World War Two: During a night battle on the outskirts
of the French town, an ex-lieutenant, now Private Kelly (Clint
Eastwood), interrogates a captured German Colonel Dumpkoppf (David
Hurst) about the bar of gold found in his satchel, as their unit's
quarters are being barraged by both sides. After getting the Colonel
drunk, he alone finds out about 16 million dollars of gold bars
that were delivered to a bank,30 miles behind enemy lines. He
takes his plan to steal the gold to his unit, led by Master Sergeant
Big Joe (Telly Savalas), to offer them an alternative choice on
how to spend their 3 day leave, rather than to hang around a French
farmhouse with no "action." Against Big Joe's better
judgment, not only does the whole platoon vote to go get it, but
Kelly organizes others to go along with the plan, to form an assembled
Army team to go after it. Three tanks, under the command of a
peculiar fellow, Oddball, and the wheeler/ dealer Crap Game (Don
Rickles).
The fine direction was by experienced action
director, Brian Hutton , who also did such films as WHERE EAGLES
DARE, and HIGH ROAD TO CHINA.
The fun script which combines action and laughs,
was written by Troy Kennedy Martin.
Clint Eastwood is well cast as a tough military guy with a get
rich scheme. Eastwood looks great in uniform, and represents a
figure of authority, surrounded by wild cards such as Savalas,
Rickles, Sutherland, and Margolin.
My favorite scene takes place in a French bank behind enemy lines.
The scene, which utilizes an American tank to break into the bank,
as the Germans approach, is an exciting, well staged action sequence.
The late Telly Savalas is great as the U.S. military group's sergeant.
Long before Savalas had his big break as TV's "Kojak,"
Savalas was a busy Hollywood character actor, appearing in numerous
films includingTHE DIRTY DOZEN and THE SCALPHUNTERS. A favorite
line: "If I hear any more threats against the Captain's life,
or any more rumors about going down to headquarters and assassinating
the General, or raping the nurses at the field hospital, I'm going
to strangle the guy with my bare hands! Got it? When I come back,
I want this farm house looking like a night club. Do you get that?"
Donald Sutherland may seem a little out of place as a hippie in
World War Two, but he adds to the fun of the plotline, and he
does command his 3 tanks effectively. His long haired hippie character,
aptly named "Oddball," does have a lot of funny lines,
and adds a lot to the humor. He is big on having a positive outlook
on life. One of his men, Moriarty (Gavin MacLeod), expresses his
worry crankily about whether there was going to be a unbombed
bridge left for them to cross over with their tanks. Oddball's
Answer; "Moriarty, always with the negative waves! It's a
mother beautiful bridge, and its going to be there!"
The film is rated PG. As it is an action war
movie, there are scenes showing both Germans and the Americans
being killed in rather ferocious gun battles.
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