Too Late the Hero (1970)

Director:

Robert Aldrich

Writers:

Robert Aldrich (screenplay)
Robert Aldrich (story)

Release Date:

2 November 1970 (Denmark)

Genre:

Action | War | Drama

Tagline:

War. It's A Dying Business.

Plot:

A WWII film set on a Pacific island. Japanese and allied forces occupy different parts of the island...

Plot Keywords:

Jungle | Transmitter | Prisoners Of War | Bren Gun | Colour Sergeant

Cast

Michael Caine	...	Pvt. Tosh Hearne
Cliff Robertson	...	Lt. (j.g.) Sam Lawson
Ian Bannen	...	Pvt. Jock Thornton
Harry Andrews	...	Col. Thompson
Ronald Fraser	...	Pvt. Campbell
Denholm Elliott	...	Capt. Hornsby
Lance Percival	...	Cpl. McLean
Percy Herbert	...	Sgt. Johnstone
Patrick Jordan	...	Sergeant Major
Sam Kydd	...	Colour-Sergeant
William Beckley	...	Pvt. Currie
Martin Horsey	...	Pvt. Griffiths
Harvey Jason	...	Signalman Scott
Don Knight	...	Pvt. Connolly
Roger Newman	...	Pvt. Riddle

Also Known As:

Suicide Run (USA) (TV title)

Runtime:

Argentina:145 min | USA:133 min (video compilation) | USA:133 min (TCM Print)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (Westrex Recording System) (70 mm prints) | Mono (Westrex Recording System) (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Iceland:16 | West Germany:16 (f) | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Spain:18 | USA:GP (original rating) | USA:PG | Singapore:PG | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Boracay Islands, Malay, Aklan, Panay, Visayas, Philippines

Company:

ABC Pictures

Trivia:

At the time, the largest production to be filmed in the Philippines.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Lt. Lawson confers with Col. Thompson in the HQ, the Union Flag on the wall behind Col. Thompson is upside down. In another shot, it is up the right way. During the shoot at Cubi Point in he Philippines, someone stole the flag sometime during the night. They had to send to Hong Kong for another one and the new one was replaced the right way up.

Quotes:

Captain Hornsby: What an extraordinary fellow!
Colonel Thompson: Well, he is an American.

Movie Connections:

References The Killing of Sister George (1968)

WWII forerunner of Aliens!

"Too Late the Hero" is an excellent WWII piece whose plot served as the basis for "Aliens" and "Southern Comfort" and is just as good as those other excellent movies: reluctant hero Cliff Robertson joins a motley group of soldiers (here British troops, including loud-mouthed Michael Caine and mad Ian Bannen) led by an incompetent officer, Denholm Elliot, and an experienced sergeant, Percy Herbert, who dies early on. Soon they are being stalked by a very ruthless enemy (Japanese troops led by Ken Takakura, whose role is, refreshingly, not a stereotype - coming across as a rather efficient officer) and shifty Ronald Fraser attempts to save his skin at the expense of the others. As this is Robert Aldrich there is a lot of brutal action, the characters have very few redeeming features but are excellently portrayed by Robertson and the excellent selection of British character actors, and are very anti-military! The climactic scene where the survivors race across open ground under fire from the Japanese is one of the best climaxes ever!