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Hell Is For Heroes (1962)

Average rating

(61%)

Starring:	Steve McQueen \| Bobby Darin \| Nick Adams \| Fess Parker
Director:	Don Siegel
Studio:	PARAMOUNT HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Run time:	86 mins
Genres:	Action/Adventure \| Drama
Languages:	English
Released:	October 13, 2003

One small squad fends off german attackers.

Rating of 3 stars out of 5

Having already won a screenwriting Oscar for Battleground (1949), Robert Pirosh here came up with an even more uncompromising insight into the terrifying uncertainty and sudden brutality of frontline life. Never one to shy away from violence, director Don Siegel builds steadily towards the pitiless battle sequences by allowing us to get to know the members of the small unit ordered to overpower a German pillbox, whose only hope of survival is to mislead the Germans into believing they are a much more substantial force. Steve McQueen is overly intense and Bob Newhart's comic monologue a mite ill-judged, but James Coburn and the rest of the cast are superb.

Rating of 1 stars out of 5
Halliwell's Film Guide

Fairly routine anti-war film with a strong cast and effectively-directed moments battling a generally artificial look.

Highest rated reviews

2 out of 2 people found the following review helpful:

Rated 3.0 stars
Small Squad Strikes Back

Charles Brickley from Andover, Hampshire England, 17th October, 2007

Whilst this war film was very watchable and a pleasant way to spend 90 minutes it was not what I expected. Yes, Steve McQueen was good as the sulky, experienced ex-senior Non-Com called 'Reese' who had been busted back to buck Private, but was still voted by his Sergeant (Harry Guardino) as the best man to have with you in a tight spot. Yes the Squad had a fair mixture of characters ranging from ex Davy Crockett Fess Parker as Sgt Pike to James Coburn as the devious whizz kid Cpl Henshaw. Bob Newhart, then a top comedian, provided some light relief as the misappropriated clerk from HQ, Private Driscoll trying to mislead the Germans with the help of a field telephone. All they needed was the Marx Brothers and the Three Stooges as the Waffen SS and the Wehrmacht and the scene would have been set for the best military comedy since 'Beau Hunks' with Laurel and Hardy (1931). Regretfully I do not believe that this was such a good film as 'War Lover' which McQueen also made in 1962. If 'Hell is for Heroes' has a real fault, I believe that it has tried to mix comedy with pathos which is very hard to do. Don Siegel managed a much better job of achieving this in 'Dirty Harry' and 'Charley Varrick', ten years after this film had been made. Interesting and well worth hiring but it will not make my top 100 list.

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Hell Is For Heroes (1962)

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