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The Dirty Dozen [1967] | | |
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Amazon.co.uk Review
A model for dozens of action films to follow, this box-office hit from 1967 refined a die-hard formula that has become overly familiar, but it's rarely been handled better than it was in this action-packed World War II thriller. Lee Marvin is perfectly cast as a down-but-not-out army major who is offered a shot at personal and professional redemption. If he can successfully train and discipline a squad of army rejects, misfits, killers, prisoners, and psychopaths into a first-rate unit of specialised soldiers, they'll earn a second chance to make up for their woeful misdeeds. Of course, there's a catch: to obtain their pardons, Marvin's band of badmen must agree to a suicide mission that will parachute them into the danger zone of Nazi-occupied France. It's a hazardous path to glory, but the men have no other choice than to accept and regain their lost honor. What makes The Dirty Dozen special is its phenomenal cast including Charles Bronson, Donald Sutherland, Telly Savalas, George Kennedy, Ernest Borgnine, John Cassavetes, Richard Jaeckel, Jim Brown, Clint Walker, Trini Lopez, Robert Ryan, and others. Cassavetes is the Oscar-nominated standout as one of Marvin's most rebellious yet heroic men, but it's the whole ensemble--combined with the hard-as-nails direction of Robert Aldrich--that makes this such a high-velocity crowd pleaser. The script by Nunnally Johnson and Lukas Heller (from the novel by E.M. Nathanson) is strong enough to support the all-star lineup with ample humour and military grit, so if you're in need of a mainline jolt of testosterone, The Dirty Dozen is the movie for you. --Jeff Shannon
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| Customer Reviews:
 The Dirty Dozen March 15, 2004
12 out of 13 found this review helpful
I don't know where to start praising what has to be the most exciting action adventure based on WWII. The story of 12 convicts chosen for what is best describes as a suicide mission is played out by one of the strongest cast every to be united on one film. The names Marvin, Bronson and Sutherland to name but three shows instant quality. To show this film doesn't age i am only in my early twenties so this shows quality isnt controlled by the special effects but by storyline and sheer excitement something sadly lacking in most modern films. I have been waiting patiently for this DVD release as in my opinion it is one of the most own titles for any self respecting action fan.
A 60s classic; one of ALDRICH's finest + a great cast March 29, 2005
Jeff Markham (Walton-on-Thames, UK)
7 out of 8 found this review helpful
Top Director Robert Aldrich's most commercially successful movie. Wartime action heroics from a motley bunch of hardcore death row convicts, led by a brilliantly cynical LEE MARVIN, a reluctant commanding officer for the gang. They're given a suicidal mission to destroy a key German command post in return for a chance of freedom after the war if they succeed. No brainer film fans!??In a generally excellent ensemble cast of seasoned character actors (ERNEST BORGNINE, TELLY SAVALAS (KOJAK!!), JOHN CASSAVETES, CHARLES BRONSON et al), DONALD SUTHERLAND is a standout, quite superb in a smaller but crucial role. Great action set-pieces and inspired, brutally appropriate direction from ALDRICH at his very best make this movie a fondly remembered 60s classic. Unmissable and unbeatable entertainment!
One of the best films ever made May 12, 2001
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
wowWhat more can you say, An unforgettable film in the like of 'The magnificent seven' or 'The great escape' (with many of the same outstanding cast members). It combines a strong story with great acting and a spectacular finale. You simply have to watch it, it's a classic.
D.D November 4, 2003
3 out of 7 found this review helpful
BRILLIANT. NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES I'VE WATCHED IT.
LEE MARVIN EXCELLENT AS IS CHARLES BRONSEN, TELLY SALVALAS AS MAGGOT!! GREAT ACTION WITH SOME HUMOUR AS WELL. DON'T MISS IT.
 martial courage is a dubitous virtue December 11, 2007
Carlos Vazquez Quintana (Linares- Spain)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
This is a very good movie with a quality above the media of the abundant genre of commandos in WW II. It's long but one doesn't feel so. The personages, his crimes, his motivations, even his pathology, mostly social and mental. They are criminals with more or less justification, and compulsive recruitment of all young men by the armies until short times, made to live saints together with murderers.
And so, this is a film of war and action, and that objective is well attained. But as this movie has more pretensions than usual, I disagree with the philosophy at bottom, very common until now in cinema and literature. This is comradery, violence and war are values that redeem all men no matter what crimes they would have committed before. I don't discuss reasons to fought against the Axis in WW II, but these concrete values I believe are absolutely false, and that a man trained in killing I think has great possibilities to become unsuitable and even dangerous or antisocial people in peace times, in spite how many medals he would have won, and much more if he was yet a violent man before the battle. Much people thinks the contrary, usual ideas until now, but heroism under compulsion I believe is a very dubitable virtue. At past times, Legion espanola, which fought with great efficacy in Spanish Civil War and Morocco, effectively admitted criminals and fugitives without asking molest questions. Franco commanded this sort of troops during many times. Truly by then, a simple protest owing the quality of meal was sometimes punished by shooting and further defile of the troops before the corpse without any trial.
But the film is of course very good and actors are excellent in his roles.
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