Hell Is for Heroes
World War II drama where the action centers around a single maneuver by a squad of GIs in retaliation against the force of the German Siegfried line. Reese joins a group of weary GIs unexpectedly ordered back into the line when on their way to a rest area. While most of the men withdraw from their positions facing a German pillbox at the far side of a mine-field, half a dozen men are left to protect a wide front. By various ruses, they manage to convince the Germans that a large force is still holding the position. Then Reese leads two of the men in an unauthorized and unsuccessful attack on the pillbox, in which the other two are killed; and when the main platoon returns, he is threatened with court-martial. Rather that face the disgrace, and in an attempt to show he was right, he makes a one-man attack on the pillbox.
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- Cast：
- Steve McQueen , Bobby Darin , Fess Parker , Harry Guardino , James Coburn , Mike Kellin , Bill Mullikin
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Reviews
Touches You
As Good As It Gets
Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.
One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.
This n blob were among the first few films of McQueen which i saw during school days n i became a fan of him. I saw his magnificent seven n others after these two. The future king of cool played an angry, morose, detached loner in this flick. McQueen being the best reason to see this movie. James Coburn was good too. Bob Newhart in his very first movie role. Its a very good film, not quite in the league of Platoon, Apocalypse Now or Thin Red Line. But fans of the genre, the director and/or the star should definitely check this one out. I am fascinated by World War II, but i think a lot of 1950s and 60s WWII movies are too cheesy to be believed except a few. Also, Hell is for Heores has got one of the best directors of his time, Don Siegal, director of Dirty Harry. This one of Steve McQueens best performances and if you like war films and you haven't seen this film, then see it.Spoilers ahead, the death scene of McQueen was brutal n memorable. A wounded Mcqueen blowing up enemies fortification n its occupants and himself. The same scene's deja vu effect was in the bollywood war movie Border, (my fave bollywood war movie ) when during the climax akshay khanna does a la McQueen way of blowing up himself n the enemies.
This movie is a real stinker, with one redeeming scene.About 1 hour and 21 minutes into the movie, there is an order to charge. Some badly modified artillery footage, then some morters, and a machine gun scene. Then -- the best scene in the whole movie.Sgt. Pike gives the order to charge - and they take off running. One poor guy does a fantastic face plant right in front of the camera. The, as the camera pans right, you can see the guy getting up and trying to put on his helmet.I've watched this move dozens of times - but never noticed the face plant until this weekend. I laughed so hard, I cried.
Lots of WWII films were made during the 1950s and 1960s. There were low-budget films with unknown casts, there were big-budget blockbusters, there were dumb movies with German officers speaking in perfect, clipped English, and there were lots of flag-waving films in which the U.S. Army can do no wrong. Don Siegel's "Hell is for Heroes" isn't like any other WWII movie I've ever seen. It's tough, cynical, realistic, and has a top cast of young Hollywood stars.The plot is about a small U.S. infantry force that must hold out against a much larger, stronger German company in 1944 near the Siegfried Line. Steve McQueen plays Reese, a troubled soldier who nonetheless is a brutally efficient fighting man. Harry Guardino and Fess Parker play his superior officers. Among the fine cast are Mike Kellin, Bob Newhart, Nick Adams, James Coburn, and Bobby Darin.Don Siegel punches the movie across without clichés, and Steve McQueen is chillingly believable as Reese, the killing machine. The only part I didn't like was the subplot about milquetoast clerk Bob Newhart taking a wrong turn and ending up in the middle of the fighting; I thought that little subplot distracted from the film. You should make a point to watch "Hell is for Heroes" to see the late Steve McQueen in a good early-career role, and to see the rest of the powerhouse young cast.
Don't get your hopes up with all the great cast members, especially Bob Newhart. This is a ho-hum WWII movie. Part way through I thought, "Wow, that music sounds just like the TV show Combat!". Well, the director went on to do Combat!(!). Story line is just like an extra 1/2 hr of Combat! and not as good. For a TV show script it was great. For a $2.5 million dollar movie it was slow, disjointed and boring. The Newhart lines were funny but out of place during a war sequence of events. My generous rating : 4 of 10. No wonder McQueen was stand-offish. Who would want to be there? If you like WWII movies there are so many better ones to pick from.
