This Don Siegel directed film is a very simple war film--similar to Sam Fuller's STEEL HELMET. Both films involve a very small group of American soldiers who are holding out against a larger enemy force and as a result, it's a very tense and claustrophobic film. Unlike STEEL HELMET, this is set in WWII and has a lot of stars and soon-to-be stars, such as Steve McQueen, James Coburn, Bobby Darin, Bob Newhart and Harry Guardino--though at the time, none of them were "big" stars.

A group of only six guys are given the task of filling in where a hundred soldiers had been the day before. The problem is that the Germans are just across the battlefield and the Americans have to try and convince the enemy that there are a lot more than just the six guys. So, they use a variety of ruses to try to keep the Germans at bay--ultimately culminating in an insane attack against a heavily defended pillbox. When this fails, the rather surly and antisocial McQueen decides to try it again....and practically alone.

Overall, it's an incredibly tense film and one with a lot of realism--perhaps too much for some (my wife got pretty upset during one of the bloodier scenes). The acting and direction are very good--in particular, Steve McQueen did an excellent job following the first abortive attack--showing a lot of the effects of exhaustion and fear. However, the whole "court martial" scene following this was a bit silly--it seemed excessive and hard to believe for the Commanding Officer to respond to this brave action this way--or at least it seemed this way to me. Also, the film, towards the end tended to use too much stock footage--a bit of a minus in an otherwise good film. But at least it did end on a very tough and tense note--a definite plus.

One of Steve McQueen's better roles is one that is modeled on one that James Cagney played in The Fighting 69th. If you'll remember Cagney was a wise guy who lost his nerve on the battlefield and was sentenced to be shot, but redeemed himself in a heroic climax.

Now McQueen wasn't a coward and he didn't have a priest like Pat O'Brien to have faith in him. But he was a reckless sort and convinced of his own righteousness. It negated his acts of bravery and when the film opens we find him down to being a private and under the command of a sergeant played by Fess Parker who likes him, but understands him all too well.

And Parker's platoon has a really rotten assignment. Hold their position on the Siegfried Line with a handful of men until help arrives and maybe convince the Germans there's a lot more out there than there really are.

McQueen in his usual rebel way goes his own way. It costs the lives of a lot in his squad. Still he does redeem himself like Cagney in the end. This is maybe the only film in which McQueen's rebel persona worked against his character. Still it's an interesting and moving performance he gives.

Look also for good performances from the rest of the cast that includes Harry Guardino, Bobby Darin, Nick Adams, Mike Kellin, and Bob Newhart as other soldiers on the dirty detail.

The film credits say 'introducing Bob Newhart' and he provides what little comedy there is. After the Parker platoon gets the assignment to hold on their assigned piece of real estate, Newhart comes driving up in a jeep loaded with typewriters. He's a clerk/typist at division headquarters and it seems as though he made a wrong turn. Never mind because Guardino and Parker commandeer him and his jeep.

Which sets up one of his routines from his early standup act. Newhart used to work with a telephone and he's asked to do so here for the benefit of a German microphone planted on the American line. It actually works very well into the fabric of the plot.

Hell is for Heroes is one tough and gritty war drama, the kind of film that a generation later, Steven Spielberg would get all kinds of acclaim for Saving Private Ryan. For war picture fans, this is a must.

HELL IS FOR HEROES is the second of two war movies that Steve McQueen made in 1962, the other being THE WAR LOVER, in which he played basically the same character: bright, taciturn, impetuous with a James Dean-style streak of rebellion. This one's a black-and-white effort by the great Don Siegel which follows the usual '50s template of joining a platoon of American soldiers as they battle against overwhelming odds in occupied territory. The budget effectively brings the chaos of battle to life, although like many this is essentially a character drama spearheaded by McQueen's larger-than-life performance. Good support comes from familiar faces including James Coburn and Bobby Darin, and it finishes on a dramatic high.