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The Dirty Dozen Details

1967 Certificate 15
  • Rated:
  • 70
  • from 4888 members

An all-star cast energizes Robert Aldrich's classic World War II action drama about a group of 12 American military prisoners assembled by tacticians and ordered to perform a suicide mission: infiltrate a well-guarded chateau and kill the Nazi officials staying there. The incarcerated soldiers, most of whom are facing death .. Read more

Starring Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine, Charles Bronson, Jim Brown
Director Robert Aldrich
Genres Action/Adventure, Drama

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The Dirty Dozen

An all-star cast energizes Robert Aldrich's classic World War II action drama about a group of 12 American military prisoners assembled by tacticians and ordered to perform a suicide mission: infiltrate a well-guarded chateau and kill the Nazi officials staying there. The incarcerated soldiers, most of whom are facing death sentences for a variety of violent crimes, jump at the chance to redeem themselves. Major Reisman (Lee Marvin), the noncriminal in charge of the group, whips the men into a crack unit, uses them to best the troops of his by-the-book superior officer, Colonel Breed (Robert Ryan), in war games, then leads the steely antiheroes on their perilous assault.
The film is studded with standout performances, including Telly Savalas as a religious psychopath with a febrile animosity toward Germans and John Cassavetes in an Oscar-nominated portrayal as an insubordinate, poison-tongued hothead. Ernest Borgnine, Donald Sutherland, Charles Bronson, and football legend Jim Brown further round out the impressive collection of talent. Aldrich, who by the time of THE DIRTY DOZEN had been fathoming the darker side of life onscreen for more than a decade (KISS ME DEADLY, WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE

Starring Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine, Charles Bronson, Jim Brown, John Cassavetes, Richard Jaeckel, Ralph Meeker, Robert Ryan
Director Robert Aldrich
Studio WARNER HOME VIDEO
Run time DVD: 2 hrs 23 mins
Certificate Certificate 15
Genres Action/Adventure, Drama
Language DVD: English
Released DVD: 21 Feb 2005
Production year: 1967
Format DVD

  • Critics' reviews (3) of The Dirty Dozen

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  • 2 stars out of 5

    It was unwise to attempt to recapture the glory of Robert Aldrich's cynical 1967 Second World War action hit, even though a few of the original cast did manage to show up. Lee Marvin is once again the hard-as-nails officer offering convicts the chance of an early parole and a likely early grave on a suicide mission behind enemy lines, in this case to assassinate a Nazi general. Ernest Borgnine and Richard Jaeckel also survive from the earlier film, but the presence of Larry Wilcox, of CHiPS fame, is an indication of the drab, TV feel of the movie.

    • Radio Times
    • Posted 29 Jan 2006
  • 2 stars out of 4

    Professional, commercial but unlikeable slice of wartime thick ear; pretensions about capital punishment are jettisoned early on in favour of frequent and violent bloodshed. Much imitated, e.g. by The Devil's Brigade, A Reason to Live, a Reason to Die<

    • Halliwell's Film Guide
    • Posted 02 Mar 2006

  • Most helpful member's review of The Dirty Dozen

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  • 3 out of 3 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars

    WATCH IT OR MISS OUT

    12 prisoners (hence the title) are recruited for a not much hope of coming back from this one mission in world war 2. Lee Marvin plays the tough military officer who gets to pick, train and then lead an all star cast into action. This is probably one of Marvins best ever performances. A good all round family film with a few good chuckles thrown in for good luck.

      • Steve from West Yorkshire
      • Posted 07 Jul 2004 16:14

  • Most recent members' review of The Dirty Dozen

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  • Rated - 5 stars

    One of the best

    A great 'oldie', well for me anyway. Good solid performances from a star studded cast.

      • Andrew Macfarlane from Penicuik, Scotland
      • Posted 19 Sep 2007 08:52

  • News and features

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    Swept Away

    Guy Ritchie 'to remake Dirty Dozen'

    • 19 Sep 2007

    Director and husband of pop veteran Madonna Guy Ritchie is reportedly working on a remake of classic film The Dirty Dozen. According to the Guardian, Snatch director Ritchie is to have a go at remaking the World War Two action movie. The original 1967 film was based on a novel by EM Nathanson and starred Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine, Telly Savalas, Charles Bronson and Jim Brown. While the Guardian does not provide details on which actors are starring in the remake it quips "if the rumours... Read more

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Rating breakdown

4,888 Member ratings
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556
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566
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1,205
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1,028
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825
  • 50
361
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154
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91
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68
  • 10
34

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      • An all-star cast energizes Robert Aldrich's classic World War II action drama about a group of 12 American military prisoners assembled by tacticians and ordered to perform a suicide mission: ...