Kelly’s Heroes (1970)

“[shouting in the radio] Look, Mulligan! I don’t think I’m getting through to you! You’re dropping your damn barrage on our position! The reason you can’t hear me is because you’re firing your mortars at your end, and they’re dropping here, on our end! No, the Krauts are not here! We’re here! Mulligan, your bombs are coming down on our head! I don’t know where the Krauts are! Just lift your goddamn barrage! Over!.” – Big Joe

Number of Times Seen – Too many to count (Video, DVD, 27 May 2013)

Brief Synopsis – A company of US soldiers during WWII decided to “liberate” $16 Million worth of gold from a German-held bank during the France Campaign in 1944.

My Take on it – I don’t recall when I saw this movie for the first time, but I have always enjoyed it.

What a great premise; a bank heist during WWII perpetrated by allied soldiers during their 3 days R&R. Lots of humor, action and tons of dead Nazi’s. What else can you ask for from a WWII movie?

The cast is superb; Clint Eastwood and Telly Savalas are great together as commanding officers of the soldiers. Don Rickles plays a requisition officer who help them out. His role is mostly comic relief, but what can you expect from the comedian? Donald Sutherland plays a hippie Tank Commander.  Great bit parts by Carroll O’Connor, Harry Dean Stanton, Gavin MacLeod (from The Love Boat), Len Lesser (Seinfeld’s Uncle Leo) and Stuart Margolin (from The Rockford Files)

Bottom Line – Great,  fun, lots of laughs, action. Highly recommended

Rating – Oscar Worthy