The Dirty Dozen (1967)

Brilliant and touching

best movie i've ever seen.

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

This film stands up remarkably well after half a century and the casting separates the men from the boys in the sense that the real actors like Robert Ryan went on getting work for years afterwards while the flavor-of-the-month school like Telly Savalas plus the out-and-out novelty castings like Trini Lopez enjoyed a mayfly moment and then found their natural level. It was a workable idea and movies with numbers - The Magnificent Seven, Ocean's Eleven - tended to score by a combination of potent names and a decent script. This is no exception and it has another factor going for it i.e. the three stages; 1) Recruitment, 2) Training, 3) the caper and/or mission, all designed to generate interest segueing into suspense. Whilst it can be faulted if one puts ones' mind to it it is also easy to score it eight out of ten for all three stages.

THE DIRTY DOZEN is a war action film that, in an unconventional and violent way, but with a lot of emotions, glorifies a group of criminal soldiers. This story is very brutal and perverted with a single sadistic note, but it is not irresponsible. It is based on E. M. Nathanson's novel of the same name that was inspired by a real-life group called the "Filthy Thirteen".Major Reisman is assigned to coordinate a suicide mission on a French château held by top Nazi officers. He is to train a small band of the Army's worst convicts (selected for him) and turn them into commandos to be sent on a virtual suicide mission. After witnessing a hanging in a military prison, Reisman meets his 12 convicts (the 'Dirty Dozen'), all either serving lengthy sentences or awaiting execution. He visits them individually in their cells. Some details of their crimes are revealed and he uses a different approach with each in an effort to gain their cooperation. After being forced to construct their own living quarters, the 12 men are trained in close combat by Reisman and gradually learn how to operate as a group...Simply, it is difficult to imagine such a situation and conditions, but the plots are very exciting. The characters have an anti heroic mood, which corresponds to their harsh habits and indiscipline. This story does not resist various forms of sadism and morbid situations. Mr. Aldrich has made a trap, as he has managed to bring the army and the criminals into an imaginary line. This may be somehow absurd, however, given the conditions of warfare, that makes sense. Simply, in this movie, they are all rough, crazy and incapable for something.The characterization is not bad, but dialogues are pretty poor.Lee Marvin as Maj. John Reisman is an impolite and ruthless but very brave colonel. Charles Bronson as Joseph Wladislaw is a silent and staid killer. John Cassavetes as Victor R. Franko is a psychopathic rebel, who has a strange desire to prove to himself. Telly Savalas as Archer J. Maggott is a sexual maniac under the guise of a religious fanaticism. He is, probably, the most striking character in the movie. Jim Brown as Robert T. Jefferson is an athlete who seems to be in a wrong place. Donald Sutherland as Vernon L. Pinkley is a good-natured laddie with a mild form of mental retardation.Other actors respond well to their roles This war experience is quite exciting and morbid to some extent.

The Dirty Dozen (1967) This is a war action movie. Truly one of the first of its kind to concentrate on the action, with a sprinkling of comedy via the burgeoning brotherhood of the men. A prominent Major trains a small band of the Army's worst convicts to be sent on a virtual suicide mission. The cast includes Ernest Borgnine, Charles Bronson, Jim Brown, John Cassavetes, Telly Savalas, Robert Webber, and Donald Sutherland. The film is based on the novel of the same name. It was inspired by a real- life group called the "Filthy Thirteen". On release, the film was picked apart for its level of violence, but was a massive commercial success. It presently holds a 91% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and was nominated for four Academy Awards. It spawned numerous sequels, copycats, and was the inspiration for many subsequent movies in the genre. This is a classic American film of the era, and a must watch for the action enthusiasts.

There are very few movies that I'll watch over and over again...and, this is one of them.In many ways, this movie is much like "Kelly's Heroes" (another movie I can watch over and over) in how it's a war movie, but, there are many comical parts.There are a lot of great actors in the cast of this movie as well. Veteran greats such as Lee Marvin; Ernest Borgnine; and, Robert Ryan; as well as soon-to-be greats such as Charles Bronson; Donald Sutherland; and, Telly Savalas.Spoiler alert - After all of the clowning-around and funny parts in this movie; and, how many of "The Dirty Dozen" are thought of as 'nice guys,' and, they are - the ending may be a tad hard for many people to understand in the way that it's conceived by many as cruel. So was the incendiary bombing of Dresden; and, the bombing of London, Warsaw, Stalingrad, and, Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In war, many people die in many terrible ways, and, these guys didn't have a lot of time and had to do their job quickly and efficiently, and, then, get away.I've always loved this movie, and, I watch it whenever it's on. I just saw it again this past 2015 Memorial Day Weekend...I still love it! :)