The Dirty Dozen (1967)

Directed by: Robert Aldrich | 145 minutes | action, drama, war | Actors: Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine, Charles Bronson, Jim Brown, John Cassavetes, Richard Jaeckal, George Kennedy, Trini López, Ralph Meeker, Robert Ryan, Telly Savalas, Donald Sutherland, Clint Walker, Robert Webber, Tom Busby, Ben Carruthers, Stuart Cooper, Robert Philips, Colin Maitland, Al Mancini, George Roubicek, Thick Wilson, Dora Reisser

Director Robert Aldrich (‘The Longest Yard’, 1974) makes one of his best films with ‘The Dirty Dozen’. The acting is good, the story – although not perfect – is also well put together and the camera work is excellent. Aldrich has a good grip on the big names, manages a thousand employees and manages a hefty budget for the studio. A good portion of the money will be spent on a life-size building that will build about 85 people in just four months. The colossus, a Nazi retirement home in Rennes, France, is the ultimate target of attack for the dozen bastards that Marvin tries to control. ‘Dozen’ is one of the better films of the war genre, although it is about an unknown group of soldiers who must take out a seemingly insignificant target.

The target, the Nazi villa, is immediately the weak spot in the story, because you ask yourself whether you want to wait so long for an apparently unnecessary climax. Aldrich, however, provides variety by having serious scenes followed by humor. A short section of the German national anthem during a shot of the Nazi stronghold is one such example. In ‘The Dirty Dozen’ the cast never gets bigger than the movie itself. Okay, the names are all big, but after seeing the film you have the feeling that you have had an adventure with a group of soldiers of all origins. Lee Marvin manages the mess in his usual way: stoic, sarcastic and cocky. Marvin excels, but also notice Bronson, who has more text than in films from the ‘Death Wish’ series. John Cassavetes even gets an Oscar nomination for his role as the rebellious, fearless Franko. Musician Trini ‘If I Had a Hammer’ López is also part of the dozen soldiers. Only Telly ‘Kojak’ Savalas stands out as the idiotic and annoying Maggott.

The message of ‘The Dirty Dozen’ remains: war is hell. Some interludes are funny, like when Sutherland pretends to be a general at a high uncle, but Aldrich quickly puts you back on the ground. In this way the twelve do not become cartoon heroes, because not everyone makes it to the finish. Our heroes are not untouchable. But Aldrich also shows Germans who are not bad. Some of them are sociable and friendly, which will give you sympathy for them too. Also interesting is the dark former American football player Jim Brown, who plays a dubious key role in the final highlight (?) of the film. Angry tongues claim that the nasty ending of ‘The Dirty Dozen’ cost Aldrich an Oscar. The precious image eventually went to director Mike Nichols with “The Graduate.”

‘The Dirty Dozen’ is a good war movie. The strength lies in the growing friendship between the twelve of various origins. The danger of the mission brings the boys closer together. In addition, it is commendable that the film does not put anyone on a pedestal, as happens, for example, in Franklin J. Schaffner’s ‘Patton’. ‘The Dirty Dozen’ doesn’t turn war into comedy. Fun, entertaining movie.