Plot Details: This opinion reveals major details about the movie's plot.

A Sherman tank can give you an edge. Oddball

Clint Eastwood stars as Kelly, a busted lieutenant returned to the ranks and the tender ministrations of motherly company First Sergeant Big Joe (Telly Savalas).

During the confusion of a night attack Kelly captures a German Colonel with a briefcase handcuffed to his arm. Back at the command post Big Joe is unconcerned with the intelligence value of the colonel except whether he knows where the best hotel in the next town is. Kelly cuts the briefcase off his prisoner's arm and notices some "lead bars" amongst the papers. Taking a closer look, Kelly realizes these are gold bars painted gray. With a bottle of cognac from their stores he takes the colonel for a little private interrogation. Kelly learns that there are 14,000 more gold bars stored in a bank thirty miles behind enemy lines. Kelly begins to form a plan of how to get those gold bars. The big problem is logistics… oh yes, and a couple of German divisions…

His company is being pulled back from the front lines for three days of rest and recreation after which they will go back as replacements. So Kelly has three days to get the gold, hide it, and return to duty. He goes to see the supply sergeant/wheeler dealer Crapgame (Don Rickles) who agrees to get weapons and ammo in exchange for a cut. Crapgame also suggests armor for a penetration behind enemy lines. At the mention of armor, up pops Oddball (Donald Sutherland) a tank commander with three Shermans, who had been taking a siesta atop some packing crates. Oddball agrees to go along with his 30 or 40 guys and three tanks. Big Joe has a problem with the whole idea but the rest of the platoon is going with Kelly so Big Joe acquiesces. The air force has blown all the bridges out of the area so Crapgame recruits an engineer company with a portable bridge… The result is a mad rush by all in on the deal to be the first to reach the gold and capture it.

Of course, with such a large contingent of troops moving, headquarters is bound to find out. Radio transmissions are received back at HQ where the general (Carroll O'Connor) is elated to learn his troops have made an advance. The general heads out with his box of medals to congratulate his men…

Kelly's Heroes is one of the best of the war caper films, and is an interesting look at men operating under what has been said to be the purest human emotion - greed.

Along with some grippingly portrayed action sequences there is plenty of comic relief, especially when the inimitable Donald Sutherland takes center stage. This is his best performance, in my opinion. Sutherland's tank platoon attacking the railroad depot to the amplified strains of country music blaring from the Sherman's loudspeaker will have you on the edge of your seat as will the minefield scene where a few of the heroes lose their lives.

The script is wonderful and the casting inspired. The actors, in addition to Sutherland are spot-on, with Eastwood playing straight man and leader to the group. Don Rickles, Telly Savalas, Carroll O'Connor, Stuart Margolin, Gavin McLeod, and Harry Dean Stanton provide comic relief along with Donald Sutherland's priceless Oddball.

Filmed in Yugoslavia, the director, Brian G. Hutton, went to considerable lengths to ensure authentic locales and equipment. The Shermans looked like late models with the boilerplate front ends. Other uniforms, vehicles, and weapons were also proper for the time.

The photography by Gilbert Figueroa did a good job of capturing Director Hutton's vision and the color is absolutely gorgeous. Incidental music by Lalo Schifrin is well done and contributes to the fun, a notable example is the spaghetti western music during the "showdown" between the Americans and the German tank commander.

I viewed the movie on DVD in 2.35:1 widescreen and it is a perfectly preserved film - great news for a thirty-year old classic that will be a favorite with most viewers.

Fans of Kelly's Heroes will also enjoy The Dirty Dozen, The Guns of Navarone, and Where Eagles Dare.


Recommended: Yes