esrosedotblog

TODAY'S MOVIE

THE DIRTY DOZEN (1967): NYTimes1176BestFilms; action film just incidentally set in WWII so we could feel OK about who gets wiped out (those of us old enough to remember the Nazis and all). It is mostly an ensemble buddy movie featuring many of the young new male actors of the time and a couple of old ones to put things into perspective. Look at the cast and run them through the IMDb mill—link above.

I suppose that it is not PC to enjoy a film like this when we are in the middle of a nasty war, but a lot of it is exciting and funny and I enjoy non-war action yarns. All we need is a credible villain. The ramp up to the actual mission is the best part of the film, anyway; outsiders kicking the ass of the establishment.

In 1967 it did not make a hit universally. In fact the NY Times critic was not amused at all. Bosley Crowther called it a "an astonishingly wanton war film" and savages it. You should read the review. He is probably right and we are desensitized to it all. I suspect that if written today, with 21st Century sensibilities, the whole enterprise would seem a bit tame. Like I said, take a look at his review and see how it reads to you.

I don't know. I don't feel unclean at having seen it (again). It is a bit too long at 150 minutes. Telly Savales could be cut entirely. And so on. It was just fun, sort of. I give it a 3 out of Netflix5.