Kelly's Heroes

Kelly's Heroes, USA 1970

Donald Sutherland and Clint Eastwood

Kelly's Heroes is the story of a group of US soldiers during World War II, who sneak behind enemy lines to steal $16 million in gold that the Germans have hidden in a french bank. It is a lot of fun to watch with plenty of action and funny moments too. Don Rickles acts as the comic relief to to the seriousness of Clint Eastwood and Telly Savalas. Carol O'conner as the over the top hard charging General is also good for some laughs. But the funniest character is Donald Sutherland. He plays Oddball, the hippie tank commander who on spends the film spouting 60's era cultural references such as when he scolds his second in command Moriarty for sending out "negative waves". Why we are expected to accept a hippie as a tank commander in the 1940's, I don't know. The producers must have wanted a character that appealed to the youth of the day.

I would like to point out that my Dad first showed me this movie when I was little, maybe 7 or 8 years old.  He had such a great influence on the movies that I watched back then.  He liked the same kinds of films that I do now, and I have to think that If he hadn't forced me to watch older movies like this one that I might never have learned to love film the way that I do.  I am forever in his debt.  

Fun Fact: Len Lesser, the actor who played Jerry's Uncle Leo in Seinfeld, has a small role in this film.

 

Len Lesser