Hell is for Heroes
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Movie Reviews of Hell is for Heroes
Movie Review: an excellent, gritty WWII film
Summary: 5 Stars
This low-budget war film boasts a terrific ensemble cast, with an early performance by the dynamic Steve McQueen, and one of the few examples of Bobby Darin's fine acting skills, as he, as well as fellow cast member Nick Adams, both died when they were 37. Others in the cast include Fess Parker, Harry Guardino, James Coburn, and Bob Newhart, who was famous at the time for his stand-up comedy routines of one-way telephone conversations, and lightens the tension with a hilarious scene where to fool the Germans who have placed a "bug" near the telephone, he pretends to talk to the commander.
Based on a true story (which took a few years to be declassified and written about), it takes place near Montigny, France, in 1944, and is about a small squad that is outnumbered by the enemy, who is protected in a pillbox surrounded by mines; the script is tight and the pacing marvelous, with direction from Don Siegel, who would go on to direct so many great Clint Eastwood action films.
I have seen this film countless times since its theatrical release in 1962, and it never gets stale; the performances are all excellent, with a modernistic score by Leonard Rosenman that adds to the atmosphere, and Harold Lipstein's black & white cinematography capturing the muddy, gritty feel of the foxholes, the fear felt by all, and the incredible heroism that some men can rise to.
Total running time is 90 minutes.
Movie Review: A Movie You Haven't Seen Before
Summary: 5 Stars
While TV viewers were tiring of "Howdy Doody," and the country was gearing up for the Vietnam War, Don Siegel served up a bit of inspired casting, launching Steve McQueen, fresh from "Wanted, Dead or Alive," and Nick Adams, soon to fadeout after "The Rebel," and the stalwart Fess Parker, rising comedian Bob Newhart, Copa singer Bobby Darin, James Coburn("Magnificent Seven")and others. McQueen is as manic as ever, as if someone stole his prized cycle. Like the toughest of WWII yarns, the squad must hold the line after getting to know one another. As much character-driven as objective-driven, the squad improvises with laughs and violent strategems. Coburn, as a mechanical genius, rigs a jeep so it sounds like a Sherman tanks. Newhart has the opportunity to gag it via a tapped telephone that the company(squad,really) is tired of the same Betty Grable films. Running out of patience, McQueen gets suicidal to motivate the squad to take action against the impregnable bunker. They have a go and exceed their ambitions with high costs. Save for an improbable finish, the war yarn scores in realism, once more into the breech, for the few, proud and psychotic. You will know what a satchel charge is and not to piss off McQueen as the credits roll.Movie Review: Flawed (like most combat is) But Awesome War Flick
Summary: 5 Stars
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OK is this the perfect war movie? No, what is the perfect war movie BTW? Patton was close for sure, The Longest Day, thats probably even closer; so is Hell Is For Heroes the perfect war movie? Hell is for no! But it's definitely a 5 star flick. Why? I can watch this flick again and again and will thats why. It's McQueen the E-8 busted to private rank and sent back on the line. It's Coburn getting blown up and then whats left of him scorched by his blazing flamethrower. Its even Newhart in his weird comic relief role but isnt that how real combat always seems to happen, something always goes wrong, you improvise, his role is a great respite to totally relax your mind before the shock happens, its great. Its the Army folks, get used to it, and love this great low budget flick. It's not a chick flick either, its got guys flick written all over it. Its on TV again and again and again for a reason, guys will continue to watch it over and over and over again. For the price of this DVD I may just buy it to have that comfort that if all else of life is throwing me for a loop , I can pop in Hell Is For Heroes and realize my life ain't as bad as what those poor guys are in.
Movie Review: Bobby Darin Really Shines in "Hell Is For Heroes"
Summary: 5 Stars
One of the grittiest and effective war films ever produced, "Hell is for Heroes" centers around a small band of WWII infantrymen who are ordered to hold their ground against hundreds of German soldiers despite the odds. While the movie centers around Steve McQueen and his patented off his rocker characterization, the real gem here is the legendary Bobby Darin, who handles drama, comedy, and pathos with the best of them. Darin later went on to win French Film Festival and Golden Globe Awards for Best Actor in the psychological drama "Pressure Point," and he garnered an Academy Award nomination for "Captain Newman, M.D." The whole cast is great, but Darin---as great an actor as he was a singer---really stands out. A great film---one of the best war movies ever made. God only knows how great Bobby Darin would have become had he lived beyond his thirty-seven years.Movie Review: Reviewer Kevin R. Austra was convinced
Summary: 5 Stars
Austra's film review was right on the button with one exception. He wrote "Filming took place on an Army training range complete with rows of ersatz dragons teeth left over from World War Two obstacle training (Some of rows of these aging California concrete replicas survive to this day)." Well, judging from his background, Austra knows his way around the military, but Paramount Pictures' Art Department fooled him. Hell Is For Heroes exterior scenes were filmed in northern California on land owned by a doctor in Cottonwood, 19 miles south of Redding. The interior shots were filmed on the Paramount studio lot in Hollywood. If you're asking how I know, I was one of the film's stuntmen... the German soldier in a fox hole that James Coburn set afire with his flame thrower.