The Devil's Brigade (1968)

Allegedly based on a true story, this is a moderately entertaining war film that would be twice as exciting at half the length. In fact, the real-life characters presented here are actually rather superficial and unappealing. They never arouse much audience interest because many of the characters exist as mere ciphers. Despite its present length, the film bears evidence of cutting. Possibly the rejected footage filled out and rounded the characters, so that they had some semblance of reality. But this material has presumably been jettisoned in favor of three big action sequences, namely the fight with the lumberjacks, the round-up of German prisoners, and the final climactic battle. These are extremely well staged although many viewers will find the battle scenes too realistically gory. Earlier on, however, there is an amusing sequence when the hand-to-hand combat instructor arrives at camp. Nevertheless, by and large, the screenplay loses most of its opportunities for dramatic suspense. Why not allow at least one of the trainees to escape from the camp? Loose direction doesn't help either and some of the special effects are faulty. Within the limitations of the screenplay, the performances are good, particularly Holden and Akins. Patric Knowles, superbly made up, is fleetingly glimpsed as Lord Mountbatten. Michael Rennie, Dana Andrews and James Craig are understandably perfunctory in two-second bits. Harry Carey Jr, who seems to turn up in many McLaglen films, has nothing to do but march around in the background of two or three shots. In fact the main trouble is that just none of the characters are developed. In common with most of the other credits, Clothier's color and 'Scope photography is competent but undistinguished.

This is a rugged WWII actioner concerning an unexperienced Lt Colonel (William Holden) , he's assigned by Lord Mountbatten (Patrick Knowles) to train a group of American misfits and Canadian soldiers . The Americans are an oddball/rag-tag/motley gang (a largely cast formed by Claude Akins , Luke Askew, Andrew Prine , Tom Stern, Richard Dawson..) , under command a Major (Vince Edwards) . While the Canadians who appear in a spectacular parade under Scottish bagpipes music , are disciplined and commanded by a Major (Clift Robertson) and a corporal (Jack Watson), but a new sergeant (Jeremy Slate) has joined the ranks of the brigade for training in combat . The commando is denominated the Devil's Brigade (and actually existed) . The team is trained in Fort William , a barren place to take on the Nazis in Scandinavia . But the mission in Norway is suspended , as they are sent on yet another new mission by the staff command (Generals : Dana Andrews , Michel Rennie , Carrol O'Connor) . Later its cancellation they must participate in two suicidal missions , the first to wipe an Italian little town and after an assault over a strong position located on the Alps . The "Black Devils" was the nickname of the 1st Special Service Force, The Devil's Brigade (also called The Black Devil's and The Black Devils Brigade), a joint American-Canadian commando unit organized in 1942 . This flag-waving film packs frantic thrills , perilous adventures, humor , relentless feats and buck-loads of explosive action and violence . The noisy action is uniformly well-made , especially deserving of mention the rip-roaring final scenes on the impregnable mountain . Serious and rough William Holden is good as leader of the motley pack together thwart the the Nazi schemes , as well as the largely secondary cast with special mention to Claude Akins and Jack Watson who finish developing a sincere friendship . Atmospheric and martial musical score by Alex North (Spartacus) and appropriate cinematography by William H Clothier (John Ford's usual cameraman) . This is is a wartime typical vehicle and a stand-out into the warlike commando genre , which also belongs : 'Dirty dozen' (Robert Aldrich) , 'Where eagles dare' (Brian G. Hutton) and 'Kelly's heroes' (Hutton). The motion picture was well realized by Andrew V McLagen , son of Victor McLagen . He's a warlike expert , such as proved in several films (Return to Kwai , Wild Geese , Dirtdozen: the next mission , Sea wolves , Breakthrough).

WWII story has William Holden looking distressed at playing an American Lieutenant Coloniel, assigned to the heady task of whipping a large group of delinquent G.I.s into shape within four months for possible battle in Norway; complicating matters on the training base is the inclusion of a Canadian military unit who must share the field--and the barracks--with the obnoxious Yanks. Robert H. Adleman's book must have seemed like surefire screen material in 1968, but today it merely looks like a second-rate imitation of any number of "Dirty Dozen" war entries. All the usual clichés are firmly in place, from the rowdy bar brawl to the male ego-bruising to the eventual bonding amongst the men (which happens at exactly the 60-minute mark, commencing with the graduation ceremonies). A not-bad supporting cast (including Cliff Robertson, Vince Edwards, Carroll O'Connor, and an aged Michael Rennie and Dana Andrews) mostly takes a backseat to the soldiers-in-training, with Claude Akins' class-clown hogging a great deal of the spotlight. By-the-numbers film-making (not to mention storytelling) has a handful of rousing moments; yet, once the first-half is done, the rest of the picture is practically irrelevant. *1/2 from ****

I don't care about what other people think. Those who gave a bad review of this movie are just too shallow to understand the MEANING of this film. It may not have all the flashy gun-play of newer films...Its the 1960's! Kay? I liked how the Canadians were showing the yanks up all the time, but MY ABSOLUTE favorite scene is the bar scene when the Canucks and Yankees finally became brothers. I almost cried at how touching the union was.This is among my favorite war movies because it shows how much Canada and the US can kick some serious ass! Talk about the ultimate killing machine. I tip my hat to the Devils.