Hell Is for Heroes (1962). A World War II movie starring a young Steve McQueen. In supporting roles are James Coburn, Bob Newhart (his debut role), Bobby Darrin and Fess Parker. It tells the story of a squad of U.S. soldiers from the 95th Infantry Division who, in the fall of 1944, must hold off an entire German company for approximately 48 hours along the Siegfried Line until reinforcements reach them.
Directed by the great Don Siegel ( Dirty Harry, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Coogan's Bluff, Charley Varrick ) who was the movie equivalent of the pulp fiction author. His movies were always tight, economical and very watchable. Filmed in black & white on a small budget it's a now classic WWII movie that I'm sure served as source material for Saving Private Ryan and other more recent WWII films. The movie was written by Robert Pirosh. Pirosh was an infantryman with the 320th Infantry Regiment,35th Infantry Division in WWII and saw combat in the Alsace-Ardennes, Rhineland and Central Europe campaigns during WWII. He won the Oscar for his screenplay of Battleground and he was co-creator of the television series Combat!
Between Siegel's highly competent directing and Pirosh's authentic script the movie is great. What's interesting to note is that evidently nobody wanted to make the movie. Everyone was pissed which gives some bite to their roles. I don't think you will ever find a squad of infantrymen who are happy to be on the front line. The budget was cut before the cameras started rolling and the exteriors were filmed in the Summer of 1961 outside of Redding, California. If you've ever been to Redding in the summertime you know how miserably hot the area can be. As a result much of the movie was filmed at night for the comfort of the actors. That works as well since a lot of combat in WWII took pace at night. Basically everything about the production came together to make a very tight little drama. Pissed off actors, low budget (almost early 1960's television level is my understanding), unpleasant filing conditions, black & white film - all of it.
All in all a very good movie. One of those films that has gone on to achieve classic status. Funny how that happens sometimes.
Directed by the great Don Siegel ( Dirty Harry, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Coogan's Bluff, Charley Varrick ) who was the movie equivalent of the pulp fiction author. His movies were always tight, economical and very watchable. Filmed in black & white on a small budget it's a now classic WWII movie that I'm sure served as source material for Saving Private Ryan and other more recent WWII films. The movie was written by Robert Pirosh. Pirosh was an infantryman with the 320th Infantry Regiment,35th Infantry Division in WWII and saw combat in the Alsace-Ardennes, Rhineland and Central Europe campaigns during WWII. He won the Oscar for his screenplay of Battleground and he was co-creator of the television series Combat!
Between Siegel's highly competent directing and Pirosh's authentic script the movie is great. What's interesting to note is that evidently nobody wanted to make the movie. Everyone was pissed which gives some bite to their roles. I don't think you will ever find a squad of infantrymen who are happy to be on the front line. The budget was cut before the cameras started rolling and the exteriors were filmed in the Summer of 1961 outside of Redding, California. If you've ever been to Redding in the summertime you know how miserably hot the area can be. As a result much of the movie was filmed at night for the comfort of the actors. That works as well since a lot of combat in WWII took pace at night. Basically everything about the production came together to make a very tight little drama. Pissed off actors, low budget (almost early 1960's television level is my understanding), unpleasant filing conditions, black & white film - all of it.
All in all a very good movie. One of those films that has gone on to achieve classic status. Funny how that happens sometimes.
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