparently McQueen was furious during the filming, as there was some trouble in securing his fee. His brooding portrayal of Reese, therefore, may not have been entirely for effect.Hell is for Heroes - Trev1
According to the Trivia comment the producers ran out of money before the movie was finished and this explains the odd ending. Which is good to know because what starts out as a terrific film ends miserably. Well worth renting though because the first hour is as good as any war film I've ever seen. The casting is quite inspired; who knew Bobby Darin could act? And Newhart is quite brilliant. Coburn and Fess Parker (remember him?) are completely authentic but, curiously, McQueen is less than convincing. Being a big McQueen fan I'll blame the script, but to be honest McQueen seems to have his mind elsewhere. No matter, the story is strong, the direction tight and the scenes shot at night are brilliant. Watch for how director Siegel makes use of the darkness to intensify the suspense. Filmed in black and white and obviously shot at night I can't think of another film since The Third Man that made nightime so menacing.
But then comes daylight; they lost the script, they ran out of money whatever the excuse the whole thing falls flat. But I'd recommend watching this for that first hour, it's great stuff.
Trev
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Hell on the Western Front - MovieProf
Set sometime after the D-Day landings of Normandy, "Hell is for Heroes" is a hard-nosed, gripping war film...with one of the worst endings I've ever seen.
To be more precise, this film takes us on a non-stop tour-de-force of action as a small squad ...Hell is for Heroes - Trev1
According to the Trivia comment the producers ran out of money before the movie was finished and this explains the odd ending. Which is good to know because what starts out as a terrific film ends miserably. Well worth renting though because the first hour ...