Hell is for Heroes
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Movie Reviews of Hell is for Heroes
Movie Review: McQueen simmers just prior to serving in The Great Escape . . .
Summary: 4 Stars
As you watch this movie, you'll appreciate the fact that Steve was very early in his feature film career and was probing the audience for the persona that he later found in "The Great Escape". His uneasy characterization of the soldier with an attitude in this release is not unlike that of the B-17 pilot he played in "The War Lover", also in 1962 (a film with probably the best B&W B-17 film footage you can buy). Flawed...yes, but a window into the process of developing the star persona we all came to appreciate. While it is true that the script was undergoing massive re-writes during filming (including Steve's insistence that the title be changed to include the word "Hell"), the film was adequately directed by Don Siegel, who would later become one of the most prolific directors in Hollywood, including Eastwood's early, and arguably best works, such as "Dirty Harry".
And while Bob Newhart may not have enjoyed the filming (as most comedians find filmaking burdensome with the tediously slow shooting schedule and the lack of audience feedback hindering their rhythm), his phone gag was cleverly integrated into the story with hillarious results! Interestingly, one of Steve's best female friends (not lovers) in all of Hollywood would become none other than Suzanne Pleshette, who we all know starred as Newhart's wife in his very successful 70's TV show. While Newhart may have been an odd entry for a serious war movie, it is only Bobby Darin playing the joking GI salesman that seems totally out of place in this one (a singer in a war movie that doesn't sing and can't act?). You will, however, appreciate off-beat performances from James Coburn and Nick Adams (two of Steve's real-life party buddies) as well as Harry Guardino (who would later play Callahan's boss in "Dirty Harry"). You'll also take note that Fess Parker fits in well as the southern-speaking commanding officer in one of his few feature films, mid-way between his TV roles as Davy Crocket for Disney in the 50's and Daniel Boone for NBC in the 60's.
Another interesting note is that even though director Don Siegel had several run-ins with Steve during the making of this film, 9 years later Steve would be offered the role of Harry Callahan, long before Siegel would end up directing Eastwood in the role of "Dirty Harry". It seems that after the phenomenal success of "Bullitt" (#4 Box Office of 1968), Warner Brothers wanted Steve back, even though they were always at odds during the off-site San Francisco production of the film (after all, this was WB's first film that was shot completely on location...well beyond the watchfull eyes of the studio). As it turned out, Steve didn't want to do another cop movie, especially for Warner Brothers, so John Wayne was offered the role who turned it down due to the "rough" language (even though the Duke would bow to a similar Warner Brothers request 3 years later in the role of "McQ", which was originally titled "McQueen" with the hope of getting "McQ"ueen for this cop role in another seaside town, Seattle, driving another dark green muscle car, a Pontiac Trans Am). Before Eastwood was finally chosen for the San Francisco Detective Lieutenant (which just happened to be from the same police department and rank as Frank Bullitt), Frank Sinatra passed on the Callahan role too...maybe because this period of his carreer was already overly laden with detective parts (Tony Rome, The Detective, Lady in Cement).
By the way, Steve and Clint were both born in 1930, so Steve was 32 when he made this picture with the director that would later become Clint's mentor, Don Siegel. A year later, McQueen would become a major star as a result of his role in "The Great Escape", playing Virgil Hilts, "The Cooler King". One more tid-bit...John Sturges directed Steve in "Never So Few", "The Magnificent Seven" and "The Great Escape"...and would later direct Clint in "Joe Kidd" in 1972. As you can see, lots of top talent crossed paths during this production, so you'll find lots of pent-up energy in almost every frame, with everyone looking for that break-out performance that would transcend the early days of their careers.
Movie Review: Taut Combat Drama
Summary: 4 Stars
From Don (Dirty Harry, The Shootist) Segal comes this engaging World War II combat drama with an all star cast including Steve McQueen, Harry Guardino, James Coburn, Bobby Darin (!), Bob Newhart, LQ Jones and Nick (`Godzilla vs. Monster Zero') Adams.The story begins when a squad of combat-weary GI's is sent back to the front and then left behind by the rest of the Company to defend an insignifigant portion of the Siegfried Line. Then the Germans decide it is not so insignifigant after all. The hook is the diminutive squad must convince the company of Wermacht soldiers that they are facing a much larger force. They employ a variety of illusions to keep up the charade (James Coburn runs a backfiring jeep in low gear in a circle to make the Germans think they have a tank, Bob Newhart sits in a pillbox making up radio traffic, and they string up rocks in empty ammo cans to make it sound like troop movement), but eventually the Germans begin to figure it out. The only thing left for them to do is hit the enemy hard and without warning to discourage their advance until the company returns.
This is an engrossing small scale drama with some intense action (despite a liberal use of wartime stock footage, mostly of artillery crews, to give us a sense of place) - the scene where the German patrol charges McQueen's foxhole with fixed bayonets is pretty desperate, with McQueen resorting to throwing his helmet to beat down their advance!
