The Devil's Brigade (1968)

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

The movie is kind of a re-run treat. It very closely follows the true story of the First Special Service Force. The commander is correctly identified as Lt. Colonel Robert Frederick and it did consist of both US and Canadian troops - about 500 Canadians and 1200 Americans. All were volunteers. The American criminal contingent is all Hollywood although as with all volunteer forces there will have been some with checkered pasts.Training in the real unit was intense and the movie follows that training faithfully. The mountain assault really did happen that way. I have always considered the assault to be a highlight of cinematic combat action.About the only thing missing is their real moniker - the Black Devils. In German it was the "Schwarzer Teufel" so named because of the black face paint used in night raids. They would attack and then flee into the night as if they were literal devils. The unit was disbanded on December 5, 1944 after only two years. All US special operations combat forces are said to be descended from this unit.Cliff Robertson is masterful in the role of the Canadian commander. Jack Watson as Corporeal Peacock is one of my all time quirky characters.

The Devil's Brigade is directed by Andrew V. McLaglen and adapted to screenplay by William Roberts from the book of the same name written by Robert H. Adleman and George Walton. It stars William Holden, Cliff Robertson, Vince Edwards, Harry Carey, Claude Akins, Andrew Prine, Richard Jaeckel, Jack Watson and Jeremy Slate. A Panavision/De Luxe Color production, music is by Alex North and cinematography by William H. Clothier.Based on real people and incidents, film follows the formation of the 1st Special Service Force (AKA: The Devil's Brigade), their training and subsequent mission to seize control of Monte la Difensa, a Nazi stronghold during the Italian Campaign in World War II.Somewhere along the path of war movie history there was a wind of change that saw the all heroic soldier of sincerity replaced by the anti-hero thug! Where misfits, criminals and army bums were thrust into missions that gave them the chance of redemption or a semblance of honour via death. This format reached a pinnacle, arguably, with Robert Aldrich's Magnificent Macho Movie, The Dirty Dozen (1967). A year later came The Devil's Brigade, a film strikingly similar to The Dirty Dozen, yet unlike Aldrich's movie is based on facts, it should also be noted that the novel The Devil's Brigade was written in 1966.McLaglen's movie follows the tried and tested formula, men from all walks of life thrust together and expected to gel as one fighting force. Cue hostilities and suspicions, here in the guise of a crack Canadian army unit joining forces with a platoon of American wasters. The training is as tough as it gets, the men continuing to try and out macho each other, and then that magical moment occurs when they come together as one and realise they actually can get on after all. This comes about in TDB courtesy of a gloriously over the top part of the film where the Yanks and Canadians brawl with local lumberjacks and the military police. Something which greatly makes their leader, Lt. Col Robert Frederick (Holden), very proud. He of course is straight from the "unconventional" line of military leaders.So it goes, fists fly as much as the jokes, the insults are barbed and the macho posturing never wavers. Frederick butts heads with the suits, his charges forced to prove themselves as an elite fighting force, and then it's to the big bang mission, where it's a time for heroes and we know that not everyone will survive the pyrotechnics. Cast performances are just fine, inevitably with such an ensemble piece many of the characters are not fully fleshed, but the main players impact well on the drama. North's music is delightfully boisterous, the blend of national themes most catchy, Clothier's photography around the Utah and Lazio locales lurches nicely from the screen, while McLaglen, so often derided for some of his directing assignments, does a bang up good job for the two action sequences that finalise the movie.It doesn't break new ground, but for this line of formula war movies it comfortably keeps the fires burning. 7.5/10

Critically drubbed as another "Dirty Dozen" clone during its initial release, director Andrew V. McLaglen's "The Devil's Brigade" is a factual World War II epic about the First Special Service Force. This exciting, flavorful actioneer about combat during the Italian campaign is representative of the big-budgeted movies about World War II produced in the 1960s. This was McLaglen's first major film without either John Wayne or James Stewart as the star. William Holden stars along with Cliff Robertson, Vince Edwards, Dana Andrews, and Claude Akins. You'll recognize lots of other character actors, such as Jack Watson, Richard Jaeckel, Richard Dawson, and Michael Rennie. Clocking in at 131 minutes, "The Devil's Brigade" covers a lot of ground from the formation of the unit to the rivalry between the American and Canadian soldiers,and finally their baptism by fire in Italy. Although women appear in the bar brawl and Holden has a scene with a general's matronly secretary, the opposite sex is pretty much relegated to the periphery of the action. McLaglen does a good job of keeping the lumbering action in motion and "Magnificent Seven" scribe William Roberts inserts an interesting line or two. Lenser William Clothier captures the combat in several rugged settings and provides this war story will a virile look, while Alex North contributes an inspirational score.An American Colonel Colonel Fredericks (William Holden of "Picnic") with no battlefield experience receives orders to train a unit of American misfits and snappy Canadian troops for a mission that he had derided earlier as insane. This qualifies as a more eloquent as well as palatable version of "The Dirty Dozen." The singular drawn-back is the tragic ending that leaves a bad taste in your mouth. Nevertheless, the plot is never dull. Our spit and polish outfit completes their training only to learn to their chagrin that they have been relieved for mission in Norway for which they are designed. Momentarily, it appears that the Devil's Brigade will be broken up and the troops reassigned, but a determined Fredericks flies to Washington to see if he can keep the outfit alive. General Mark Clark (Michael Rennie of "Soldier of Fortune") takes them into his command and sends them out to capture German troops. Fredericks surprises not only Clark but also his second-in-command Major Generall Maxwell Hunter (Carol O'Connor)when he captures an entire village of Germans during an early morning raid.

I don't care about what other people think. Those who gave a bad review of this movie are just too shallow to understand the MEANING of this film. It may not have all the flashy gun-play of newer films...Its the 1960's! Kay? I liked how the Canadians were showing the yanks up all the time, but MY ABSOLUTE favorite scene is the bar scene when the Canucks and Yankees finally became brothers. I almost cried at how touching the union was.This is among my favorite war movies because it shows how much Canada and the US can kick some serious ass! Talk about the ultimate killing machine. I tip my hat to the Devils.