| Hell Is for Heroes (1962),
				Director: Don Siegel, rated Approved 
						The 
						brutal realities that faced every G.I. during World War 
						II 
				
		  Starring: 
Steve McQueen, Bobby Darin, Fess Parker, Harry Guardino, Bob Newhart, James 
Coburn, Nick Adams, Mike Kellin, L. Q. Jones 
				DML Rating: 
				★★★★★★★☆☆☆ 
				- good 
				"The outfit I came from was 
				a real dilly. There was a general, a major, two captains, two 
				lieutenants, and me. There's a squad for you, buddy-o." - 
				Pvt. John Reese Why watch this? 
				McQueen smolders as a war-weary private on the edge. 
				Plot Summary: 
						In 1944 France, a small squad of American soldiers is 
						unexpectedly ordered back to the front lines after a 
						brief reprieve. Facing a significantly larger German 
						force along the Siegfried Line, they must utilize clever 
						tactics and their dwindling resources to create the 
						illusion of a more substantial presence, buying time 
						until reinforcements can arrive. The film follows the 
						squad's struggle for survival and the mounting tension 
						as they try to deceive the enemy and hold their position 
						against overwhelming odds. 
				Dad's Preview: 
				There are many World War II "B" movies and many are low in 
				quality. This actioner stands as one of the good ones. It 
				features a great director and some of the 1960's best upcoming 
				stars in McQueen, Coburn, Parker and comedian Bob Newhart. This 
				is the life of an experienced American infantry squad on the 
				Maginot line. Into the squad comes Pvt. Reese, a tough, 
				no-nonsense soldier who doesn't want friends and has seen too 
				much action. They are assigned to hold an area after most 
				American troops have with drawn. This film illustrates the tough 
				choices made in the chaos of combat, and how these dog-faced 
				army grunts faced impossible odds, often as the cost of their 
				own lives.  
				 Henry Blanke; 
				Paramount Pictures
 |