Amusing all-star WWII dramedy/action flick with Eastwood and Savalas

Rating: 7/10 (2 January 2017)

Released in 1970 and directed by Brian G. Hutton, "Kelly's Heroes" is a war dramedy starring Clint Eastwood as the title character who convinces Sgt. Big Joe (Telly Savalas) & his platoon and a free-spirited Sherman tank commander (Donald Sutherland) to spend their three-day leave on a gold heist at a French village. The events take place 12 weeks after the Normandy invasion.
"Kelly's Heroes" was obviously inspired by "What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?" from four years earlier. Carroll O'Connor even plays the same basic role, a general who mistakes the misdeeds of Allied soldiers as brave, selfless combat; and arrives on the scene to commend them. The picture miraculously combines zany comedy with serious war action and is highlighted by the fun, eccentric theme song "Burning Bridges" by The Mike Curb Congregation. Of course the all-star cast is great with Sutherland standing out as Oddball. People complain that Oddball was anachronistic since he was a late-60's hippie type, but his crew resembled Gypsies and, besides, there are laid-back free-spirited types in every generation.
While the film is overall superior to "What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?" it's inferior in that it lacks a female cast member in the form of the jaw-dropping Giovanna Ralli. Actually, the film was slated to have a female role, but it was cut from the script prior to filming. The stunning Ingrid Pitt was cast, as she worked with Eastwood two years earlier in "Where Eagles Dare." Ingrid was virtually climbing on board the plane bound for the set in Yugoslavia when word came that her part was cut. The fools.
The film is a little overlong at 144 minutes and should've been cut by about 15-20 minutes, but the compelling last hour makes up for the flabbiness. The movie was shot in the Istrian village of Viinaa in Croatia (former Yugoslavia), substituting for France.
GRADE: B+