HELL IS FOR HEROES

US, 86 minutes, Black and White.
Steve Mc Queen, Bobby Darin, Fess Parker, Harry Guardino, James Coburn. Bob Newhart, Nick Adams.
Directed by Donald Siegel.

Hell is for Heroes is quite a good war film, very little different from the average, except that it is more compact and makes stock characters come fairly alive. The main section of the plot holds the interest as six soldiers deceive the Germans for a day into thinking they are present in greater strength. This gives a more intimate view of a small section of a campaign.

Steve Mc Queen was in process of creating his image; Bobby Darin shows a flair for acting. Direction is by Donald Siegel (The Killers, Madigan, Coogan's Bluff, Two Mules for Sister Sara, The Beguiled, Dirty Harry).

1. Was this just another war film or was it different? Why?

2. What aspects of fellowship did the film stress in its opening sequences? Did it establish the characters well and make them interesting persons?

3. Why was Reese's entry made more dramatic? Why was Reese special? Was he likeable? What kind of man was he - in his answers to others' questions. in the bar, to Pike? How much of this was a 'Steve Mc Queen image'?


4. Was Corby a stock figure? How much did this characterisation capitalise on Bobby Darin's personality and popularity? What kind of man was Cosby? Did you like him?

5. What kind of soldier was Larkin? Was he a good soldier? Why? Was he a likeable personality?

6. What was the significance of Homer?

7. The main point of the film was that the small group deceived the Germans and held them off for a time. How well was this done? How cleverly? Which tricks did you like best - the jeep sounding like a tank, the empty cans with gravel in them, the talking over the telephone, etc.? Why?

8. Was O'Driscoll just a comic figure? Why?

9. Was Reese correct in suggesting the bombing of the pillbox? why was Larkin in a dilemma? Did Henshaw act properly in assenting to the raid?

10. Why was Reese reprimanded by the officers for attempting to blow up the pillbox?

11. Did Reese redeem himself well? Was there too much action heroics in Reese's final gesture?

12. How did the crawl through the minefields and the final attack epitomise war? Glamorously? Heroically? Ugly? What was the point of the title of the film?