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Director: Alberto De Martino
Writers: Dino Verde (story), Vincenzo Flamini (story), 7 more credits
Stars: Frederick Stafford, Daniela Bianchi, John Ireland | See full cast and crew |
Cast (in credits order)
Frederick Stafford ...
Joe Mortimer, Sesame
Daniela Bianchi Daniela Bianchi ...
Kristina von Keist
John Ireland John Ireland ...
Capt. O'Connor
Curd Jürgens Curd Jürgens ...
Gen. Edwin von Keist
Michel Constantin Michel Constantin ...
Sgt Rudolph Petrowsky
Helmuth Schneider Helmuth Schneider ...
SS Gen. Hassler
Howard Ross Howard Ross ...
Randall
Fajda Nicol Fajda Nicol ...
Magda (as Faida Nichols)
Anthony Dawson Anthony Dawson ...
American Colonel (as Anthony M. Dawson)
Jacques Monod Jacques Monod ...
Partisan
Adolfo Celi Adolfo Celi ...
Luc Rollman
See full cast |
Produced by
Fida Cinematografica, Gloria, Les Productions Jacques Roitfeld See more |
Runtime:105 min
Sound Mix:Mono
Color:Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:2.35 : 1 |
| Genres: Drama | War |
Country: Italy | France | West Germany
Language: Italian
Release Date: 1967 (Italy)
Filming Locations: Netherlands |
| Music by Ennio Morricone and Bruno Nicolai |
| Also Known As (AKA) |
Dalle Ardenne all'inferno Italy (original title)
...und morgen fahrt ihr zur Holle Austria / West Germany
Dirty Heroes Philippines (English title) / USA
Ardenneilta helvettiin Finland
De la gloire à l'enfer France |
From Hell to Victory Philippines (English title)
Heroes Five Philippines (English title)
Kapste tis Ardennes Greece (transliterated ISO-LATIN-1 title)
La gloire des canailles France
Vromikoi iroes Greece (reissue title) |
Storyline |
| Plot Summary Holland. Spring 1945. Two armies face each other in the final confrontation of World War II. On the one hand are the powerful forces of the Allies, on the other, all that remains of the Third Reich. The scene is set for the Battle of the Ardennes. . (IMDB) |
User Reviews Possibly the best that I've watched of the "Euro-Cult" variations on Hollywood's war-themed spectaculars of the 1960s (ditto with respect to the films of director De Martino); that said, its overall quality is only comparable to second-tier legitimate efforts like, say, THE DEVIL'S BRIGADE (1968) or KELLY'S HEROES (1970)!
I've watched a few of these during the past year and they mostly emerged to be competent and enjoyable, but also instantly forgettable; being usually co-productions between various European countries, they still managed to attract a number of international stars. In this case, the hero is played by American Frederick Stafford (who later made BATTLE OF EL ALAMEIN [1969] and EAGLES OVER London [1969]). Interestingly, the film co-stars four James Bond alumni in leading lady Daniela Bianchi (FROM Russia, WITH LOVE [1963]), Curd Jurgens (THE SPY WHO LOVED ME [1977]), Adolfo Celi (THUNDERBALL [1965]) and Anthony Dawson (DR. NO [1962]); also on hand are Howard Ross, Michel Constantine, John Ireland and, most impressively perhaps, Helmuth Schneider as a nasty SS officer.
What's unusual about this particular title is that it throws in an elaborate diamond caper (with access to the vault gained from under water) amidst the usual Nazis-vs.-Partisans action. Of course, to complicate matters further is the budding romance between Stafford and Bianchi (she's a Jew married to high-ranking German officer Jurgens!) and, besides, virtually all those involved have their own agenda as to what to do with the loot! The action sequences are no less sweeping than those of the typical Hollywood outing, particularly during the (rather protracted) climax – this is then followed by a clumsy attempt to tie up its many loose ends, thus making the whole even more overlong! As a matter of fact, in hindsight it seems that the film doesn't know whether it wants to be a straightforward war actioner, a tongue-in-cheek caper adventure or something a lot more solemn altogether, but at least it does have its moments in each of these facets.
Incidentally, this was one of the few times where composers Ennio Morricone and Bruno Nicolai shared credit for a film score (which is alternately stirring and melancholy); usually, the latter either composed alone or conducted the former's themes. (IMDB) |
| En avril 1945, l'armée allemande résiste encore sur le front hollandais. Trois soldats américains s'évadent d'un stalag. Parmi eux se trouve Sesame, un redoutable perceur de coffres-forts. Aidé par un sergent allemand, Petrowski, le trio parvient а semer ses poursuivants. Walcott y perd la vie. Les trois rescapés aboutissent au quartier général de la résistance hollandaise. Le chef des partisans, Rollmann, leur confie une mission difficile : pénétrer dans les locaux de la Wehrmacht, а Amsterdam, et y dérober des documents secrets ainsi que l'énorme fortune en diamants que les Allemands ont confisqué aux diamantaires de la ville...（Here） |
| Set near the end of World War II in the Netherlands, Dirty Heroes concerns a group of ex-convicts recruited into the U.S. Army to recover Dutch jewels originally stolen by the Nazis as well as confiscated Allied plans. Ennio Morricone contributed the score music. （Here） |
| Set in Holland at the end of World War 2 a final confrontation is about to take place by whats left of the occupying German Army, and the combined forces of the Partisans and the Allied forces. Locked inside of the German command center is a fortune in diamonds taken from Holland. A plan is devised and executed to steal them, but once its done, everyone has their own idea on who gets them. （Here） |
| A blatant attempt to capitalize on the success of THE DIRTY DOZEN, this European co-production teams a bunch of ex-cons turned US soldiers and some Dutch partisans to recover a cache of stolen diamonds from German-occupied territory. The locations are nice to look at, and the Ennio Morricone score is passable, but Frederick Stafford, John Ireland, and Curt Jurgens are a far cry from the luminaries of THE DIRTY DOZEN. Originally released in 1967 at 120 minutes, DIRTY HEROES was chopped down to 105 minutes for its US theatrical release in 1971; some footage was apparently。restored for the videocassette, which runs 117 minutes. （Here） |
| Two escaped POWs team up with a Dutch loyalist to steal Allied plans and Dutch diamonds from Nazi headquarters. （Here） |
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