The Dirty Dozen – 1967 – A CLASSIC!

Director: Robert Aldrich 

Cast: Lee Marvin. Charles Bronson. John Cassavetes. Telly Savalas. Jim Brown. Ernest Borgnine. Robert Ryan. Donald Sutherland. Richard Jaeckel. etc

In England, Major John Reisman (Lee Marvin) watches the hanging of a soldier in a military prison and is immediately asked to report to General Worden (Ernst Borgnine), who then gives him an impossible task – train twelve prisoners on death row to carry out an impossible mission. If the prisoners distinguish themselves, then their sentences will be commuted. Worden is clear that it’s either that or being demoted or court-martialled for his past infractions. 

The twelve men have no incentive to obey Reisman, but he quickly shows who the top dog is. He also clarifies that they are responsible for their good health. If anyone violates it, it is back to the stockade, and their sentences will be carried out. The Dozen build their own barracks, complete with guard towers.

Franco (John Cassavetes), the most troublesome member of the Dozen, tries to break out but is prevented by Wladislaw (Charles Bronson) and Jefferson (Jim Brown) as the collective punishment would be sent back. They want to take this second chance.

Of the lot, Reisman soon finds out that Wladislaw is the most competent as he has seen action. The training is relentless, and the Dozen decide to stay together. They are concerned that Maggot (Telly Savalas), the religious nut among them, could be a liability. For the time being, Maggot behaves. Colonel Reed (Robert Ryan) and Reisman have a long history of feuding.

To Worden’s delight, Reisman challenges Reed that his “dirty dozen” will capture Reed’s HQ in an upcoming exercise. They successfully do so and are soon tasked with the mission

– to blow up a chateau full of “German officers, with female company”. They parachute in, and the mission is on …

One dictionary definition of Classic is “judged over a period of time to be of the highest quality and outstanding of its kind“. Another one is “Very typical of its kind“. If we look at these definitions, then The Dirty Dozen stands up even today as a war film, a moralistic film and most remarkably, as a parable. It is clear, that there was an “anti-establishment” streak throughout the movie though it was all about an operation in the “good war”, namely WW2. Reisman himself is a rule breaker and clear that he is no lover of the Army establishment.

Right, in the beginning, Worden yells at him that “this war wasn’t started for your personal gratification”. From that one line it is clear that he has bent or broken many rules. So have the “prisoners. The Dozen may be “outsiders’ in the overall scheme of things but are anti-rules, anti-authority which is what has landed them in jail. This unwritten subtext contributes to the general feeling of anti-authority in Hollywood films, that were popular in the mid to late 1960s.

From that angle, The Dirty Dozen is clever. On the surface, it’s a classic war film about a WW2 operation, but underneath, it’s very anti-authority.  

As to the story, was it ever real? It was Writer EM Nathanson’s first book. He later mentioned that he had searched widely for a supposed account of the Dirty Thirteen but could never find any corroboration. However, there was a “Filthy Thirteen” who didn’t bathe or shave but were disciplined soldiers, given to hell-raising occasionally. Check out this link:

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/apr/12/real-life-inspiration-for-dirty-dozen-dies/

This seems closest to the film’s story. 

It’s Lee Marvin all the way. After years of playing bad guys, the heavy of the key villain, two 1967 releases, Point Blank and The Dirty Dozen, catapulted the gravel-voiced silver-haired Marvin to Hollywood’s top bracket. This is a superb piece of casting (and writing) as Marvin dominates each and every frame of the film, as Reisman is supposed to over the inmates. Everyone else is in great form, however small or big the role. 

American critics deemed it too violent (for its time) but Europeans saw things differently. While it was a hit in America as a “pure war movie’, Europeans saw the film as a parable for America’s escalating involvement in the Vietnam War. So what was supposedly a pro-war movie was liked in Europe for its “anti-Vietnam war’ message. Especially the last brutal sequence where Reisman and everyone pour gasoline down the ventilation shafts of the underground bunkers where hundreds of senior German officers and their female companions are trapped. The message is clear! Americans don’t give a damn about differentiating between civilians and the military as they were doing in Vietnam.

Even today, the film holds up well. As a pure war film. As a subtle anti-establishment film. Last but not least – just a great story with excellent performances from all the actors. 

The entire film is on YouTube https://bit.ly/40XPNGG

Avoid all the sequels which are plain terrible.

Trivia:

1. Over 70 soldiers were executed for military infractions in Europe.
2. The film was shot completely in England. The “chateau” was so well built that in the final shot when it was supposed to be demolished by Reisman and his team, the explosives were insufficient and the structure remained standing after the climatic explosions.

Real History – 4 out of 5

Equipment and Kit – 5 out of 5

Locations or substitutes – 5 out of 5

Script – 4 out of 5

Overall Rating – 4.5 out of 5