Hornets' Nest (1970)

User Rating:

5.4/10   

Directors:

Phil Karlson
Franco Cirino

Writers:

S.S. Schweitzer (story) &
Stanley Colbert (story) ...

Release Date:

9 September 1970 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Action | War

Tagline:

Meet Captain Turner's Baby Brigade! When they get hurt they cry! When they get mad they kill! Give them a ball, they'll make up a game! Give them a grenade, they'll blow up the world!

Plot:

A commando unit is dropped behind the German lines in Italy and its mission is to blow up a strategic dam...

Plot Keywords:

Dam | Italy | Child Soldier | Gagged And Bound | WWII

Cast

Rock Hudson	...	Turner
Sylva Koscina	...	Bianca
Sergio Fantoni	...	Von Hecht
Giacomo Rossi-Stuart	...	Schwalberg
Jacques Sernas	...	Maj. Taussig
Mark Colleano	...	Aldo
Mauro Gravina	...	Carlo
John Fordyce	...	Dino
Giuseppe Cassuto	...	Franco
Amedeo Castracane	...	Tonio
Giancarlo Colombaioni	...	Romeo
Ronald Colombaioni	...	Mikko
Valerio Colombaioni	...	Arturo
Giuseppe Coppola	...	Rico
Luigi Criscuolo	...	Paolo

Also Known As:

I lupi attaccano in branco (Italy)
Il vespaio

Runtime:

Netherlands:110 min | USA:110 min

Country:

Italy | USA

Language:

English | German | Italian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:(Banned) (1970) | Norway:16 | USA:M (original rating) | USA:PG

Company:

Produzioni Associate Delphos

Trivia:

'Sylvia Koscina' replaced Sophia Loren.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Although the story takes place in 1944, all the hair styles are strictly in the 1970 mode. Hudson's fashionably long hair is strictly unmilitary, and he even sports 1970 sideburns and a handlebar moustache; Koscina's big hair is a 1970s trademark; even the kids look like refugees from the streets of the era in which the film was made, not at all like World War II orphans.

Quotes:

Bianca the Italian Surgeon: I'm a doctor, not a soldier.
Captain Turner: You're tied in with us now, until it's over.

" If you believe getting revenge will bring them back, go ahead and shoot "

It has been argued the Germans during World War Two made a number of mistakes with the various countries they conquered. In some cases, those mistakes were colossal. Take this film for instance. It's called " Hornets Nest " and takes place in 1944, near Reanoto, Italy. The small village is suspected of aiding the Partisans. These guerrilla, groups have become so annoying to the Germans, the local military Italian governor is replaced by a brutal SS Officer. Upon reaching the town, he rounds up the villagers and order them to reveal the Partisans upon pain of death. Bad mistake, but one which the Germans inflict with Nazi efficiency. Their children, learn the US military is sending a team of Commandos to destroy the dam near the town. The SS discover the drop zone and massacre all the airborne troops except one. The single survivor called Turner (Rock Hudson) awakens from his wounds and discovers he owes his life to a group of Teenage boys. Informed the SS is searching for him, Turner also learns an experience German Officer name Von Hecht (Sergio Fantoni) is also closing in on his whereabouts. Realizing, he has little choice, Turner decides to use his hate-filled and revenge seeking youths to continue his mission to destroy the dam. Accompanying him is a kidnapped female doctor (Sylva Koscina) who reluctantly joins the group. The movie itself is interesting in that instead of battle hard soldiers, Hudson has to first teach the kids to kill and then later must reverse his lessons. To the credit of the young cast, the teens lead by vengeance seeking Aldo (Mark Colleano) do a remarkable job of acting. From deep sorrow to hate spewing machine-gun scenes, they add to the over the top drama. In all, this action film does an honest job of creating a military Classic. However, much as I enjoy Hudson the actor, I can't help feel Charles Bronson or Burt Lancaster would have been a better choice as Husdon is not convincing as a rapist of women or abuser of children. ****