One of Steve McQueen's better roles is one that is modeled on one that James Cagney played in The Fighting 69th. If you'll remember Cagney was a wise guy who lost his nerve on the battlefield and was sentenced to be shot, but redeemed himself in a heroic climax.
Now McQueen wasn't a coward and he didn't have a priest like Pat O'Brien to have faith in him. But he was a reckless sort and convinced of his own righteousness. It negated his acts of bravery and when the film opens we find him down to being a private and under the command of a sergeant played by Fess Parker who likes him, but understands him all too well.
And Parker's platoon has a really rotten assignment. Hold their position on the Siegfried Line with a handful of men until help arrives and maybe convince the Germans there's a lot more out there than there really are.
McQueen in his usual rebel way goes his own way. It costs the lives of a lot in his squad. Still he does redeem himself like Cagney in the end. This is maybe the only film in which McQueen's rebel persona worked against his character. Still it's an interesting and moving performance he gives.
Look also for good performances from the rest of the cast that includes Harry Guardino, Bobby Darin, Nick Adams, Mike Kellin, and Bob Newhart as other soldiers on the dirty detail.
The film credits say 'introducing Bob Newhart' and he provides what little comedy there is. After the Parker platoon gets the assignment to hold on their assigned piece of real estate, Newhart comes driving up in a jeep loaded with typewriters. He's a clerk/typist at division headquarters and it seems as though he made a wrong turn. Never mind because Guardino and Parker commandeer him and his jeep.
Which sets up one of his routines from his early standup act. Newhart used to work with a telephone and he's asked to do so here for the benefit of a German microphone planted on the American line. It actually works very well into the fabric of the plot.
Hell is for Heroes is one tough and gritty war drama, the kind of film that a generation later, Steven Spielberg would get all kinds of acclaim for Saving Private Ryan. For war picture fans, this is a must.
Now McQueen wasn't a coward and he didn't have a priest like Pat O'Brien to have faith in him. But he was a reckless sort and convinced of his own righteousness. It negated his acts of bravery and when the film opens we find him down to being a private and under the command of a sergeant played by Fess Parker who likes him, but understands him all too well.
And Parker's platoon has a really rotten assignment. Hold their position on the Siegfried Line with a handful of men until help arrives and maybe convince the Germans there's a lot more out there than there really are.
McQueen in his usual rebel way goes his own way. It costs the lives of a lot in his squad. Still he does redeem himself like Cagney in the end. This is maybe the only film in which McQueen's rebel persona worked against his character. Still it's an interesting and moving performance he gives.
Look also for good performances from the rest of the cast that includes Harry Guardino, Bobby Darin, Nick Adams, Mike Kellin, and Bob Newhart as other soldiers on the dirty detail.
The film credits say 'introducing Bob Newhart' and he provides what little comedy there is. After the Parker platoon gets the assignment to hold on their assigned piece of real estate, Newhart comes driving up in a jeep loaded with typewriters. He's a clerk/typist at division headquarters and it seems as though he made a wrong turn. Never mind because Guardino and Parker commandeer him and his jeep.
Which sets up one of his routines from his early standup act. Newhart used to work with a telephone and he's asked to do so here for the benefit of a German microphone planted on the American line. It actually works very well into the fabric of the plot.
Hell is for Heroes is one tough and gritty war drama, the kind of film that a generation later, Steven Spielberg would get all kinds of acclaim for Saving Private Ryan. For war picture fans, this is a must.