Dalle Ardenne all'inferno (1967)

Director:

Alberto De Martino

Writers:

Dino Verde (story) &
Vincenzo Flamini (story) ...

Release Date:

1967 (Italy)

Genre:

Drama | War

Tagline:

Looting or Loving...They Play it Dirty!!

Plot:

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...

Plot Keywords:

German Army | Nazi | 1940s | Military Headquarters | Occupation

Cast

Frederick Stafford	...	Joe Mortimer, Sesame
Daniela Bianchi	...	Kristina von Keist
John Ireland	...	Captain O'Connor
Curd Jürgens	...	General Edwin von Keist
Michel Constantin	...	Sgt Rudolph Petrowsky
Helmuth Schneider	...	SS-General Hassler
Howard Ross	...	Randall
Fajda Nicol	...	Magda (as Faida Nichols)
Anthony Dawson	...	American Colonel (as Anthony M. Dawson)
Jacques Monod	...	Partisan
Adolfo Celi	...	Luc Rollman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Bartha	...	Hassler's Subordinate
Valentino Macchi

Also Known As:

Dirty Heroes (Philippines: English title) (USA)
...und morgen fahrt ihr zur Hölle (West Germany)
De la gloire à l'enfer (France)
From Hell to Victory (Philippines: English title)
Heroes Five (Philippines: English title)
La gloire des canailles (France)

Runtime:

105 min | France:101 min

Country:

Italy | France | West Germany

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | Norway:16 | West Germany:16 (nf) | Finland:K-16 | USA:G

Company:

Fida Cinematografica

Trivia:

First "macaroni combat" movie (Italian WW2 flicks), in the wake of The Dirty Dozen (1967)'s success, done in Italy. La battaglia di El Alamein (1969), and La battaglia d'Inghilterra (1969) ("multo superiore" by Castlelari) followed, also with 'Frederick Stafford'.

THE DIRTY HEROES (Alberto De Martino, 1967) **1/2

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.