Helvetti 1944

Aldrich's film breaks away from the usual template of war films from the 1950s, where on one side stands the victorious army with ideals and a mission, and on the other side is evil in the form of a criminal enemy that must be defeated and punished. In this case, the enemy is hiding within their ranks, in the form of an inept cowardly officer in the American army, who, with his approach, causes the death of many soldiers in his unit. Thematically, it's very interesting, but the execution is worse, and it doesn't avoid the typical American moralistic approach and pathos, especially at the end. The characters are divided according to black-and-white stereotypes, and it must be absolutely clear to the viewer on whose side the truth stands, and for their judgment to be unequivocal, the anti-hero is portrayed one-dimensionally. Such a crystal clear cowardly hysterical inept and treacherous character does not exist in reality, or rather, exists just as often as his opponent - the hero, who tears out his crushed hand trapped under a tank track and fearlessly goes to fulfill his mission despite having mortal injuries. The film's outcome is distinctly detrimental and unbelievably and pathetically positive, which goes against the down-to-earth reality of war and the decision-making and execution mechanisms of the army's justice. Overall impression: 60%. (13.05.2010)

Jack Palance and Lee Marvin are great, Eddie Albert is annoying and unsympathetic (I know his character was supposed to be that way, but still...), some very good scenes (the barn, the ending) and a few completely unnecessary scenes (I'm alone in a barn that two tanks are about to fire on, and rather than run away I'm going to pray? I bet...), weird music... It’s honestly rather disappointing. A very weak concoction compared to Peckinpah's Cross of Iron. Like almost everything. (28.09.2011)