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Actors: Lee Marvin, Charles Bronson, Telly Savalas, et al.
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| Review Summary and Plot Commentary about The Dirty Dozen |
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A misfit Army Major, John, is saddled with the task of taking twelve soldiers convicted of murder, training them and turning them into 'real' soldiers. Against all odds he succeeds as the twelve men band together to become one unit. They stop shaving and showering and are dubbed 'the dirty dozen'.
The dirty dozen are charged with the mission of parachuting behind enemy lines and carrying out an assault on a chateau and killing all of the high ranking German officers housed there. John and one of his men, Joe, infiltrate the chateau and allow access to a couple of the other men. One of which, Archer, snaps killing a woman and opening fire on his own men.
When the shooting starts the German intel officers is able to call for help before Joe kills him and another man takes out the radio tower.
The German officers and their wives retreat to the cellar where John and Joe lock them in the ammunition storage room.
Once back outside, John and his men kill the guards and pour grenades and gas down the air vents into the cellar. One last grenade is dropped in each vent to ignite the whole works and kill the Germans.
A platoon of German troops arrives to help, but the Americans are able to fight their way through.
When it's all said and done John, Joe and one other man are all that's left of the dirty dozen.
--Brandon Swenson, Resident Scholar
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This movie is an absolute classic World War Two film starring some big name, powerhouse actors. From start to finish this film will enrapture your psyche with brilliant characters, a progressive climax-driven plot, and a screenplay that is to be absolutely treasured as a work of art. This is one of those rare moments when everything clicks with atomic precision.
Lee Marvin as Major Reisman has the "duty" to shape up a skeleton crew of military misfit criminals in to a congealed suicide strike force. Upon first examination the group displays utter contempt and absolute dissent towards Reisman. They start to think as comrades, and after some trying lessons, form up as a formidable unit indeed. They are shown as a proven force doing mock-battle with Reisman's nemesis Colenel Breed in a unit exercise. The going away party subsequently resumes with light hearts, except for Maggot, and pox ridden whores. The next day the "troops" are transported to the killing grounds where reality is finally set in by numerous deaths of characters. The chateau is the scene for the final clash where we see plots-within-plots develop between members of the "dozen." The ending is a segue in to a sequel, but don't let that detur the reader from an open-minded viewing of my favorite war movie. Enjoy!
--christian peters, Resident Scholar
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Lee Marvin plays a major recruited to lead a top secret WWII mission with twelve hard-edge criminals assigned to kill as many Nazi officers as possible. With some of the biggest name stars of the day, this war film is carried by a talented cast, riveting story, and fight for freedom-- not only for the world, but for their own, if they survive.
--Angela Allan, Resident Scholar
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World War 2 movie about a group of condemned criminals are given one last chance at a pardon, provided they agree to go on a suicide mission.
--A. Pearson, Resident Scholar
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What World War II movie conversation would be complete without the inclusion of “The
Dirty Dozen,” certainly a landmark in this genre! Lee Marvin has scored other movie leads
but his role as Army Major John Reisman, whose sole responsibility is to take 12 truly
incorrigibles (they are all condemned criminals in a military prison) on a mission to
destroy Nazi fortifications. It takes a while, but Marvin turns this unsavory crew into a
functioning, fighting machine. It is action and suspense on a large scale. Directed by
Robert Aldrich, this is a classic!
--Bill Hobbs, Resident Scholar
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| Analysis of The Dirty Dozen |
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Time/Era of Movie:
- 1930's-1950's
War Thriller
Yes
Armed Forces:
- Special Forces
Specific to
- WW II
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- infantry soldier
- senior military
Age:
- 40's-50's
Hair color?
- brunette (Brown)
- white
Hair style
- short/standard straight (man)
Body type
- average (man)
Events of movie makes character more...
- irritated
- tougher
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Sense of humor
- Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
- average physique
Secondary Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Hair color
- brunette (Brown)
Hair style
- (man) short/standard straight
Body type
- average build (man)
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
Main Adversary
Identity:
- enemy army
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- 40%
Ethnicity/Nationality
- German
Physique
- average physique
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Setting
Europe
Yes
European country:
- Germany
- England/UK
- France
Misc setting
- fort/military installation
- castle
Style
Accounts of torture and death?
- gory visuals of deaths
Movie makes you feel...
- all mixed up
How many deaths in film?
- dozens
How much use of techno gadgets?
- 1 (None)
Kind of violence:
- land battles
- mission to destroy something
- mental battles
- hand to hand
- guns
- knives
Unusual forms of death
- flamed
- perforation--bullets
Any profanity?
- Occasional swearing
Lot of special effects?
Yes
Kinds of F/X
- exploding vehicles
- exploding bombs
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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