Hell Is for Heroes (1962)

Interesting, albeit minor genre war film, which Steve McQueen carries on his back. He plays a latent sociopath who takes command of an isolated squad (with disastrous results) through sheer force of will, when the noncom in charge is killed. It's a chilling, totally convincing performance. The most provocative aspect is the way in which McQueen's GI relates to everybody else in the film - he's the only character who has no conceivable function in any peacetime world. Care is taken to give the men around him some civilian values - Bobby Darin is an urban scrounger; Mike Kellin thinks of his wife in a moment of extremity; Harry Guardino shows reverence in a bombed-out church; Bob Newhart (in a role which is in every other aspect absurd) isn't really a soldier at all. McQueen's character alone is left a cipher, a blank page for the actor to complete.

Fmovies: Steve McQueen's character of Reese is not the jock he played in the Great Escape nor is he Jake Thurlow a rule bender,but whose's found his home in the U.S.Navy of the 1920's. No Reese is a stone cold killer a front line ideal who gets in trouble because in the rear like probably in his civilian life there are too many rules issued by and for the protection of soft bellied fools. He has survived like Fess Parker's Sgt.Pike, a man who knows him and if not a friend in the service buddy/Beery/Gable manner of war movies,understands him. Pike knows that Reese though a leader is not a workaday type who will listen recommend and obey. Reese is a loner living on borrowed time. North Africa,Sicily,Italy maybe were where he campaigned with a dwindling amount of men he came in with still alive. A bullet or shell,or mine,or tank treads is waiting on the next wooded hill, or valley or village to end it for him. There is no Longest Day comrades in arms in a worthy cause emotion emanating from Reese and squad mates. There is no grander vision for them then earning a front line soldiers highest decoration - survival. The German bunker is the squatting beast of War waiting to feed and it does on the Mike Kellin character, the attacking company, Steve McQueen's now Ahab like Reese who must destroy the beast at the cost of his life, and the bunkers' anonymous defenders-inmates while the beast battered partially in flames still consumes GIs and Wehrmact landers indiscriminately. Rock solid war film.

I saw this as a child and remember how grisly the action was. At the time, of course, war movies were really my thing since my Father, and most of my friends' fathers had fought in WWII. I then (and now) loved the pure and believable action to be found in many war films. "Heroes" was particularly violent for its time. German soldiers are graphically burned to death with flame throwers, shot to pieces with tommy guns, and cut to ribbons with a machete. The action was especially graphic for when this film was made and I am very surprised so much intense violence got past the censors.

I think the high resentments still around "post war" account for this. People wanted to see the Nazis get their well deserved violent end. The film is a good depiction of war and what it does to the men who are on the front lines. I am amazed when I watch it to see what a good actor Bobby Darin was and how well newcomer Boby Newhart did in his comic relief role. Steve McQueen and James Coburn were just about to hit their stride. They both give memorable performances--especially McQueen who is the dark hero. Harry Guardino, who would later work for director Seigel in Dirty Harry, is also a sympathetic figure. He was such an underrated character actor. The American soldiers depicted in the film are a good cross section of America as it was constituted in the 40's. If you love war films, and have not seen this one, go out of your way to do so. This is, I think, the best of the low budget black and white war films of the 50's and early 60's.

Hell Is for Heroes fmovies. In your face WW2 movie that has little compromise in it's depiction of a slice of that war.The screenplay could have been better but still,the production was good enough to give this movie classic status for it's genre.No perfume romantisation here,just plain old battle line warfare and the soldiers who are there to do those hellish things.If you want that kind of action,this movie is for you.Also one of the best movies McQueen ever made........

This World War II film is one of the finest I have seen. It features an allstar cast, great direction, a great script and compelling performances.

Steve McQueen plays an American soldiers who thrives on combat. He gets busted from squad leader to Private when he crashes a jeep. His squad gets sent to the front lines, where he clashes with by-the-book Sergeant Larkin (Harry Guardino). Problems are made worse when the Company pulls out, leaving Larkin's squad to cover a huge section of the front lines. In order to succeed, they trick the Germans in various ways to make them think they're a much larger unit.

The film features a powerful central performance by Steve McQueen. While his lines are short and to the point, his facial expressions and movements are just as important. He makes a very convincing front-line soldier, doing a lot of things many other front-line-combat themed war movies of the time (TO HELL AND BACK, etc) leave out.

Supporting McQueen are Bobby Darin, James Coburn, and Mike Kellin all very young. Their characters were unique at the time but may seem a bit chliched and two-dimensional if you've seen a lot of war pictures.

Also lending a hand if Bob Newhart as a bumbling typist who ends up getting commandeered to help hold the front line position. His telephone monlogue scene is a classic and he makes a very believable scared-stiff REMF, just like Jeremy Davies as Cpl. Upham in SAVING PRIVATE RYAN.

The battle scenes were obviously filmed on a tight budget but are very authentic appearing. They involve soldiers bleeding profusely and screaming in agony -- not something you see in older war films.

All in all, a very well done, realistic and very believable war film. It was apparently based on a true incident.

The DVD is of high quality. It is finally in letterbox format, about a 1.78:1 ratio. The video quality is superb. The sound is mono but very good mono; quite rich. Also included is a widescreen but scratchy and grainy trailer.

I enjoy and admire HELL IS FOR HEROES so much that I am using it as a model for my own WWII home video, BATTLEGROUND.

WW2 B actioners are usually very good or very bad. This one belongs in every War Movie Buff's collection. One of the soon to be best action directors of his generation making a film with a half dozen of the soon to be best screen and TV actors to come out in the 60s. McQueen is at his classic Lonesome Cool persona best here. James Coburn at his quirky supporting role best. Bobby Darin, Nick Adams, Fess Parker and a new comedian turning actor called Bob Newhart. This movie couldn't miss. Even the small budget and stock footage doesn't tarnish it. Newhart has said they ran out of money and couldn't shoot the original ending so the ending as it is was shot on the fly. It is CLASSIC. This fact alone shows the quality of the people who made this little number. Much better than most of the lumbering big budget WW2 A films of the period like "The Longest Day" and "Bridge on the River Kwi". Both good films but not nearly as exciting and gripping as this gritty little B movie.