Die ins Gras beißen

WWII drama film dealing with a frontline American infantry squad as they battled their way across Europe . This movie's opening prologue is represented by segments of a speech by President John F. Kennedy . A single maneuver by a squad of GIs in retaliation against the force of the German Siegfried line. While most of the men withdraw from their positions taking on a German pillbox at the far side of a mine-field, half a dozen men are left to protect a wide front. By various ruses, they manage to convince the Germans that a large force is still holding the position by pretending they are more powerful and larger that they really are . As the small squadron is forced to hold off a German attack suffering several dangers , risks and deaths . Reese joins a group of weary GIs unexpectedly ordered back into the line Siegfried and when the main platoon returns, he is threatened with court-martial .

World War II film where the drama centers around the diverse characters and on the attack about a well-defensed pillbox . With mud-splattered realism, the show offered character studies of men striving to maintain their own humanity , and heroism in the midst of a world torn by war . Impressive as well as surprising climax final , plenty of action and intensity . Very good acting by Steve McQueen as a degraded soldier who leads two of the men in an unauthorized and unsuccessful attack . Steve McQueen did not socialize with the rest of cast because his character was anti-social and alienated himself from the rest of the squad . In fact , a columnist visiting the set commented on Steve McQueen's irascible temperament by noting that McQueen seemed to be his own worst enemy. Furthermore , Steve McQueen and Bobby Darin did not get along during filming . Support cast is frankly excellent such as Fess Parker as Sgt. Pike , Harry Guardino as Sgt. Larkin , James Coburn as Cpl. Henshaw , Nick Adams as Homer Janeczek , Mike Kellin as Pvt. Kolinsky and a young Bob Newhart's feature-film debut as Pvt. Driscoll who even interpolates a variation on one of his phone monologues into the tale . Director Don Siegel did not want to shoot the scene where Bob Newhart's character has a fake telephone conversation with "headquarters" to fool the Germans listening through a microphone planted in the US bunker, believing that it had no place in the story , he was overruled by the studio, however .

Screenwriter Robert Pirosh was originally set to direct the film but after repeated clashes with star Steve McQueen he was replaced with Don Siegel ; Pirosh's script featured many blackly comedic scenes but most of them were not filmed, as Siegel wanted to make the film more dramatic. Robert Pirosh was a Master Sergeant during World War II, serving with the 320th Regiment, 35th Division. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge, at Ardennes and in the Rhineland. He commanded a unit in Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge was awarded a Bronze Star. Pirosh directed a classic war film titled ¨Go for broke¨and wrote ¨Battleground¨ , ¨A Gathering of Eagles¨ and ¨Combat¨TV series . The motion picture was well directed by Donald Siegel . His first feature as a director was 1946's The Verdict (1946). He made his reputation in the early and mid-'50s with a series of tightly made, expertly crafted, tough but intelligent "B" pictures , among them : The Lineup (1958), Riot in Cell Block 11 (1954), Invasion of the body snatchers (1956)), then graduated to major "A" films in the 1960s and early 1970s. He made several "side trips" to television, mostly as a producer . Siegel directed what is generally considered to be Elvis Presley's best picture, Flamingo Star (1960). All of Eastwood's later Western and his ¨Dirty Harry¨ movies owe a considerable debt to Sergio Leone and Donald Siegel . As Donald directed Eastwood in various films , such as : Coogan's bluff , The beguiled , Dirty Harry , Escape from Alcatraz. He had a long professional relationship and personal friendship with Clint Eastwood . This Hard Hitting WWII Action Film has a high rating : Above average , well worth watching.

A must must-see for Steve McQueen fans. Understrength American platoon tries to hold the line against entrenched Germans in 1944 France. Hard-working cast rises above shoe-string production values. Then-present and future stars include Harry Guardino, James Coburn and personal favorite Nick Adams. Despite lack of glitzy special effects, this has the best "feel" of any war film I've ever seen. McQueen shines as Private Reese, an efficient killer sabotaged only by his own unwillingness to follow orders. Subdued Parker plays very effectively against McQueen's intensity, and Newhart adds some humor to grim story line. Highly recommended.

Very underrated film, excellent action, realistic, with frantic battles and lulls where we get to see the various personalities of the excellent cast. McQueen is a hard nosed bitter Sarge - tough, would kill you as soon as look at you. Great comic touches too, a fine Siegel film. War drama at its best.

Black and white film is most effective. Like the film Battleground only not in the winter. There is good dialogue with the GI's - Bob Newhart is real funny.

Very violent, with nice action sequences - almost too intense. Do not see an edited version. See the real thing.

This n The Blob were among the first few films of McQueen which i saw during school days n i became a fan of him.

I saw his The Magnificent Seven n others after these two movies.

Revisited it recently on a dvd which I own.

The future king of cool played an angry, morose, detached loner in this flick.

The movie has Bob Newhart in his very first movie role.

Its a very good World War film, not quite in the league of Platoon, Apocalypse Now or Thin Red Line.

But fans of the genre, the director and/or McQueen should definitely check this one out.

I am fascinated by World War II, but i think a lot of 1950s and 60s WWII movies are too cheesy to be believed except a few n Hell is for Heroes is a solid one.

A wounded Reese (McQueen) blowing up enemies' fortification n its occupants and himself is riveting.

This climactic scene is shamelessly copied by a Bollywood war movie Border 1998, during the climax the character of Akshay Khanna copies McQueen's way of blowing up himself n the enemies.

In 1944, in France, Pvt. John Reese (Steve McQueen) is assigned for a platoon close to the front. He is a very experienced, but also rebel and neurotic soldier, who lost his ranked position due to his behavior, questioning orders and authority. His platoon joins other army companies in the front, and they are left in only six men to hold up their position against a great quantity of Germans soldiers for a couple of days. They use their experience and many tricks to cheat the enemy, pretending they are in a larger number. This black and white movie of war is a very tense, claustrophobic and full of action. Steve McQueen has an excellent performance, as usual, as well as the rest of the cast and direction. This film is highly indicated for fans of action movie of war. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): `O Inferno é Para Heróis' (`The Hell is for Heroes')