Without a doubt this movie is carried by the skillful gritty direction of Segal and an awesome cast. McQueen comes on strong and early as the grizzled vet busted down from Master Sergeant for trying to run down a colonel with his jeep. Little details hint toward a bloody and intriguing past - he favors a captive Schweisser German machinegun and keeps a butcher knife strapped to his hip. This is just about the toughest I've ever seen him. Guardino as the Sarge is paternal, Newhart endearing as an inexperienced typist who stumbles onto the squad and gets his jeep requisitioned, and Nick Adams is pretty authentic as a Polish D.P. desperate to prove his worth and go back to America with the squad - I didn't even know it was him till the credits rolled. James Coburn is reserved as a tinkering engineer, and Bobby Darin is fine too as a profit-minded procurer. All the cast gives standout performances, never once blurring as individuals in my mind - which makes the impact of some of their deaths all the more real and shocking.
Little details about the movie help to sell it - the toilet seat hung on the base wall as a frame for a picture of Der Fuherer, Newhart talking into a radio-phone with the severed chord dangling there, and that nerve-wracking night crawl through the minefield! Plus, what a climax! Great movie.
Movie Review: "You show up on the line.....I'll blow your head off."
Summary: 4 Stars
4.5 stars. This is the sort of War film I wish they would make more often. Where the story centers around a platoon of characters, all of which are memorable with depth of individual character. A movie with the same type of ensemble acting in a War film is Olver Stone's "Platoon." The fact that this particular film predates "Platoon" by 24 years is remarkable. This is a story about a small, 6-man platoon left to hold a mile-wide stretch of ragged countryside until reinforcements arrive; but there is no telling if or when they will. It's that sort of tension that is held all the way to the explosive finale. But it's the journey that makes this film worthwhile. The entire cast is excellent, with Steve McQueen heading the list with another of his under-appreciated performances. He is one of those rare types that is a movie-star that can act; it's the ones who can do both who become legendary. The plotting in this film is also noteworthy, with ingenious ideas and interesting characters joined together to hold the line. The script is both sharp and intense. There were a couple of extreme moments, one of which I actually exclaimed aloud. However, there are two reasons why I just can't give this film 5 stars. The first happens in the final, climactic battle, where many of the extras fall over (shot dead) so badly and with such fake screaming that I was crestfallen. All the scenes leading up to the end are well-done and authentic, so it was a let-down to see mediocrity of any kind, particularly during the climax. The second and last thing I didn't like was the splicing of real War footage in with the final assault. All the voices are obviously dubbed, which was another moment to shake my head in dismay. There are some great moments during that last battle, so take my criticism with a grain of proverbial salt. "Hell is for Heroes" is nearly a great film, if not for those two inconsistencies. This film has great acting, a solid script with more humor and intelligence than I would have imagined, and another legendary turn by Steve McQueen. I should mention that I first saw this on VHS, then later rented it on DVD. The transfer to DVD is pristine, and the sound quality is excellent. Take it easy.Movie Review: Good Old Fashioned War Film
Summary: 4 Stars
HELL IS FOR HEROES is probably one of the best WWII war films of the early 1960's. Basically this is almost a movie-length version of the television series COMBAT!, but a bit grittier and with more movie stars.
Fess Parker, best known for his portrayal of Davy Crockett for Disney, plays the infantry unit's company commander. The story opens in late 1944 with Parker's infantry company deploying across from the pillboxes of Germany's vaunted Westwall. To complicate matters, most of the company is temporarily detailed to another assignment leaving little more than a platoon to hold a frontage barely sustainable by a company. Steve McQueen plays his usual role as the angry young loner who plans to fight the war on his own terms. Look for other stars such as Harry Guardino, James Coburn and a youthful Bob Newhart. Filming took place in Northern California's Shasta County. The set was complete with rows of ersatz dragons teeth.
The story is told primarily from the American point of view. Much like BATTLEGROUND, do not expect to see too many closeups of German soldiers except for a handful of bayonet-toting Landsers wearing sterotypical uniforms with World War One helmets direct from Hollywood wardrobe warehouses. No matter, the action is great and the story is simple and easy to follow. This is one of the few movies to focus on that period of time when the US Army was stalled against the Siegfried Line in the months between the dash across France and the Battle of the Bulge. In wide-screen, this DVD is a must for your collection.
Movie Review: boots
Summary: 4 Stars
I had seen this movie late night on Television. I enjoy war movies, especially when they deal with WWII, has Steve McQueen in it. This movie also has various other well known actors in it, who seem out of character in certain aspects of this movie. Steve McQueen seems to come across, basically the same way he did in Bullet, The Great Escape and so forth, he does things his own way, has his own way of doing things, and seems to always accomplish things better on his own. I believe a big part of the way he was in real life, was brought over to the movies he did. This movie reminded me more of a Television Production, then a feature film, it is just the way it was made, and how everything, and all the action and drama happens within a limited area. At times, it makes you feel like your enclosed by bounderies, and a captive in the darkness, even when it is day time.
I would say the main course of this movie is drama, with the action as teasing portions, to keep you from wandering off, into the light.