Best movie of this year hands down!

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

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

There are some films that need little introduction. 'Kelly's Heroes' is one of them. However, in today's Hollywood, movies about the Second World War are few and far between, so some may question the relevance of an ensemble piece set in the dying days of Nazi-occupied Europe. First of all, I'll probably stick my neck out and say that it's probably not that 'historically accurate' (or at least not to my knowledge!). By that, I don't mean that Allied forces are fighting zombies or abducted by vampires. From the little I know of the period, all the uniforms, military language and techniques look genuine enough to fool a layman like me. When I say it's not 'historically accurate' I mean that, whereas most films of this era concentrate (naturally) on the struggle between German and Allied forces, 'Kelly's Heroes' offers more of a 'crime caper' set during the conflict. If I could compare it to anything, I'd almost say it felt like an 'Ocean's Eleven' in the middle of World War II.Clint Eastwood plays the titular 'Kelly' – a war-weary soldier who's had enough of potentially dying any day without anything to show for it personally. So, when he learns of a bank full of gold behind enemy lines, he puts together a group of equally ambitious troops all willing to risk their lives for a slice of the bullion. As I mentioned, it's a bit of an ensemble cast, the two most notable additions are Telly Savalas and Donald Sutherland, both who vie for position of the cast member who's trying to steal every scene they're in. However, just because the film is largely about the quest to blow open a bank vault, doesn't mean that it's not a war film. The setting alone means that our 'heroes' come up against all the perils associated with the period and there are some pretty impressive set-pieces when it comes to the action.I think the best thing about 'Kelly's Heroes' is that it has a pretty broad appeal. Obviously fans of war films will enjoy it, but you have the added bonus of having Clint Eastwood in the lead (and in his prime, no less) supported by some amazing acting talent. Then throw in the action element and the engaging crime plot and you're really going to invest your time into caring whether these (not so heroic) heroes get the gold or not. Don't be put off by its age. It's as good – and more importantly fun – today as it ever was. I will never grow tired from watching a tank freak out the opposing forces by playing music loudly as it comes into battle!

Ignore the critics, this is one hell of a joy ride. 4 different characters in search of Nazi treasure in World War II.While this is a standard guys on a mission war flick, the motivations here are different. Their motive is not heroism, but greed pure and simple.Kelly( Clint Eastwood) learns of a stash of Nazi gold hidden somewhere, and he recruits a bunch of odd balls to get that. He had earlier been made a scapegoat for a failed infantry assault, and he is more interested in the gold, than any kind of glory.And the Heroes, an opportunistic Sgt Crapgame( Don Rickles) who holds the key to the supplies and tanks needed. A hipster, half spaced out tank commander Oddball( Donald Sutherland), a cynical, often nasty Sgt Big Joe( Telly Savalas).As we can see not particularly a bunch of "'Heroes", they are just a bunch of greedy, opportunist profiteers out to make a fortune, using war as their cover. In a sense a satire too on war, showing behind all that heroism , it's just plain survival and greed.Think Good, Bad and Ugly against a World War II setting, albeit more fun, more faster paced.Typical guys movie with some solid performances, Clint Eastwood as laconic as ever, Don Rickles superb, Telly Savalas generating the right amount of nastiness and above all Donald Sutherland stealing the show as a Hipster ,tank commander appropriately called Oddball.

Released in 1970 and directed by Brian G. Hutton, "Kelly's Heroes" is a war dramedy starring Clint Eastwood as the title character who convinces Sgt. Big Joe (Telly Savalas) & his platoon and a free-spirited Sherman tank commander (Donald Sutherland) to spend their three-day leave on a gold heist at a French village. The events take place 12 weeks after the Normandy invasion."Kelly's Heroes" was obviously inspired by "What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?" from four years earlier. Carroll O'Connor even plays the same basic role, a general who mistakes the misdeeds of Allied soldiers as brave, selfless combat; and arrives on the scene to commend them. The picture miraculously combines zany comedy with serious war action and is highlighted by the fun, eccentric theme song "Burning Bridges" by The Mike Curb Congregation. Of course the all-star cast is great with Sutherland standing out as Oddball. People complain that Oddball was anachronistic since he was a late-60's hippie type, but his crew resembled Gypsies and, besides, there are laid-back free-spirited types in every generation.While the film is overall superior to "What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?" it's inferior in that it lacks a female cast member in the form of the jaw-dropping Giovanna Ralli. Actually, the film was slated to have a female role, but it was cut from the script prior to filming. The stunning Ingrid Pitt was cast, as she worked with Eastwood two years earlier in "Where Eagles Dare." Ingrid was virtually climbing on board the plane bound for the set in Yugoslavia when word came that her part was cut. The fools.The film is a little overlong at 144 minutes and should've been cut by about 15-20 minutes, but the compelling last hour makes up for the flabbiness. The movie was shot in the Istrian village of Vižinaa in Croatia (former Yugoslavia), substituting for France.GRADE: B+

When a German colonel is captured by Kelly, a US soldier, black bars are found in his bag; he claims they are just lead so he could sink the bag in a river but a few scratches reveal them to be gold. After questioning him Kelly learns there are fourteen thousand more bars in a bank in Clermont… Kelly decides there and then that he intends to get the gold. He will need help though as Clermont is thirty miles behind the German lines. The rest of his platoon are soon persuaded to join in; they are fed up of risking their lives for Uncle Sam; they want to do something for themselves for a change. They will need support though; this comes in the form of three Sherman tanks under the command of the distinctly odd 'Oddball'. It won't be easy; before they can get their hands on the gold they will have to pass through the front line, pass through thirty miles of enemy territory and finally deal with the German's in the town and their three Tiger tanks.This is a fun film; nicely combining a war movie with a heist movie to give us a really entertaining time. Clint Eastward puts in a solid performance as Kelly and Telly Savalas is equally good as his sergeant 'Big Joe' however it is Donald Sutherland's portrayal of Oddball that is the most memorable; he gives us a great character; a hippy long before there were hippies! The rest of the fairly large main cast are also pretty good. The film contains some great action which is bloodless so there are no disturbing images. That isn't to say that nobody dies; a few good guys and dozens of Germans are gunned down or blown up; the ratio may be more than a bit unlikely but this was never meant to be taken that seriously. As well as action there are plenty of laughs to be had along the way. If you are a fan of any of the main stars this is a must see and I'd certainly recommend it to anybody wanting a war movie that isn't too serious; the PG rating means it can be enjoyed by all apart from young children.